Born on January 19, 1807 in Westmoreland County, Virginia, Lee was the fifth child of Revolutionary war hero, Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee. He attended West Point, graduating second in his class in 1829 and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant of Engineers. He married Mary Ann Randolph Curtis on July 30, 1831 and she bore him seven children.
Serving with distinction during the Mexican American War, Lee quickly rose through the ranks. In 1852, he was appointed the superintendent of West Point and held the position for three years. During his tenure there, J.E.B. Stuart attended the academy.
Lee was appointed as Lieutenant Colonel of the 2nd Cavalry, under the command of Colonel Sidney Johnson in 1855. During this time, Lee learned many of the tactics he would later use to great success during the Civil War. With his troops, he pursued Mexican bandits and raiding hostile Plains tribes. In 1857, he assumed command of the 2nd Cavalry when Sidney Johnson was transferred to another campaign.
Robert E. Lee Joins Confederate States
In March of 1861, he was made Colonel of the 1st U.S. Cavalry, but he resigned his commission a month later when Virginia seceded from the Union.
In Richmond, he was appointed a major-general of the Virginia forces. After a few weeks, he was commissioned a brigadier-general in the Confederate service.
When General Joseph E. Johnson was wounded at the battle of Seven Pines, Lee was assigned to the Army of Northern Virginia, the command that made him famous.
Robert E. Lee as a Confederate General
His first success came at the Seven Days Battle, where he stopped the advancing Federals under George McClellan and later invaded Maryland, fighting at Antietam. His most resounding victories came at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville.
The turning point of the war came at Gettysburg in 1863. He and his Army of Northern Virginia fought at the battles of the Wilderness, Spotylvania, North Anna and Cold Harbor.
After the long siege at Petersburg in April of 1865, Lee withdrew to the west. Headed off by Federal cavalry and with Grant pursuing him closely, Lee had no choice but to surrender. On April 9, 1865 at Appomattox Courthouse, Lee surrendered to Grant.
He was allowed to return home and lived quietly for a few months and in August of 1865, was offered the position of president of Washington College in Lexington, Virginia. Lee remained there until his death on August 12, 1870 and was buried on the college grounds.
Sources:
<Sons of the South.net> Retrieved on 2/28/09.
