Robert Edward Lee

Robert Edward Lee, considered one of the greatest army generals of all time was born to war hero Harry Lee, often known as "Light Horde Harry" on January 19Th, 1807. Due to his father's gambling obsession, his family was poor. Lee did not believe in slavery, but his loyalty to Virginia forced him to fight for them. Lee owned one servant by the name of Rev. Wm. Mack Lee. A quote from his servant: "I was raised by one of the greatest men in the world. There was never one born of a woman greater than Gen. Robert E. Lee, according to my judgment. All of his servants were set free ten years before the war, but all stayed on the plantation until after the surrender."


Robert E. Lee's Family

in 1831, Lee married Mary Ann Randolph Cutis. They had seven children. Their three boy's names were G.W. Curtis, Wm. Henry Fitzhugh and Robert Edward Jr. Their four girls' names were Ann Carter, Eleanor Agnes, Mary Curtis and Mildred Childe. Lee loved his family and missed them terribly when he was fighting. He wrote many letters home to his family.


Lee at West Point

In 1825, Lee admitted to West Point Military School in New York. Lee was considered a top student excelling in Mathematics. He graduated with honors in 1829. He then worked as an engineer and played a major role in the final construction of Fort Monroe. In 1852 he was given the position of superintendent at the military school.


Robert E. Lee in Mexican War
In 1838 Robert E. Lee was promoted to Captain in the Mexican War. He was one of Winfield Scott's chief aides in the march from Veracruz to Mexico City. He found routes of attack that the Mexicans had not defended because they thought the terrain was impassable. He fought for the United States after their victory he spent three years at Fort Carroll in Baltimore harbor, after which he became the superintendent of West Point in 1852.

General Robert E. Lee's Major Battles


Robert E. Lee fought in many hard battles, and always by his side he had a horse. His favorite horse was named Traveller, an American saddle bred. He was a sturdy gelding at 16 hands high and 1,100 pounds iron grey in color with black points. Lee loved his long mane and Flowing tail.


The major battle that Lee lead was Gettysburg, a Union victory declared by the number of deaths. In Gettysburg the Confederacy lost 4,708, while 12,693 were wounded and 5,830 had gone missing. Gettysburg was the turning point of the war and allowed the Union to win. Some of the other major Confederate victory battles that he fought in were Gaines Mill (1862), Manassas II (1862), Fredericks burg (1862), Chancellorsville (1863) and Cold Harbor (1864). Other battles that he lead the Army Of northern Virginia through were Glendale, Malvern Hill, Antietam, Gettysburg, Wilderness and Spotsylvania. He fought in many more battles, but those are the major ones.


Lee's Surrender at Appomattox Court, Virginia

On April 9, 1865 Lee surrendered to general Ulysses Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia. After four years of fighting and 630,000 deaths, the war was finished when Lee surrendered the Northern Virginian army to U.S. Grant. Grant wrote the terms for the Confederate States army of Northern Virginia. They were written in a letter formation from himself to General Lee and were generous and allowed Confederates to return home feeling respect and dignity. After the war, Lee forgave the Union army.




Lee's Death
On September 28, 1870 Lee was being served tea after a meeting and about to say grace when he opened his mouth but nothing came out, and he sank back in his chair. He was brought to his bed. Physicians who sat by his bed announced that he had a malady congestion in his brain that was killing him and due to depression from people suffering in the war. When one physician asked him "Genera, you must make haste and get well; Traveller has been standing so long and needs exercise" He shook his head sadly to indicate that he would never mount his favorite horse again. On Wednesday; October 12Th at about 9:00 in the morning, Robert E. Lee died at age 63.



Robert E. Lee Quotes

• "Whiskey - I like it, I always did, and that is the reason I never use it."



• "A true man of honor feels humbled himself when he cannot help humbling others"



• "Never do a wrong thing to make a friend or keep one."



• "We failed, but in the good providence of God apparent failure often proves a blessing."



• "I cannot trust a man to control others who cannot control himself."



• "Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, you should never wish to do less"

Emma Frank & Rory Reichelt
(Deborah's Design Team)