A Brief History Of Robert E. Lee
For over 150 years, the legacy of Robert E.Lee has stood as the standard for honorable action and faithful service. Born in 1807 as a son of a Revolutionary War hero and a descendant of two signers of the Declaration of Independence, Lee would evolve into a true man of honor and military genius.
As a young man, he graduated second in his class from West Point, the nation's premier military academy, West Point. (He acquired not a single demerit during his time as a cadet at West Point.)
He then served on the staff of Major General Winfield Scott, who commanded the American forces that invaded Veracruz and captured Mexico City during the war with Mexico in 1846, As an engineer officer, Lee helped Scott find ways around the Mexican defenses. He was a hero of the Mexican American War making large contributions to U.S. land grants which led to westward expansion..
In 1852 Lee was appointed Superintendent of the U.S Military Academy at West Point.
In a letter written as early as 1856 he said this about slavery: "There are few,I beleive,in this enlightened age, who will not acknowledge that slavery as an institution is a moral and political evil." Lee lived in an era of State's Rights. He opposed secession, but after Virginia seceded from the Union, Lee decided that he could not take up arms against his family and home. He was so well respected that President Abraham Lincoln offered Lee command of the Union army to defeat the South.
As a soldier's primary duty is to defend his homeland, Lee respectfully declined the offer and sided with his home state of Virginia and the South.
During the Civil War, Lee achieved many victories against forces with greater numbers and resources. He was the most loved and respected General of the war by his men. His strategies and tactics are still taught in military history and strategy classes today all over the world.
After the Civil War, Lee would act as a vital and effective leader healing the wounds of a divided nation where he encouraged unity and restoration. He more than anyone else, likely saved the South and united the nation. He rejected the proposal of an insurgency against the Union and called for reconciliation to heal the country. Without Lee, the Civil War may have become an insurgent war.
One cannot speak of Robert E. Lee without understanding his unwavering dedication to his country, especially in the formative post-war years that reunited a divided nation. In 1960, soon-to-be President John F. Kennedy openly lionized Lee saying “Robert E. Lee, who after gallant failure, urged those who had followed him in bravery to reunite America in purpose and courage." Since then, the South has emerged as the most super-patriotic section of the country--its people more prone to wave the American flag and sing the national anthem.
After the war, he became President of Washington College which was later renamed Washington and Lee University after his death.
When Lee passed away in 1870, a former slave of his family did his eulogy. He said "I've never met a more noble man as Robert E. Lee who released all his slaves more than 10 years before the War of the States". Over the years, American Presidents Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr.,and Clinton publicly declared Lee's invaluable contributions to American cultured history.
Over the years, Americans have celebrated his legacy for generations with many monuments and memorials erected all over the United States. Many streets and schools across the country bear his name. The U.S. government has honored his legacy by having him on 5 U.S. postage stamps, naming U.S. Army Fort Lee, Virginia, a World War II tank (M3 Lee tank), and even a U.S. Navy submarine (USS Robert E. Lee) after him.
Robert E. Lee personifies American culture and history and his legacy should be respected and remembered for generations to come. Those who understand and appreciate history realize that some characters from the past stood at historic crossroads. Those characters should not be washed away by wholesale stereotypes and today's political correctness rather they should be understood in the ways that they were unique and not judged by today's standards.
Thousands of New Orleanians volunteered to defend their homeland and fought under General Lee as the “Louisiana Tigers” in the Civil War and many did not return home. After Lee’s death in 1870, the “R.E. Lee Monumental Association” was formed to honor those New Orleanians and Louisianians who perished in the war by erecting a monument to their beloved and respected leader Robert E. Lee.
Legacy of
Robert E.LEE
For over 150 years, the legacy of Robert E. Lee has stood as the standard for honorable action and faithful service. He is widely considered one of the greatest military leaders in world history. His successful strategies ,tactics and leadership techniques are still taught all over the world today. The United States government has honored his legacy by having him on five U.S. postage stamps, naming U.S. Army Fort Lee, Virginia, a World War II tank(M3 Lee battle tank) and a Navy submarine( USS Robert E. Lee ) after him. Robert E. Lee personifies American culture and history and his legacy should be respected and remembered for generations to come.
a biography of lee
10 FACTS
you probably don't know about general lee
Robert E Lee’s father Henry Lee III fought under generals George Washington and Nathaniel Greene in the American Revolution; served as the ninth governor of Virginia from 1791 to 1794; and was Major General in the US army from 1798 to 1800.
Abraham Lincoln offered Robert E. Lee a job two days before Lee accepted the job of Commander with the Confederacy.
Robert E. Lee was buried under the Lee chapel at the Washington and Lee University in 1870. A crypt located under the chapel houses most of his immediate famaily and his trusty horse, Traveler, is buried outside. It is tradition that current students of the university leave apples and coins in the hopes of being compensated with good fortune in their studies. The chapel is one of Lexington's most historical tourist attractions to this day.
Robert E Lee’s father Henry Lee III fought under generals George Washington and Nathaniel Greene in the American Revolution; served as the ninth governor of Virginia from 1791 to 1794; and was Major General in the US army from 1798 to 1800.