As commander in chief of virginia s forces, lee saw it as his first task to concentrate troops, armaments, and equipment at major points where the invasion might be expected. Lee was a confederate general who led the souths attempt at secession during the civil war. Someone had posted about one of lee s sister being pro union. This also made him, by virtue of the confederacys defense of chattel slavery, the most successful defender of the enslavement of african americans.
A revolutionary war heros son and a former west point superintendent, lee was a professional soldier on an upward but ordinary career arc. There are three levels of difficulty to choose from and the challenge of the campaign mode is extremely satisfying especially for those fans who want to try their hand at changing the course of history. In this role, he was arguably the most significant general of the civil war. Lee, in full robert edward lee, born january 19, 1807, stratford, westmoreland county, virginia, u.
During the first year of the civil war, he served in minor combat operations and as a senior military. Lee agreed to surrender his army of northern virginia, marking a symbolic end to the civil war on april 9, 1865. Robert edward lee is born on january 19 at stratford hall in. Lee day is celebrated on his birthday in some states. I decided to check on who all his brothers and sisters were. Lee was the confederacys most famous general in the american civil war. Army, a west point commandant and the legendary general of the confederate army during the american civil war. Lee was the most successful confederate military leader during the american civil war 18611865.
Lee wanted the confederate flag gone conciliator the recent fracas over the confederate battle flags at robert e. Grant went on to become the 18 th president of the united states but what about confederate army commanding officer robert e. The idol of the south to this day, virginian robert e. Lee 18071870 was one of the most talented and successful generals of the civil war. Lee for his leadership during the civil war, however few are truly familiar with his distinct military strategy. Lee, confederate commander of the army of northern virginia and later all southern armies during the american civil war 186165. Lee, the reluctant, tragic leader of the confederate army, who died in his beloved virginia at age 63 in 1870, five years after the end of the civil war. I thought the writing could be a little dry, but he did furnish a lot of good details and gave a good description of the armies as they faced each other at appomattox, but his history lacked drama. During the civil war his trajectory changed radically.
On the question of erecting civil war monuments, the former confederate general wrote that he thought it wiser not to keep open the sores of war. Signature robert edward lee january 19, 1807 october 12, 1870 was an american and confederate soldier, best known as a commander of the confederate states army. Welcome to civilwartalk, a forum about the american civil war. The lost document that changed the course of american history. Robert e lees father fought in the revolutionary war as a cavalry officer.
Northern virginia, and the civil war begins drawing to an end. To efface the squalor and horror of the war, we have the image of. I know many of you already know but i learned a lot for myself. Lees letter to jefferson davis explaining the surrender, the fatigue of the army and of the confederacy and the need to end the war peacefully. His brilliance in war waging strategies, his vigor and achievements during the civil war, makes him an iconic figure.
Although lees purported tactical genius was trumped by grants superior talent in grand strategy, lee is famed for his tactical management of battles. During this period, confederate troops joined the virginia forces and subdued the federal army at the first battle of bull run. Lees father acquired the unfortunate nickname light horse harry. He attended west point graduating second in his class and became an engineer in the united states army, serving with success in the mexicanamerican war of 184648. Lee was a general who led the confederate states military during the civil war. He commanded the army of northern virginia in the american civil war from 1862 until its surrender in 1865. The confederate war effort reached its high water mark on july 3, 1863 when lee ordered a massive frontal assault against meades center, spearheaded by virginians under maj. Made by impressions games and published by sierra online, inc. The overall confederate surrender took place in stages over the following two months, with other confederate armies reaching surrender agreements after lee met with union general ulysses s. Lee seemed bound for neither canonization nor denunciation. Lee only wanted peace and healing for the united states after the civil war. In march and april 1861, lee was offered command of the principal union army.
Lee, however, has come down in history as too fine for the bloodbath of 186165. Lee, the famed military leader of the confederate army during the civil war. The attack known as picketts charge was a failure and lee, recognizing that. You know the north was victorious and commanding general of the union army ulysses s. Before april 20, 1861, when he resigned from the u. Lee became president of washington college in lexington, virginia. Lee has long been considered a brilliant general, perhaps the only one in the confederacy who had any chance of winning the civil war. Then came antietam where union general mcclellan captured general lees plan of march and joined battle with him. In early 1865, the union army began marching through the state of virginia, pushing back the confederate forces. From the outset, lee sought to fight an offensive war while other confederate leaders preferred to fight defensively, forcing the northern armies to come after the confederate forces. Lincoln supported the north whereas robert was a famous general in the south. Lee was the commander of the army of northern virginia from 1862 to the civil wars end. His ability to gain the most from his commanders and men allowed the confederacy to maintain its defiance of the north against increasing odds. Lee an honorable man and said that the lack of an ability to compromise led to civil war.
Military academy at west point in 1846, lee fought in the mexicanamerican war, where he showed his excellent leadership skills in 1859, he was in command of the force that captured abolitionist john brown at harpers ferry, virginia. Robert e lee was born on january 19, 1807 in stratford virginia. Lee, a confederate civil war general during the american civil war robert e. Civil war general is a simple but highly effective pointandclick system used in conjunction with keyboard hot key implementation. Instead, he accepted a generals commission in the newly formed confederate army. Lee enjoys the status of a cultural icon in the south and is largely hailed as one of the civil wars. His father received injuries in baltimore riot from which he never recovered and which necessitated his leaving alexandria for a warmer climate. The civil war was basically a war of attrition and the north outnumbered the south.
Join t fight donate today to preserve civil war battlefields and the nations history for generations to come. As commander in chief of virginias forces, lee saw it as his first task to concentrate troops, armaments, and equipment at major points where the invasion might be expected. Civil war, commanding his home states armed forces and becoming generalinchief of the confederate forces toward the end of the conflict. Lee surrendered 150 years ago, effectively ending the civil war. In hopes of uniting with more confederate troops in north. Lee was two years older then lincoln but they both died at the same age. Admittedly the south had more courageous generals at first. Lee was the famous confederate general, commander of the northern virginian army, during the american civil war. You learned about the american civil war in your history classes. On this day, lee surrenders at appomattox national. This signaled the start of the end of the american civil war. During the civil war, abraham lincoln was the president and robert was a general that was part of the confederacy. Lee was born at stratford, westmoreland county, virginia. Lee s ancestors were some of the first europeans to settle in virginia.
In appomattox court house, virginia, confederate general robert e. Lee s secret civil war battle plans were found wrapped around cigars under a locust tree and ended up in union hands. Lee was the leading confederate general during the u. Yet, after virginia seceded on april 17, he determined that to lift my hand against. For fans of the greatest war ever fought on american soil, robert e. On the eve of the civil war, president abraham lincoln, through secretary francis blair, offered him command of the union army. He was the tactical victory in several 186263 battles and generally performed well on the tactical defensive against grant in 1864. Forced to abandon the confederate capital of richmond, blocked from joining the surviving confederate force in north carolina. Lee did not own slaves is often paired with the claim that ulysses s. Lee biographies the civil war in america exhibitions. Appomattox court house, virginia, was where confederate general robert e. General johnston was wounded during his attack on union forces and was replaced by general robert e.
Civil war and has been venerated as a heroic figure in the american south. Robert e lees civil war by bevin alexander is a decent read. Which venn diagram compares and contrasts abraham lincoln. Parents, henry lee lighthorse harry lee of leesylvania, and ann hill carter of shirley. He worked there until he died from a stroke in 1870. White house chief of staff john kelly raised eyebrows. Both claims serve to distance the confederacy from its core justification. The south was defeated on the battlefield in 1865, yet the lee legend swaddled in myth, kitsch and racism has.