Robert E. Lee Paper

Robert E. Lee Paper

Blake R. Clifton
Professor Eric Jackson
History 131
3 December 2013
Robert E. Lee is considered to be one of the best to ever serve in the United States military. He is best known for leading and commanding the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War. During the war he inspired and was praised by southerners, even though the North was winning the war. In the North, Robert E. Lee was labeled as a traitor and soon lost his citizenship. Although he and the Confederacy lost the war, Robert E. Lee is still considered a great figure in U.S. history. Robert E. Lee’s accomplishments, highs, and lows all throughout his life is exemplified in his early life, middle life, and later life.
Robert Edward Lee was born January 19th, 1807, in Stratford, Virginia to Henry Lee and Ann Hill Carter Lee. Lee’s father was a well-respected cavalry leader during the Revolutionary War, and he was also Governor of Virginia. Robert E. Lee was mostly raised and brought up by his mother, who instilled in him the concept of authority, discipline, and order. His mother also taught him the importance and power of Christianity. From his mother’s teachings Robert E. Lee excelled in school and was soon accepted to West Point in 1825. While at West Point he learned about warfare, tactics, and other contributing factors. In 1829, Robert E. Lee graduated from West Point second in his class out of forty six students, but the most amazing thing was that in his four years at West Point he never received a demerit. After graduation he was sent to be a brevet second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers, United States Army. While serving at this position he was married on January 30th, 1831, to Mary Anne Randolph Custis, who was the great step granddaughter of George Washington. They had seven children, three sons and four daughters. He stayed at the position of brevet second lieutenant until 1846 when he was Captain in the Mexican American War. Lee soon gained...

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