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U. S. CIVIL WAR PHOTOGRAPHS |
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Robert Edward Lee was born on January 19, 1807, at "Stratford" in
Westmoreland County, Virginia. He was the fifth child born to
Henry "Light-Horse Harry" Lee and his second wife, Ann Hill
(Carter) Lee. He grew up in an area where George Washington was
still a living memory. Robert had many ties to Revolutionary War
heroes.
Stratford - 2001 Educated in the Alexandria, Virginia, schools, he obtained appointment to West Point in 1825. In 1829, Robert E. Lee graduated second in the class without a single demerit against his name. He was commissioned a brevet 2nd Lieutenant of Engineers.
On June 30, 1831, he married Mary Ann Randolph Custis. They had seven children. All three of their sons served in the Confederate army . George Washington Custis and William
Henry Fitzhugh ("Rooney") attained the rank of Major General and
Robert E. Lee, Jr., that of Captain. The latter served as a
private in the Rockbridge Artillery at the Battle of Antietam.
During the Mexican War, Robert E. Lee, for his gallantry and distinguished conduct in performing vital scouting missions, was promoted to; Brevet Major for his actions at Cerro Gordo; Brevet Lieutenant Colonel for Contreras-Churubusco; and Brevet Colonel for Chapultepec. The Army designated officers by the highest brevet rank attained, and so, Lee, although not receiving Colonel's pay, carried the title "Colonel" after the Mexican war. (For more information on Lee's actions in the Mexican War, refer to the book "Lee" by Douglas Southall Freeman.) In 1852, he became Superintendent of the Military Academy and began receiving Army pay equivalent to his Brevet rank, Colonel. In 1855, Secretary of War Jefferson Davis transferred Lee from staff to line and Lee was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel 2nd Cavalry. This did not give him any additional compensation, since he was already receiving Brevet Colonel pay. However, it did make his actual rank closer to his highest Brevet rank. He was then sent to West Texas, where he served from 1857-1861. In February of 1861, General Winfield Scott recalled Lee from Texas when the lower South seceded from the Union. On March 18th, Lee was promoted to Colonel by an order signed by Abraham Lincoln Politically, Robert E. Lee was a Whig. Ironically, he was attached strongly to the Union and to the Constitution. He entertained no special sympathy for slavery. When Virginia withdrew from the Union, Lee resigned his commission rather than assist in suppressing the insurrection. His resignation was two days following the offer of Chief of Command of U.S. forces under Scott. He then proceeded to Richmond to become Commander-in-Chief of the military and naval forces of Virginia. When these forces joined Confederate services, he was appointed Brigadier General in the Regular Confederate Army. Lee returned to Richmond in March of 1862 to become military advisor to President Davis. Whenever he had a plan, General Lee took the initiative and acted at once. Lee stopped McClellan's threat to Richmond during the Seven Days Battle (June 26-July 2, 1861). At the Battle of Second Manassas, Lee defeated Pope. At the Battle of Antietam, his Northern thrust was checked by McClellan; however, he repulsed Burnside at Fredericksburg in December of 1862. In May of 1863, Gen. Lee defeated Gen. Hooker at Chancellorsville, but was forced onto the strategic defensive after Gettysburg in July. On April 9, 1865, Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at the village of Appomattox Court House. After the surrender, Lee returned to Richmond. He assumed the presidency of Washington College (now Washington and Lee University). His example of conduct for thousands of ex-Confederates made him a legend even before his death on October 12, 1870. General Robert E. Lee is buried at Lexington, Virginia. (Primary Text Source: U.S. Gov't, National Park Service) Editor's Note: To show photographs of the battles that Lee commanded would require the inclusion of almost all of the approximately 700 photographs in this section. Instead, I shall present here those photographs directly involving Lee. Most are duplicated elsewhere on this site, on those pages in which they are appropriately part of a battle or location. PRE-CIVIL WAR |
76Lee's Letter of Resignation from the U.S. Army. Source: National Archives Click Here to read the text. |
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