Robert E. Lee Biography

Robert E. Lee, General
Attr: Julian Vannerson, Public domain
Born asRobert Edward Lee
Occup.General
FromUSA
SpouseMary Anna Custis Lee
BornJanuary 19, 1807
Stratford, Virginia, USA
DiedOctober 12, 1870
Lexington, Virginia, USA
CauseHeart failure
Aged63 years
Early Life
Robert Edward Lee was born on January 19, 1807, in Stratford Hall, Westmoreland County, Virginia, USA. He was the 5th kid of Revolutionary War hero Henry "Light-Horse Harry" Lee as well as Ann Hill Carter Lee. His dad's army service in the American Revolution gained him recognition and respect, however additionally left the family members with serious economic problems.

Robert Lee's youth was noted by the financial problems faced by his family members. Therefore, he grew up mainly at the house of his maternal grandparents in Alexandria, Virginia. Despite these difficulties, Lee got a great education in numerous colleges and also was known for his intelligence and resolution.

In 1825, Lee acquired a consultation to the United States Military Academy at West Point. He excelled academically and graduated in 1829, 2nd in his course. Upon graduation, he was appointed as a 2nd lieutenant in the respected Corps of Engineers.

Army Career and Marriage
Throughout the 1830s and also 1840s, Lee served in different engineering projects in Georgia, Virginia, and New York. He wed Mary Anna Randolph Custis, a descendant of George Washington's family, in 1831. With each other, they had 7 kids.

The break out of the Mexican-American War in 1846 offered Lee with the chance to display his army skills. He offered with distinction as a designer in General Winfield Scott's army during the project, joining a number of vital fights like Cerro Gordo, Contreras, as well as Churubusco. His performance throughout the battle earned him promo to the rank of significant.

In the 1850s, after serving a brief stint as the superintendent of the West Point Military Academy, Lee took various army projects in Texas as well as Missouri. In 1859, he returned to Virginia and was involved in suppressing John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry.

American Civil War
In 1861, tensions in between the Northern and also Southern states intensified, finishing in the American Civil War. Lee was at first used command of the Union Army. Nonetheless, he decreased as a result of his loyalty to his residence state of Virginia, which had actually seceded from the Union. Rather, Lee joined the Confederate Army and was rapidly assigned as a military advisor to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.

In 1862, Lee thought command of the Army of Northern Virginia, a placement he would hold for the rest of the battle. He emerged as a great armed forces tactician, utilizing innovative approaches to win numerous important fights, significantly the Seven Days' Battles, Second Battle of Bull Run, Battle of Chancellorsville, and Battle of Fredericksburg.

Nevertheless, Lee's biggest obstacle came during the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863. In spite of some initial successes, his army inevitably experienced a costly loss that marked a transforming point in the war. After that, Union forces progressively acquired the edge, ultimately leading to Lee's surrender to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865.

Postwar Years and Death
Adhering to the war, Lee came to be a symbol of the South's "Lost Cause" and sought to promote reconciliation in between the North and South. In 1865, he became head of state of Washington College (currently Washington and also Lee University) in Lexington, Virginia. He functioned to transform the college into a leading school, bring in pupils from both the North and the South.

On October 12, 1870, Lee died at the age of 63 from the effects of a stroke he had actually endured two weeks previously. He was hidden below the church of Washington as well as Lee University.

In the years following his fatality, Lee has actually been commonly celebrated as a hero in the South for his armed forces prowess as well as his role in the Confederacy. However, his tradition has actually ended up being progressively controversial in the last few years as a result of his support of enslavement as well as the Confederate cause. In spite of these arguments, Robert E. Lee continues to be a vital number in American history.

Our collection contains 27 quotes who is written / told by Robert, under the main topic War.

Related authors: Elmer G. Letterman (General), Jefferson Davis (President), Ulysses S. Grant (President), Lawrence Taylor (Athlete), George Washington (President)

Source / external links:

27 Famous quotes by Robert E. Lee

Small: The devils name is dullness
"The devil's name is dullness"
Small: Obedience to lawful authority is the foundation of manly character
"Obedience to lawful authority is the foundation of manly character"
Small: Never do a wrong thing to make a friend or to keep one
"Never do a wrong thing to make a friend or to keep one"
Small: My chief concern is to try to be an humble, earnest Christian
"My chief concern is to try to be an humble, earnest Christian"
Small: Let the tent be struck
"Let the tent be struck"
Small: It is well that war is so terrible. We should grow too fond of it
"It is well that war is so terrible. We should grow too fond of it"
Small: It is good that war is so horrible, or we might grow to like it
"It is good that war is so horrible, or we might grow to like it"
Small: In all my perplexities and distresses, the Bible has never failed to give me light and strength
"In all my perplexities and distresses, the Bible has never failed to give me light and strength"
Small: I tremble for my country when I hear of confidence expressed in me. I know too well my weakness, that o
"I tremble for my country when I hear of confidence expressed in me. I know too well my weakness, that our only hope is in God"
Small: I think it better to do right, even if we suffer in so doing, than to incur the reproach of our conscie
"I think it better to do right, even if we suffer in so doing, than to incur the reproach of our consciences and posterity"
Small: I like whiskey. I always did, and that is why I never drink it
"I like whiskey. I always did, and that is why I never drink it"
Small: I have been up to see the Congress and they do not seem to be able to do anything except to eat peanuts
"I have been up to see the Congress and they do not seem to be able to do anything except to eat peanuts and chew tobacco, while my army is starving"
Small: I cannot trust a man to control others who cannot control himself
"I cannot trust a man to control others who cannot control himself"
Small: Get correct views of life, and learn to see the world in its true light. It will enable you to live ple
"Get correct views of life, and learn to see the world in its true light. It will enable you to live pleasantly, to do good, and, when summoned away, to leave without regret"
Small: Duty, then is the sublimest word in our language. Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more you sh
"Duty, then is the sublimest word in our language. Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more; you should never wish to do less"
Small: Duty is the most sublime word in our language. Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more. You shou
"Duty is the most sublime word in our language. Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more. You should never wish to do less"
Small: Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, you should never wish to do less
"Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, you should never wish to do less"
Small: A true man of honor feels humbled himself when he cannot help humbling others
"A true man of honor feels humbled himself when he cannot help humbling others"
Small: Whiskey - I like it, I always did, and that is the reason I never use it
"Whiskey - I like it, I always did, and that is the reason I never use it"
Small: What a cruel thing war is... to fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our neighbors
"What a cruel thing war is... to fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our neighbors"
Small: We must expect reverses, even defeats. They are sent to teach us wisdom and prudence, to call forth gre
"We must expect reverses, even defeats. They are sent to teach us wisdom and prudence, to call forth greater energies, and to prevent our falling into greater disasters"
Small: We have fought this fight as long, and as well as we know how. We have been defeated. For us as a Chris
"We have fought this fight as long, and as well as we know how. We have been defeated. For us as a Christian people, there is now but one course to pursue. We must accept the situation"
Small: We failed, but in the good providence of God apparent failure often proves a blessing
"We failed, but in the good providence of God apparent failure often proves a blessing"
Small: This war is not about slavery
"This war is not about slavery"
Small: The war... was an unnecessary condition of affairs, and might have been avoided if forebearance and wis
"The war... was an unnecessary condition of affairs, and might have been avoided if forebearance and wisdom had been practiced on both sides"
Small: The trite saying that honesty is the best policy has met with the just criticism that honesty is not po
"The trite saying that honesty is the best policy has met with the just criticism that honesty is not policy. The real honest man is honest from conviction of what is right, not from policy"
Small: The education of a man is never completed until he dies
"The education of a man is never completed until he dies"