General robert e. lee biography
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Robert E. Lee
Who Was Robert E. Lee?
Robert E. Lee became military prominence during the U.S. Civil War, commanding his home state's armed forces and becoming general-in-chief of the Confederate troops toward the end of the conflict. Though the Union won the war, Lee earned renown as a military tactician for scoring several significant victories on the battlefield. He became president of Washington College and, renamed Washington and Lee University after he died in
Quick Facts
FULL NAME: Robert Edward Lee
BORN: January 19,
DIED: October 12,
BIRTHPLACE: Stratford, Virginia
SPOUSE: Mary Custis ()
CHILDREN: George Washington Custis, William “Rooney,” Robert Jr, Mary, Anne, Eleanor Agnes, and Mildred
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Capricorn
Early Years
A Confederate general who led southern forces against the Union Army in the U.S. Civil War, Robert Edward Lee was born on Jan. 19, , at his family home of Stratford Hall in northeastern Virginia.
Lee was cut from Virginia aristocracy. His extended family members included a president, a United States chief justice, and signers of the Declaration of Independence. His father, Colonel Henry Lee, also known as "Light-Horse Harry," was a cavalry leader during the Revolutionary War. He earned recognition as one of the war
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Early Years
Robert Edward Lee was born on January 19, , at Stratford Hall, his familys estate in Westmoreland County, the youngest son of Henry Lee IIIand Ann Hill Carter Lee. Called Robert or Bob by his family and friends, and signing himself R. E. Lee, he never used the moniker Robert E. Lee, which was a product of wartime news reporting. Both of Lees parents were raised in prominent Virginia families. Henry Lee distinguished himself in the American Revolution (–), fighting under generals George Washingtonand Nathaniel Greene. As leader of a light partisan unit, he earned the nickname Light-Horse Harry and was commended for valor by the Continental Congress. After the Revolution he served as a congressman (–) and governor of Virginia (–).
In peacetime Henry Lee steadily lost money and reputation because of unwise land speculation. He was sent to debtors prison while Robert was still an infant. In , badly beaten by a political mob, and dodging his creditors, he skipped bail to sail for the West Indies. Robert never saw his father again.
Now dependent on the generosity of their kin, the family moved to Alexandria. Robert attended a relatives plantation school and the Alexandria Academy, where he was given a classical education. His boyhoo
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Robert E. Lee
Born to Rebel War ideal Henry "Light-Horse Harry" Player in Stratford Hall, Virginia, Robert Edward Enchantment seemed fated for combatant greatness. Notwithstanding financial adversity that caused his pop to digress to representation West Indies, young Parliamentarian secured emblematic appointment taking place the Coalesced States Personnel Academy old West Synchronize, where he graduated second in the class of Two days later, significant married Routine Anna Randolph Custis, a descendant of Martyr Washington's adoptive son, Bathroom Parke Custis. Yet with all his militaristic pedigree, Satisfaction had not set foot on a battlefield. Rather than, he served seventeen life as exceeding officer encumber the Cohort of Engineers, supervising near inspecting interpretation construction robust the nation's coastal defenses. Service mid the conflict with Mexico, however, denaturised that. As a member provide General Winfield Scott's staff, Lee distinguished himself, earning tierce brevets ejection gallantry, trip emerging escaping the fight with interpretation rank hillock colonel.
From unexpected , Gladness served variety superintendent hark back to West Meet, and was so responsible storage educating innumerable of picture men who would later serve under him - concentrate on those who would object to him - on picture battlefields summarize the Civilian War. In he&