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Robert E. lee

• Sarah Dallo

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Birth  

§  January 19th, 1807 §  Stratford Hall in Westmoreland County,Virginia §  The fourth child of Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee

and Ann Hill Carter §  His parents were prominent members of the Virginia

aristocracy §  Mother was from one of the wealthiest families in

Virginia §  Father was Revolutionary War hero and former

Governor of Virginia

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Childhood  §  April 11th, 1809: Father ended up in prison and wrote his Memoirs of the War in the Southern Department §  1810: His mother moves to to a small house in Alexandria because they can no longer afford their mansion §  July 25th, 1812: Father gets injured trying to stop a mob from attacking a friend who had opposed the War of 1812, he will never fully

recover from these injuries. §  1813: To escape financial troubles, his father flees to the West Indies. Robert will never forget his once-great father, but this haunts him for

the rest of his life

Childhood  

§  1816: Robert’s older brother, Carter goes to Harvard, leaving Roberts to care for his invalid mother and his sickly sister, Ann.

§  March 25th, 1818: His father tries to return home, but dies in Cumberland Island, Georgia. Even though he was a great hero of the Revolutionary War, he will be remembered for once writing George Washington a bad check.

Education  

§  June 1825: At the age of 18, Robert leaves for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, which was one of the most prominent schools in the country at the time.

§  June 1829: Robert graduates second in his class from West Point. He was one of the six students in his class to never receive a demerit. He is remembered by his classmates of his drive for perfection and his focused, secluded personality with the nickname, “Marble Model”. As one of the top cadets, he is able to chose his branch of service for the first assignment and he choses to work for the Army’s Engineer Corps.

Mother Dies  

§  July 10th, 1829: Ann Carter Lee dies at the age of 56 with Robert at her side.

§  This was a tragedy for Robert as now both his parents are dead and he was very close to his mother.

Early Military Career  

§  November 1829: Robert is appointed second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and assigned to Cockspur Island, Georgia

Courtship  

§  Spring 1830: Lee begins to court Mary Custis. She is the great-granddaughter of Martha Washington and a member of the Virginia aristocracy. Even though Lee was a part of the Southern gentry, the reputation of his father was enough for Mary Custis’ father to express initial reservations about the courtship.

§  June 30th, 1831: After finally winning Mr. Custis’ approval, the couple married.

Children  

§  1832-1835: Mary gives birth to their first child, George “Custis” Washington Custis Lee, and later a daughter, Mary Custis Lee.

§  1837-1846: Robert and Mary have five more children: William “Rooney” Henry Fitzhugh Lee, Anne “Annie” carter Lee, Eleanor “Agnes” Lee, Robert Edward Lee, Jr., and Mildred “Milly” Childe Lee.

Moving the Mississippi  

§  Summer 1838: Lee is promoted to captain of engineers and moves on to his greatest engineering challenge – “moving” the Mississippi River. The Mississippi had been drifting away from the St. Louis shore, and Lee was able to temporarily channel the river back toward the city, allowing St. Louis to remain a river port.

§  During his extended time away from Virginia, Lee continually writes letters to Mary and the children. Parenting from afar, he instructs Mary how to raise the children and remains engaged in their growth.

Mexican-American War  

•  August 1846: The Mexican-American War is comning under way and Robert is called upon to lend his engineering skills to general Winfield Scott’s force. Robert assesses routes for atack and completes challenging reconnaissance missions in Cerroo Gordo. He wins General Scott’s trust during the Battle of Vera Cruz and Scott comes to rely upon Robert’s superb mathematical skills and innovative battle strategy.

Mexican-American War  

•  February 2nd, 1848: The war ends with a U.S. victory and Robert returns to Virginia a rising star in the American army. Scott would, in a court martial, declare Robert “the very best soldier I ever saw in the field.” based on what he experienced of him in the Mexican-American War. He also told his superiors that in the event of a war, to take out an immediate life insurance policy on Robert E. Lee.

Return to west point

§  1852-1855: Lee returns to West Point as the academy’s new superintendent.

Spiritual Awakening

§  July 17th, 1853: At the age of 46, Robert experiences a spiritual awakening and is confirmed at Christ Church. His letters home become more introspective and melancholy and, for the first time in his life, he begins to realize the greatness of his acheievements and sees them in a new light.

Custis Graduates

§  1854: Robert and Mary’s eldest son, Custis, graduates first in his class from West Point. Robert had tried to talk him out of military service, but his son insisted. “I wish I was out of the army myself,” he admitted.

Lieutenant Colonel

§  Spring 1855: Robert leaves the Engineer Corps when Secretary of War Jefferson Davis appoints him the role of Lieutenant Colonel of the newly formed 22nd U.S. cavalry. Robert moves to west Texas to take up the position. From his isolated post, he receives letters from his family, learning that his second eldest son, Rooney Lee, was having difficulties at Harvard.

Opinion on Slavery

§  December 27th, 1856: At this time, Robert wrote a letter regarding his views on slavery. He states that slavery is a moral and political evil, however, it is a greater evil to the white race. He says, “The blacks are immeasurably better off here than in Africa, morally, physically, and socially.” He believes that the “painful discipline” they are undergoing will prepare them for greater things in, hopefully, the near future.

Mary’s father dies

§  October 1857: Mary's father, George Washington Park Custis, passes away. This leaves Robert as the executor of his estate. Robert returns to Virginia to temporarily manage the family estate, only to find his father-in-law’s finances in terrible shape: the plantations willed to his sons are barely functioning and heavily mortgaged, there is no cash to pay his daughters their promised inheritances, and the majority of the 195 slaves—who had been promised their freedom in Custis' will— are unwilling to continue to work the farm to pay off the family debt.

Mary’s father dies

§  Robert deals with slave insubordination harshly, paying to have runaways captured and sending insubordinate slaves away from their families. Unable to turn things around, Robert returns to Texas in 1860.  

Harper’s Ferry

§  October 1859: Robert is sent to Harper’s Ferry to suppress the John Brown raid. He remained at Harper’s Ferry through Brown’s arrest, trial and hanging.

Abraham Lincoln  

§  November 7th, 1860: Abraham Lincoln, an outspoken critic of slavery, is elected President of the United States. In response to this, South Carolina secedes from the Union, closely followed by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas. From Robert’s post in Texas, he warns his son that this secession will soon lead to war.

Confederate States  

§  February 1861: The seceding states from the original Confederate States of America, with Jefferson Davis as their president.

Attack On Fort Sumter  

§  April 12th, 1861: The Confederate forces attack Fort Sumter in South Carolina to ignite the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln mandates that all states provide troops to stop this rebellion, forcing those states that had remained neutral to select a side.

Fort Sumter Map  

Virginia Secedes  

§  April 17th, 1861: Virginia secedes from the Union.

Declining the Union  

§  April 18th,1861: As a rising star in the U.S. Military, Robert is called to a meeting with Francis Blair, a close associate of Abraham Lincoln. Blair offers Robert command of the Union Army, but he declines the offer, unwilling to fight against his home state of Virginia. Robert next seeks out his former commander and Director of the War Department, Winfield Scott. He explains his divided loyalties to Scott, but he refuses to let him “sit out” the war.

Lee Resigns?

§  April 20th, 1861: After days of deliberation, Robert resigns from the United States Army. He states in a letter to his Union-supporting sister, Anne Marshall, that “with all my devotion to  the Union and the feeling of loyalty and duty of an American citizen, I have not been able to make up my mind to raise my hand against my relatives, my children, my home." However, just two days later, Robert is assigned by the governor of Virginia to command the Virginia forces for the Confederate Army.

Confiscate Arlington

§  May 24th, 1861: Federal troops cross the Potomac and take up positions around Arlington Estate to confiscate it.

Battle of Manassas

§  July 21st, 1861: The Confederate Army, led by Brigadier General Joseph E. Johnston and General P.G.T. Beauregard, defeats Union forces at the Battle of Manassas. Commonly known as Bull Run, this is the first major battle of the Civil War. After this battle there were 2,950 Union and 1,750 Confederate casualties At this time it is clear that the war will be bloodier than either side had originally anticipated.

Battle of Cheat Mountain

§  September 12th-15th, 1861: Robert oversees a rather embarrassing defeat at the Battle of Cheat Mountain and he is harshly criticized for this failure.

Traveller

§  February 1862: Robert E. Lee acquired his horse Traveller (1857-1871) from Captain Joseph M. Broun, who was directed to “purchase a good serviceable horse of the best Greenbrier stock for our use during the war.” He bought the horse from Andrew Johnston’s son, Captain James W. Johnston and named him Greenbrier. (His name was originally Jeff Davis.)Robert took a fancy to this horse, always referring to him as “my colt”. He also predicted to Broun that he would use him before the war was over. After Robert transferred to South Carolina, Joseph Broun sold the horse to him for $200.

Traveller

§  Robert called his new horse “Traveller”, using the British spelling over the American with two ‘L’s. Traveller was a superb war horse because he was difficult to frighten, however he was very spirited, high strung and rather stubborn. Nevertheless, Robert loved his horse all the more.

§  Traveller was a very striking and regal creature.  He was not overly tall, conformed well, of good flesh and had a dappled grey coat with a black mane and tail. Robert believed him to be “Confederate grey” and destined to be his horse.

Overseeing Fortification

§  Winter 1861-62: Robert is relieved of his command and appointed to oversee the fortification of the cities on the southern coast. The media greatly criticizes him for how timid he is on the battlefield.

New Military Advisor

§  March 1862: The Confederate President and fellow West Point graduate, Jefferson Davis, appoints Robert to a new minor position as his personal military advisor. In a March 14th letter, Robert describes his frustration with this new position and the little influence it brings.

Battle of Seven Pins

§  May 31st, 1862: General Joseph E. Johnston is shot off his horse during the Battle of Seven Pines. Robert E. Lee is chosen to replace Johnson and take control of the South’s biggest field army, the Army of Northern Virginia.

Against Potomac Army

§  Early June 1862: Union General George McClellan’s forces come within four miles of Richmond, the capitol of the Confederacy. Richmond civilians make plans to evacuate and Robert plans a very aggressive attack against the Army of the Potomac.

The Seven Days battle

§  June 25th-July 1st, 1862: The Seven Days Battle is Robert’s first engagements with the North and McClellan. He devises a bold plan to cut off McClellan’s army and divide it into two. The plan is successful and pushes the Union army back 20 miles to the York River. The victory saves Richmond and restores confidence in Robert’s leadership skills again. However, it cost him 20,000 Confederate casualties.

Second battle of Bull Run

§  August 29th-30th, 1862: At the Second Battle of Bull Run, Robert pushes McClellan’s troops back to Washington and continues his strategy of relentless attack despite the heavy casualties.

§  In just a matter of months, Robert has been able to turn the war in the Confederacy’s favor. His army’s exhibit a high morale and complete confidence in their general, but continually suffers from Robert’s tendency to push his men behind logistical capacity.

Battle of Antietam

§  September 17th, 1862: Robert decides to launch an attack on Northern soil and meets the Union troops in the Battle of Antietam. Despite rumors of a strong Union army led by McClellan, Robert refuses to retreat. He had been thrown from his horse just weeks earlier, which had resulted in two broken wrists, but he insisted on moving his troops, often in the line of fire. Robert’s tactical decisions at Antietam saved his army thousands of men, but even so, Antietam becomes the single bloodiest day of combat in the war. There were 2,108 Union casualties and Robert’s army lost 1,546 men.

Union Victory

§  September 22nd, 1862: President Abraham Lincoln declares Antietam a Union victory. He relieves General McClellan from his duties and issues the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. This freed all slaves in Confederate states that do not rejoin the Union, drastically changing the terms of the Civil War by raising the stakes for both sides.

Annie Dies

§  October 1862: Robert receives a letter that his daughter Annie had died of Scarlet Fever. This news leaves Robert devastated.

Battle of Fredericksburg

§  December 13th, 1862: Robert achieves one of his greatest victories at the Battle of Fredericksburg. His Army of Northern Virginia inflicts over 12,000 casualties while only losing 5,000 soldiers.

A Bitter Winter

§  January 1863: A bitter winter has descended upon the Army of Northern Virginia; Robert writes that he only has enough supplies and livestock to feed his troops until the end of January.

§  Robert also suffers from acute angina or heart pain. This leaves him incapacitated for months, forcing him to move from his military headquarters to a house nearby Fredericksburg.

Lee fallen Ill

§  Spring 1863: After suffering heart problems during the winter, Robert’s physical stature is never the same. At the age of 56, his peers report that he rarely sleeps and is solely consumed with preparation for upcoming battles.

Battle of Chancellorville

§  April 30th-may 6th, 1863: Robert is able to ward off the Union Army despite Union General Hooker’s bold plan to divide up Robert’s forces. Robert, in what is remembered as his finest hour, identifies the critical moment to attack Hooker’s right flank and save his army. Outnumbered by over 40,000 men, the Confederate’s strike a more substantial number of casualties, including the loss of another famous Confederate, General “Stonewall” Jackson.

“Marse Robert”

§  End of June 1863: Robert’s army is in very high spirits and they rally behind their leader, whom they call “Marse Robert”. Robert believes that the Confederacy is at it’s peak but that the Union is getting stronger and wishes for a chance to deal a mortal blow upon the northern forces.

Rooney taken Captive

§  July 1863: Robert discovers that his son Rooney has been taken captive and is serving as a prisoner of war at Fort Monroe. He will not be exchanged until March of 1864.

Battle of gettysburg

§  July 1st-3rd, 1863: At the epic Battle of Gettysburg, Union General George G. Meade and Robert meet head-to-head in what would mark the turning point of the Civil War. Robert’s bold tactical maneuvers fail due to miscommunication and unfamiliarity with new generals. Three days of continuous battle inflicts more than 23,000 Confederate casualties and deal a psychological blow to the South that it will never overcome. Robert is absolutely stunned by the defeat.

Following Gettysburg

§  July 12th, 1863: In a letter to his wife, following the Battle of Gettysburg, Robert writes that “all would have been well with us; but God, in His all-wise providence, willed otherwise, and our communications have been interrupted and cut off.” The rivers’ waters had risen and this hindered communication between the troops. Without communication, success is doomed.

Lee Resigns Again

§  August 8th, 1863: Robert submits his letter of resignation to Jefferson Davis, which Davis promptly refuses. There is no one that can replace Robert.

Union has upper hand

§  March 1864: Union General Ulysses S. Grant realizes his forces have the advantage of superior numbers of troops and supplies.

Overland Campaign

§  May 5th-June 24th, 1864: Grant begins his war of attrition with the Overland Campaign, engaging Robert’s forces in over twelve battles in just seven weeks. Never getting more than two consecutive hours of sleep, Lee rides into the midst of the fighting on many occasions to pick up the slack of underperforming commanding officers. He gets little sleep, and on May 25th is confined to his cot despite significant fighting in North Anna. The Overland Campaign wreaks devastation and havoc on the southern forces, but the Confederate army still inflicting over 60,000 Union casualties.

Arlington Cemetery

§  June 15th, 1864: Brigadier General Montgomery C. Meigs appropriates the grounds of Mary Custis’ Arlington property for use as a military cemetery. Today, the cemetery’s Confederate section holds the graves of over 400 Confederate soldiers.

Self-Control

§  September 1864: In letters home to his children, Robert continually reminds his children the importance of self-control and discipline.

Lincoln re-Election

§  November 8th, 1864: President Abraham Lincoln wins re-election, defeating the Democratic candidate, george McClellan. Robert, realizes that the Civil War will end soon – in a Southern defeat.

Black Soldiers

§  Winter 1864-65: The desertion rate in the Army of Northern Virginia increases. Robert proposes enlisting black soldiers to fill this new gap, which was a terrifying proposition to the southerners. If the Union was using black solders to their advantage, Robert argues, so will the South. They were desperate.

Fighting Grant’s Army

§  April 3rd, 1865: Robert tries to stop the Union Army by transitioning to the offensive. However, he is unable to break through Grant’s army and loses control of the vital Virginian cities, Petersburg and Richmond.

Surrender

§  April 9th, 1865: In an official ceremony at the Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia, Robert E. Lee surrenders to General Grant. Robert keeps his emotions under control as he signs the surrender document in Wilmer McLean’s parlor inside the Court House. AS Robert returns to his tent, soldiers line up alongside the road to salute their commander.

General Order Number Nine  

§  April 10th, 1865: Robert drafts General Order Number Nine, announcing the surrender to his troops. The document praises the army for their courageous effort, and cites the Union’s overwhelming numbers as the cause for surrender.

Farewell to his army §  Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia §  Appomattox Courthouse, April 10, 1865

General Order No. 9 §  I need not tell the survivors of so many hard fought

battles who have remained steadfast to the last, that I have consented to this result from no distrust of them, but feeling that valor and devotion could accomplish nothing that could compensate for the loss which would have attended the continuation of the contest, I have determined to avoid the useless sacrifice of those whose past services have endeared them to their countrymen. . .

Farewell to his army

§  . . . You will take with you the satisfaction that proceeds from the consciousness of duty faithfully performed, and I earnestly pray that a merciful God may extend to you His blessing and protection.  With an increasing admiration of your constancy and devotion to your country, and a grateful remembrance of your kind and generous consideration of myself, I bid you an affectionate farewell.

Robert E. Lee General

OPVL

§  Origin: General Order No. 9, April 10th, 1865, Appomattox Courthouse, Robert E. lee

§  Purpose: To thank his men in the Army of Northern Virginia for their sacrifices and to explain that the current circumstances of the surrender is not due to their performance.

§  Value: It shows his appreciation for his army’s endurances. Just as his army looked up to him , he is saying that he looked up to them as honorable people.

§  Limitation: He wants to leave on a good note, it was also his particular army, don’t dwell on the loses of the past.

Family Reunion

§  April 15th, 1865: Robert rejoins his family in Richmond, where his wife Mary has been living since 1861. That summer they will move to the country in Derwent, Virginia.

§  In a letter to Jefferson Davis, Robert blames the loss of the war on the moral condition of his men. He believes that the troops had been getting letters from home indicating that they no longer supported the war, leading the soldiers to lack aggressiveness and the grit necessary to win battles.

Andrew Johnson

§  April 13th, 1865: Robert sends an application for pardon to President Andrew Johnson.

Lexington, Virginia

§  Autumn 1865: The Lee family moves to Lexington, Virginia, where Lee assumes the role of President of Washington College. Lee overhauls the curriculum, requires weekly progress reports for all of the students, and encourages the females in his family to attend church services in the hopes that "if the ladies would patronize it that the students would be more interested in going." The college has since changed its name to Washington and Lee University. 

Post War  

•  This photograph shows Robert E. Lee (seated) shortly after the War. On the left of the picture is his son, General George Washington Custis Lee, and on the right is his chief of staff, Colonel Walter H. Taylor. Lee is in uniform, as are the other two men.

Lee’s NOtes

•  1866-1869: Robert assembles notes, letters and data in an effort to defend his actions and his Army of Northern Virginia, but never writes. Lee discusses the failures of Gettysburg in conversations with his peers at Washington College, attributing the loss to his commanders J.E.B. Stewart and Richard Ewell.

Joint Committee

§  February 1866: Robert is summoned to give testimony to the Joint Committee on Reconstruction. In his testimony he expresses his concern over the social and political structure of the country and his doubts that the African Americans should have civil rights. Above all, he expresses a desire to be left alone.

Robert E. Lee’s Death

§  October 12th, 1870: After suffering from a severe stroke, Robert E. Lee dies in the company of his family.

The Lee Monument

§  October 15th, 1870: Lee's coffin is paraded through the small town of Lexington, Virginia. The procession, filled with former Confederate soldiers, Washington College students and state politicians, makes its way past the Virginia Military Institute for a small service. 

Traveller’s death

§  1871: In 1870, during Robert’s funeral procession, Traveller was led behind the caisson bearing his master’s casket, his saddle and bridle draped with black crepe. Soon after Robert’s death in 1871, Traveller steps on a rusty nail and develops tetanus. There was no cure and he was shot to relieve him of his suffering.

§  Traveller was originally buried behind the main buildings of Washington College, but later unearthed and transported to a wooden box encased in concrete and buried next to his master’s family crypt on the Washington and Lee campus. However, this was not until 1971.

references  

§  "Timeline: The Life of Robert E. Lee." American Experience. 1 Jan. 1996. Web. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/timeline/lee-timeline/>.

§  "Introduction: Robert E. Lee." American Experience. 1 Jan. 1996. Web. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/timeline/lee-timeline/>.

§  "Robert E. Lee." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2014. Web. 22 Sep. 2014.< http://www.biography.com/#!/people/robert-e-lee-9377163#related-video-gallery>.

§  "Robert E. Lee's Farewell to the Army of Northern Virginia." Civil War Trust. Web. <http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/primarysources/leefarewell.html>.

References

§  "Robert E. Lee." Wikipedia. 14 Sep. 2014. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_E._Lee>.

§  "Traveller (horse)." Wikipedia. 7 Sep. 2014. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traveller_(horse)>.

§  "Traveller. A Difficult Horse but Robert E. Lee Loved Him and Made Him Famous." Horse and Man. 6 Jul. 2013. Web. <http://horseandman.com/horse-stories/traveller-a-difficult-horse-but-robert-e-lee-loved-him-and-made-him-famous/07/06/2013/>.

§  "Robert E. Lee and His Horse Traveller." Weider History: History.net. 16 Jun. 2006. Web. <http://www.historynet.com/robert-e-lees-horse-traveller.htm>.

§  "Mary Anna Custis Lee." Wikipedia. 2 Aug. 2014. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Anna_Custis_Lee>.