Robert Edward Lee was born  in Stratford Westmorland County, Virginia January 19, 1807 to Henry Lee also known as Henry "Light Horse" Harry. His father was a renowned Revolutionary War hero. Robert grew up with four other brothers, and attended the West Point Academy in 1825. Graduating for years later second in his class. After Graduation Robert was given commission to join the U.S Engineer Corps. Later in 1831 he married Mary Custis, daughter of G.W.P Custis, the adopted son of George Washington and grandson of Mrs. Washington. In 1836 Robert got promoted to 1st lieutenant and later in 1838 promoted to captain. When the Mexican American war broke out in 1845, General Winfield Scott, overall U.S Army commander, attached Robert to his staff.

For repeatedly winning distinction for conduct and bravery, he received "brevets" for the battle of Cerro Gordo, and lieu-colonel for the battle of Contreras-Churubusco, and also made his colonel from the battle of Chapulteepec. After the war he was employed back into engineer work in Washington and Baltimore, during which time, as before the war he resided on the great Arlington Estate, near Washington, which had come to him through his wife Mary.

Then in 1852 he was appointed superintendent of West Point, and during his three years there he made many important changes to the academy. Under him as cadets were his son G.W Custis Lee, his nephews, Fitzgerald Lee, and J.E.B Stuart, all of whom later became general officers in the Civil War. In 1855 he was appointed to the second Calvary, commanded by Colonel Sidney Johnson, with whom he served against at the Texas, Mexican border. And in 1859, while on leave in Arlington, he was summoned to command the United States Troops sent by train to Harpers Ferry to deal with the John Brown raid.

But a big problem arose when the United States elected President Abraham Lincoln. When this happened the south seceded form the United States as the Confederate States of America. In doing so the president called on Robert E. Lee to take down the Rebels and to return them to the United States but doing so he would have to face his own family in the south as well as brothers he could not do that he told the president. So he then went down south to Virginia to offer his services to Jefferson Davis president of the C.S.A (Confederate States of America). Davis accepted and then he was stated into the North Virginia Army as a General. 

Though out the Civil war  Robert and the rest of his Generals won stunning victories over the north some of which were deemed impossible to win for the south. A famous battle was the battle of Atiedem a battle in which the south was losing but when "Stonewall" Jackson arose and stood through the battle able to get shot the men all chanted "hey look it's Stonewall Jackson sitting there like a brick wall" this in turn rose their Morale and they took the North by storm. Later they one the Battle and came home to the south with yet another victory. But soon Lincoln was tired of Generals he hired to just keep on losing so then he came across a promising General named Ulysses S. Grant. Grant went into battles and won with astounding victories over the south, which were very needed now because the British and the French were willing to help the south to end the war. But by now it was far to late for any other country to come into the war now, Grant had Lee on the run and eventually led Lee to surrender at the Appomattox Court House on April 9th, 1865. Robert E. Lee Died October 12, 1870 of Heart Disease.

Bibliography

http://www.civilwarhome.com/leebio.htm  Robert E. Lee

 http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/About%20the%20General.htm  Robert E. Lee Biography

http://www.americancivilwar.com/south/lee.html Notes of Robert E. Lee

Stephen Woody

8th Grade American History

2005 Project