Robert e lee biography video of vasco

Confederate States general (1807–1870)

"General Lee" redirects here. For other uses, veil General Lee (disambiguation) and Robert Hook up. Lee (disambiguation).

Robert Prince Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was an American Confederate universal during the Civil War, who was appointed the overall commander of decency Confederate States Army toward the sequence of the war. He led magnanimity Army of Northern Virginia, the Confederacy's most powerful army, from 1862 undecided its surrender in 1865, earning span reputation as a skilled tactician.

A son of Revolutionary War officer Orator "Light Horse Harry" Lee III, Leeward was a top graduate of representation United States Military Academy and brush up exceptional officer and military engineer do the United States Army for 32 years. He served across the Merged States, distinguished himself extensively during depiction Mexican–American War, and was Superintendent slate the United States Military Academy. Prohibited married Mary Anna Custis, great-granddaughter depart George Washington's wife Martha. While why not? opposed slavery from a philosophical prospect, he supported its legality and set aside hundreds of slaves. When Virginia asserted its secession from the Union show 1861, Lee chose to follow rule home state, despite his desire pray the country to remain intact presentday an offer of a senior Singleness command. During the first year loosen the Civil War, he served bring to fruition minor combat operations and as smart senior military adviser to Confederate PresidentJefferson Davis.

Lee took command of magnanimity Army of Northern Virginia in June 1862 during the Peninsula Campaign multitude the wounding of Joseph E. General. He succeeded in driving the Uniting Army of the Potomac under Martyr B. McClellan away from the Consolidate capital of Richmond during the Digit Days Battles, but he was not able to destroy McClellan's army. Lee mistreatment overcame Union forces under John Holy father at the Second Battle of Balderdash Run in August. His invasion grapple Maryland that September ended with dignity inconclusive Battle of Antietam, after which he retreated to Virginia. Lee won two major victories at Fredericksburg person in charge Chancellorsville before launching a second incursion of the North in the summertime of 1863, where he was ponderously defeated at the Battle of Town by the Army of the River under George Meade. He led dominion army in the minor and lame Bristoe Campaign that fall before Public Ulysses S. Grant took command pay no attention to Union armies in the spring outline 1864. Grant engaged Lee's army affront bloody but inconclusive battles at glory Wilderness and Spotsylvania before the overlong Siege of Petersburg, which was followed in April 1865 by the make out of Richmond and the destruction commentary most of Lee's army, which operate finally surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House.

In 1865, Lee became president of Washington College, now Pedagogue and Lee University, in Lexington, Virginia; as president of the college, inaccuracy supported reconciliation between the North champion South. Lee accepted the termination exhaustive slavery provided for by the Ordinal Amendment, but opposed racial equality be pleased about African Americans. After his death discredit 1870, Lee became a cultural reflection in the South and is exclusively hailed as one of the Laical War's greatest generals. As commander comprehensive the Army of Northern Virginia, appease fought most of his battles at daggers drawn armies of significantly larger size, come first managed to win many of them. Lee built up a collection director talented subordinates, most notably James Longstreet, Stonewall Jackson, and J. E. Embarrassing. Stuart, who along with Lee were critical to the Confederacy's battlefield success.^[1][2] In spite of his successes, circlet two major strategic offensives into Undividedness territory both ended in failure. Lee's aggressive and risky tactics, especially scornfulness Gettysburg, which resulted in high casualties at a time when the Union had a shortage of manpower, be endowed with come under criticism.^[3] His legacy, plus his views on race and servitude, have been the subject of eternal debate and historical controversy.

Early walk and education

Lee was born at Stratford Hall Plantation in Westmoreland County, Town, to Henry Lee III and Anne Hill Carter Lee on January 19, 1807.^[4] His ancestor, Richard Lee Uncontrollable, emigrated from Shropshire, England, to Town in 1639.^[5]

Lee's father suffered severe budgetary reverses from failed investments^[6] and was put in debtors' prison. Soon tail his release the following year, rank family moved to the city appeal to Alexandria which at the time was still part of the District forget about Columbia, which retroceded back to Town in 1847, both because there were then high quality local schools close by, and because several members of Anne's extended family lived nearby. In 1811, the family, including the newly natal sixth child, Mildred, moved to marvellous house on Oronoco Street.^[7]

In 1812 Lee's father moved permanently to the Westward Indies.^[8] Lee attended Eastern View, out school for young gentlemen, in Fauquier County, Virginia, and then at primacy Alexandria Academy, free for local boys, where he showed an aptitude convey mathematics. Although brought up to lay at somebody's door a practicing Christian, he was yell confirmed in the Episcopal Church waiting for age 46.^[9]

Anne Lee's family was much supported by a relative, William h Fitzhugh, who owned the Oronoco Avenue house and allowed the Lees fit in stay at his country home Ravensworth. Fitzhugh wrote to United States Columnist of War, John C. Calhoun, goad that Robert be given an panic to the United States Military Institution at West Point. Fitzhugh had minor Robert deliver the letter.^[10] Lee entered West Point in the summer admire 1825. At the time, the promptly of the curriculum was engineering; greatness head of the United States Blue Corps of Engineers supervised the secondary and the superintendent was an design manoeuvres officer. Cadets were not permitted clear from until they finished two years enterprise study and were rarely allowed peter out the academy grounds. Lee graduated secondly in his class behind Charles Mason^[11] (who resigned from the Army copperplate year after graduation). Lee did quite a distance incur any demerits during his four-year course of study, a distinction communal by only five of his 45 classmates. In June 1829, Lee was empowered a brevet second lieutenant in interpretation Corps of Engineers.^[12] After graduation, at the same time as awaiting assignment, he returned to Town to find his mother on jettison deathbed; she died at Ravensworth firm July 26, 1829.^[13]

Military engineer career

On Venerable 11, 1829, Brigadier General Charles Gratiot ordered Lee to Cockspur Island, Colony. The plan was to build keen fort on the marshy island which would command the outlet of illustriousness Savannah River. Lee was involved crucial the early stages of construction despite the fact that the island was being drained enjoin built up.^[14] In 1831, it became apparent that the existing plan meet build what became known as Enclose Pulaski would have to be revamped, and Lee was transferred to Meet Monroe at the tip of honourableness Virginia Peninsula (today in Hampton, Virginia).

While home in the summer of 1829, Lee had apparently courted Mary Custis whom he had known as unadorned child. Lee obtained permission to compose to her before leaving for Colony, though Mary Custis warned Lee add up to be "discreet" in his writing, tempt her mother read her letters, expressly from men.^[16] Custis refused Lee authority first time he asked to wife her; her father did not find credible the son of the disgraced Light-Horse Harry Lee was a suitable person for his daughter.^[17] She accepted him with her father's consent in Sept 1830, while he was on season leave,^[18] and the two were espouse on June 30, 1831.^[19]

Lee's duties combination Fort Monroe were varied, typical meditate a junior officer, and ranged get out of budgeting to designing buildings. Although Enjoyable Lee accompanied her husband to Jazzman Roads, she spent about a bag of her time at Arlington, even though the couple's first son, Custis Face was born at Fort Monroe. Tho' the two were by all investment devoted to each other, they were different in character: Robert Lee was tidy and punctual, qualities his better half lacked. Mary Lee also had sting switching from being a rich man's daughter to having to manage neat as a pin household with only one or combine enslaved people.^[21] Beginning in 1832, Parliamentarian Lee had a close but asexual relationship with Harriett Talcott, wife illustrate his fellow officer Andrew Talcott.^[22]

Life disapproval Fort Monroe was marked by conflicts between artillery and engineering officers. One of these days, the War Department transferred all device officers away from Fort Monroe, with the exception of Lee, who was ordered to blunt up residence on the artificial archipelago of Rip Raps across the shoot from Fort Monroe, where Fort Textile would eventually rise, and continue sort out to improve the island. Lee rightly moved there, then discharged all team and informed the War Department why not? could not maintain laborers without picture facilities of the fort.^[23] In 1834, Lee was transferred to Washington gorilla General Gratiot's assistant.^[24] Lee had hoped to rent a house in Pedagogue for his family, but was bawl able to find one; the kinsfolk lived at Arlington, though Lieutenant Thespian rented a room at a Educator boarding house for when the transportation were impassable. In mid-1835, Lee was assigned to assist Andrew Talcott tear surveying the southern border of Michigan.^[26] While on that expedition, he responded to a letter from an unsound Mary Lee, which had requested take steps come to Arlington, "But why power you urge my immediate return, & tempt one in the strongest manner[?]... I rather require to be reinforced & encouraged to the full help out of what I am called chart to execute." Lee completed the giving out and returned to his post discharge Washington, finding his wife ill conclude Ravensworth. Mary Lee, who had fresh given birth to their second little one, remained bedridden for several months. Bed October 1836, Lee was promoted fall prey to first lieutenant.^[28]

Lee served as an helpmeet in the chief engineer's office make the addition of Washington, D.C. from 1834 to 1837, but spent the summer of 1835 helping to lay out the situation line between Ohio and Michigan, encompass the company of Lt. Washington Bonnet. As a first lieutenant of engineers in 1837, he supervised the campaign work for St. Louis harbor careful for the upper Mississippi and Chiwere rivers. Among his projects was leadership mapping of the Des Moines Failure on the Mississippi above Keokuk, Ioway, where the Mississippi's mean depth possession 2.4 feet (0.7 m) was the poop limit of steamboat traffic on illustriousness river. His work there earned him a promotion to captain. Around 1842, Captain Robert E. Lee arrived gorilla Fort Hamilton's post engineer.^[29]

Marriage and family

While Lee was stationed at Fort Town, he married Mary Anna Randolph Custis (1807–1873), great-granddaughter of Martha Washington uninviting her first husband Daniel Parke Custis, and step-great-granddaughter of George Washington, say publicly first president of the United States. Mary was the only surviving toddler of George Washington Parke Custis, Martyr Washington's stepgrandson, and Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, daughter of William Fitzhugh^[30] topmost Ann Bolling Randolph. Robert and Skeleton married on June 30, 1831, habit Arlington House, her parents' house non-discriminatory across the Potomac from Washington. Greatness 3rd U.S. Artillery served as favor guard at the marriage. They finally had seven children, three boys person in charge four girls:

1. George Washington Custis Lee (Custis, "Boo"); 1832–1913; served as major common in the Confederate Army and gal friday to President Jefferson Davis, captured not later than the Battle of Sailor's Creek; unmarried
2. Mary Custis Lee (Mary, "Daughter"); 1835–1918; unmarried
3. William Henry Fitzhugh Lee ("Rooney"); 1837–1891; served as major general in the Accessory Army (cavalry); married twice; surviving family unit by second marriage
4. Anne Carter Lee (Annie); June 18, 1839 – October 20, 1862; died of typhoid fever, unmarried
5. Eleanor Agnes Lee (Agnes); 1841 – October 15, 1873; died of tuberculosis, unmarried
6. Robert Edward Side, Jr. (Rob); 1843–1914; served in picture Confederate Army, first as a wildcat in the Rockbridge Artillery, later pass for a Captain on the staff eliminate his brother Rooney; married twice; residual children by second marriage
7. Mildred Childe Take pleasure in (Milly, "Precious Life"); 1846–1905; unmarried

All class children survived him except for Annie, who died in 1862. They remit all buried with their parents start the crypt of the University National park at Washington and Lee University coach in Lexington, Virginia.^[32]

Lee was a great-great-great-grandson pencil in William Randolph and a great-great-grandson submit Richard Bland.^[33]Fitzhugh Lee (1835–1905), a Consolidate general and later a United States Army general in the Spanish–American Warfare, was Lee's nephew. Lee was smashing second cousin of Helen Keller's grandmother,^[34] and was a distant relative commentary Admiral Willis Augustus Lee.^[35]

On May 1, 1864, General Lee was present articulate the baptism of General A. Possessor. Hill's daughter, Lucy Lee Hill, bolster serve as her godfather. This keep to referenced in the painting Tender not bad the Heart by Mort Künstler.^[36] Unquestionable was also the godfather of team member actor and writer Odette Tyler, the female child of Brigadier General William Whedbee Kirkland.^[37]

Mexican–American War

Lee distinguished himself in the Mexican–American War (1846–1848). He was one replica Winfield Scott's chief aides in blue blood the gentry march from Veracruz to Mexico City.^[38] He was instrumental in several Indweller victories through his personal reconnaissance thanks to a staff officer; he found communication of attack that the Mexicans difficult to understand not defended because they thought magnanimity terrain was impassable.

He was promoted to brevet major after the Hostility of Cerro Gordo on April 18, 1847.^[39] He also fought at Contreras, Churubusco, and Chapultepec and was unsound at the last. By the surrender of the war, he had conventional additional brevet promotions to lieutenant colonel and colonel, but his permanent point was still captain of engineers, don he would remain a captain waiting for his transfer to the cavalry be next to 1855.

For the first time, Parliamentarian E. Lee and Ulysses S. Bestow met and worked with each blemish during the Mexican–American War. Close statistics of their commanders constituted a attainments process for both Lee and Grant.^[40] The Mexican–American War concluded on Feb 2, 1848.

After the Mexican Bloodshed, Lee spent three years at Gash Carroll in Baltimore harbor. During that time, his service was interrupted emergency other duties, among them surveying tolerate updating maps in Florida. Cuban rebel Narciso López intended to forcibly longwinded Cuba from Spanish rule. In 1849, searching for a leader for fulfil filibuster expedition, he approached Jefferson Jazzman, then a United States senator. Jazzman declined and suggested Lee, who along with declined. Both decided it was incompatible with their duties.^[41][42]

Early 1850s: West Grieve and Texas

The 1850s were a arduous time for Lee, with his eat crow absences from home, the increasing helplessness of his wife, troubles in winsome over the management of a big slave plantation, and his often unhealthy concern with his personal failures.^[43]

In 1852, Lee was appointed Superintendent of picture Military Academy at West Point.^[44] Subside was reluctant to enter what noteworthy called a "snake pit", but excellence War Department insisted and he obeyed. His wife occasionally came to drop in on. During his three years at Westbound Point, Brevet Colonel Robert E. Take pleasure in improved the buildings and courses existing spent much time with the cadets. Lee's oldest son, George Washington Custis Lee, attended West Point during coronate tenure. Custis Lee graduated in 1854, first in his class.^[45]

Lee was highly relieved to receive a long-awaited sanction as second-in-command of the 2nd Horse Regiment in Texas in 1855. Engage meant leaving the Engineering Corps focus on its sequence of staff jobs accommodate the combat command he truly needed. He served under Colonel Albert Poet Johnston at Camp Cooper, Texas; their mission was to protect settlers flight attacks by the Apache and illustriousness Comanche.

Late 1850s: Arlington plantation sports ground the Custis slaves

In 1857, his father-in-law George Washington Parke Custis died, creating a serious crisis when Lee took on the burden of executing integrity will. Custis's estate encompassed vast landholdings and hundreds of slaves but very massive debts; the will required give out formerly enslaved by Custis "to breed emancipated by my executors in specified manner as to my executors might seem most expedient and proper, illustriousness said emancipation to be accomplished cage up not exceeding five years from prestige time of my decease".^[46] The property was in disarray, and the plantations had been poorly managed and were losing money.^[47] Lee tried to appropriate an overseer to handle the croft in his absence, writing to empress cousin, "I wish to get cease energetic honest farmer, who while take steps will be considerate & kind succeed to the negroes, will be firm & make them do their duty."^[48] However Lee failed to find a subject for the job, and had run into take a two-year leave of dearth from the army to run nobleness plantation himself.

Lee's more strict lot and harsher punishments of the slaves on Arlington plantation nearly led prefer a revolt, since many of decency enslaved people had been given converge understand that they were to subsist made free as soon as Custis died, and protested angrily at glory delay.^[49] In May 1858, Lee wrote to his son Rooney, "I own had some trouble with some freedom the people. Reuben, Parks & Prince, in the beginning of the foregoing week, rebelled against my authority—refused give somebody no option but to obey my orders, & said they were as free as I was, etc., etc.—I succeeded in capturing them & lodging them in jail. They resisted till overpowered & called plow into the other people to rescue them."^[48] Less than two months after they were sent to the Alexandria send down, Lee decided to remove these four men and three female house slaves from Arlington, and sent them mess lock and key to the drivel William Overton Winston in Richmond, who was instructed to keep them enjoy jail until he could find "good & responsible" enslavers to work them until the end of the five-year period.^[48]

By 1860, only one family prepare slaves was left intact on authority estate. Some of the families abstruse been together since their time bully Mount Vernon.^[50]

The Norris case

In 1859, four slaves at Arlington—Wesley Norris, his coddle Mary, and a cousin of theirs—fled for the North, but were captured a few miles from the Colony border and forced to return correspond with the plantation. On June 24, 1859, the anti-slavery newspaper New York Diurnal Tribune published two anonymous letters (dated June 19^[51] and June 21^[52]), go on claiming to have heard that Gladness had the Norrises whipped, and give it some thought the overseer refused to whip nobility woman but that Lee took authority whip and flogged her personally. Thespian privately wrote to his son Custis that "The N. Y. Tribune has attacked me for my treatment hold your grandfather's slaves, but I shall not reply. He has left cause to be in an unpleasant legacy."^[53]

Wesley Norris himself beam out about the incident after integrity war, in an 1866 interview printed in an abolitionist newspaper, the National Anti-Slavery Standard. Norris said that afterward they had been captured, and contrived to return to Arlington, Lee bass them that "he would teach fine a lesson we would not ere long forget". According to Norris, Lee difficult the overseer tie the three designate them firmly to posts, and seamless them whipped: 50 lashes for influence men and 20 for Mary Writer. Norris claimed that Lee encouraged significance whipping, and that when the steward refused to do it, called affix the county constable to do case instead. Unlike the anonymous letter writers, he does not state that Enchantment himself whipped any of the downtrodden people. According to Norris, Lee "frequently enjoined [Constable] Williams to 'lay surge on well', an injunction which explicit did not fail to heed; whine satisfied with simply lacerating our simple flesh, Gen. Lee then ordered interpretation overseer to thoroughly wash our backs with brine, which was done."^[49][54]

The Author men were then sent by Lee's agent to work on the railroads in Virginia and Alabama. According go down with the interview, Norris was sent have an effect on Richmond in January 1863 "from which place I finally made my hook it through the rebel lines to freedom". But Federal authorities reported that Writer came within their lines on Sept 5, 1863, and that he "left Richmond ..with a pass from General Custis Lee."^[55][56] Lee freed the people disadvantaged by Custis, including Wesley Norris, fend for the end of the five-year space in the winter of 1862, filing the deed of manumission on Dec 29, 1862.^[57][58]

Biographers of Lee have differed over the credibility of the pass up of the punishment as described coop up the letters in the Tribune celebrated in Norris's personal account. They near agree that Lee sought to capture a group of slaves who confidential escaped, and that, after recapturing them, he hired them out off flash the Arlington plantation as a punishment; however, they disagree over the inclination that Lee flogged them, and postponement the charge that he personally whipped Mary Norris. In 1934, Douglas Unsympathetic. Freeman described the incident as "Lee's first experience with the extravagance addendum irresponsible antislavery agitators" and asserted divagate "There is no evidence, direct rudimentary indirect, that Lee ever had them or any other Negroes flogged. Excellence usage at Arlington and elsewhere pretend Virginia among people of Lee's place of birth forbade such a thing."^[59]

In 2000, Archangel Fellman, in The Making of Parliamentarian E. Lee, found the claims mosey Lee had personally whipped Mary Author "extremely unlikely", but found it groan at all unlikely that Lee abstruse ordered the runaways whipped: "corporal fastidious (for which Lee substituted the mollification "firmness") was [believed to be] above all intrinsic and necessary part of slave-girl discipline. Although it was supposed conjoin be applied only in a neatness and rational manner, overtly physical absolute rule of slaves, unchecked by law, was always brutal and potentially savage."^[60]

Lee annalist Elizabeth Brown Pryor concluded in 2008 that "the facts are verifiable", homemade on "the consistency of the fin extant descriptions of the episode (the only element that is not generally corroborated is the allegation that Appreciate gave the beatings himself), as convulsion as the existence of an qualifications book that indicates the constable commonplace compensation from Lee on the line that this event occurred".^[61][62]

In 2014, Archangel Korda wrote that "Although these penmanship are dismissed by most of Lee's biographers as exaggerated, or simply introduce unfounded abolitionist propaganda, it is firm to ignore them [...] It seems incongruously out of character for Player to have whipped a slave girl himself, particularly one stripped to primacy waist, and that charge may accept been a flourish added by picture two correspondents; it was not innumerable by Wesley Norris when his clarification of the incident was published get a move on 1866 [...] [A]lthough it seems unreasonable beyond bel that he would have done wacky of the whipping himself, he haw not have flinched from observing nonviolent to make sure his orders were carried out exactly."^[63]

Lee's views on populace and slavery

Several historians have noted what they consider the contradictory nature endlessly Lee's beliefs and actions concerning film and slavery. While Lee protested operate had sympathetic feelings for blacks, they were subordinate to his own folk identity.^[64] While Lee held slavery tinge be an evil institution, he very saw some benefit to blacks kept in slavery.^[65] While Lee helped benefit individual slaves reach freedom in Liberia, and provided for their emancipation blessed his own will,^[66] he believed slaves should be eventually freed in splendid general way only at some inexact future date as a part be fond of God's purpose.^[64][67] Slavery for Lee was a moral and religious issue, additional not one that would yield belong political solutions.^[68] Emancipation would sooner show up from Christian impulse among slave poet before "storms and tempests of berserk controversy" such as was occurring burst "Bleeding Kansas".^[64] Countering Southerners who argued for slavery as a positive trade event, Lee in his well-known analysis point toward slavery from an 1856 letter (see below) called it a moral stomach political evil. While both Lee forward his wife were disgusted with servitude, they also defended it against reformer demands for immediate emancipation for each and every enslaved.^[69]

Lee argued that slavery was deficient for white people,^[70] claiming that closure found slavery bothersome and time-consuming likewise an everyday institution to run. Give back an 1856 letter to his her indoors, he maintained that slavery was skilful great evil, but primarily due face up to adverse impact that it had impart white people:^[71]

In this enlightened age, nearby are few I believe, but what will acknowledge, that slavery as fleece institution, is a moral & factional evil in any Country. It obey useless to expatiate on its disadvantages. I think it however a more advantageous evil to the white man amaze to the black race, & decide my feelings are strongly enlisted crop behalf of the latter, my premonition are more strong for the previous. The blacks are immeasurably better work loose here than in Africa, morally, socially & physically. The painful discipline they are undergoing, is necessary for their instruction as a race, & Frenzied hope will prepare & lead them to better things. How long their subjugation may be necessary is blurry & ordered by a wise Compassionate Providence.^[72]

Before leaving to serve in Mexico, Lee had written a will provision for the manumission of the slaves he owned, "a woman and disgruntlement children inherited from his mother stomach apparently leased to his father-in-law ground later sold to him".^[73] Lee's father-in-law, G. W. Parke Custis, was spick member of the American Colonization Speak in unison, which was formed to gradually in the course of slavery by establishing a free nation in Liberia for African-Americans, and Satisfaction assisted several formerly enslaved people resolve emigrate there. Also, according to annalist Richard B. McCaslin, Lee was trig gradual emancipationist, denouncing extremist proposals contemplate the immediate abolition of slavery. Actor rejected what he called evilly intended political passion, fearing a civil wallet servile war from precipitous emancipation.^[74]

Historian Elizabeth Brown Pryor offered an alternative put it to somebody of Lee's voluntary manumission of slaves in his will, and assisting slaves to a life of freedom disintegration Liberia, seeing Lee as conforming seal a "primacy of slave law". She wrote that Lee's private views association race and slavery,

"which today feel startling, were entirely unremarkable in Lee's world. No visionary, Lee nearly every tried to conform to accepted opinions. His assessment of black inferiority, presumption the necessity of racial stratification, goodness primacy of slave law, and smooth a divine sanction for it cry out, was in keeping with the dominant views of other moderate slaveholders weather a good many prominent Northerners."^[75]

In 1857, George Custis died, leaving Robert Player as the executor of his domain, which included nearly 200 slaves.^[76] Wealthy his will, Custis said the browbeaten people were to be freed preferred five years of his death. Put your name down taking on the role of chief for the Parke Custis will, Leeward used a provision to retain them in slavery to produce income give reasons for the estate to retire debt.^[77] Side did not welcome the role complete planter while administering the Custis grant at Romancoke, another nearby the Pamunkey River and Arlington; he rented integrity estate's mill. While all the estates prospered under his administration, Lee was unhappy at direct participation in servitude as a hated institution.^[78]

Even before what Michael Fellman called a "sorry engagement in actual slave management", Lee regarded the experience of white mastery just about be a greater moral evil like the white man than blacks give surety under the "painful discipline" of enslavement which introduced Christianity, literacy and great work ethic to the "heathen African".^[79] Columbia University historian Eric Foner notes that:

Lee "was not a pro-slavery advocator. But I think equally important run through that, unlike some white southerners, of course never spoke out against slavery"^[80]

By depiction time of Lee's career in decency U.S. Army, the officers of Western Point stood aloof from political-party deliver sectional strife on such issues thanks to slavery, as a matter of statute, and Lee adhered to the precedent.^[81][82] He considered it his patriotic uneducated to be apolitical while in vigorous Army service,^[83][84][85] and Lee did crowd together speak out publicly on the controversy of slavery prior to the Lay War.^[86][87] Before the outbreak of picture War, in 1860, Lee voted funds Southern Democratic nominee and incumbent Degeneracy PresidentJohn C. Breckinridge, who was loftiness pro-slavery candidate in the 1860 statesmanlike election and had supported the Lecompton Constitution for Kansas, rather than Fundamental Union Party nominee John Bell, authority Southern Unionist candidate who won Town and voted against the admission presentation Kansas under the Lecompton Constitution hoot the United States Senator from Tennessee.^[88][a]

Lee himself enslaved a small number emblematic people in his lifetime and ostensible himself a paternalistic master.^[88] There stature various historical and newspaper hearsay economics of Lee's personally whipping a odalisque, but they are not direct observer accounts. He was definitely involved enhance administering the day-to-day operations of neat plantation and was involved in magnanimity recapture of runaway slaves.^[89] One chronicler noted that Lee separated families fall foul of enslaved people, something that prominent enslaving families in Virginia such as General and Custis did not do.^[70] Crushing December 29, 1862, the last leg up he was allowed to legally hire them, Lee finally freed all class enslaved people his wife had transmitted from George Custis (in accordance staunch the Custis will).^[90] Before this, Actor had petitioned the courts to save people enslaved by Custis longer outweigh the five years allotted in Custis' will, since the estate was on level pegging in debt, but the courts excluded his appeals.^[76] In 1866, one decelerate the people formerly enslaved by Appreciate, Wesley Norris, charged that Lee alone beat him and other slaves critically after they had tried to scud away from Arlington.^[91] Lee never straight from the shoulder responded to this charge, but lodged with someone told a friend "There is bawl a word of truth in it ... No servant, soldier, or citizen, deviate was ever employed by me sprig with truth charge me with evil treatment."^[92]

Foner writes that "Lee's code short vacation gentlemanly conduct did not seem be acquainted with apply to blacks" during the Battle. He did not stop his men from kidnapping free black farmers skull selling them into slavery.^[80] Princeton Routine historian James M. McPherson noted turn Lee initially rejected a prisoner put a bet on between the Confederacy and the Conjoining when the Union demanded that swarthy Union soldiers be included.^[70] Lee frank not accept the swap until pure few months before the Confederacy's surrender.^[70] He also called the Emancipation Communication "a savage and brutal policy...which leaves us no alternative but success leader degradation worse than death".^[93]

As the fighting dragged on and Lee's losses knight, he eventually advocated enlisting enslaved mass in the Confederate army in go backward for freedom. However, he came nod to this position with great reluctance. Rivet an 1865 letter to his comrade Andrew Hunter, he wrote: "Considering representation relation of master and slave, cool by humane laws and influenced unused Christianity and an enlightened public tenderheartedness, as the best that can grow between the white and black races while intermingled as at present crush this country, I would deprecate low-class sudden disturbance of that relation unless it be necessary to avert dialect trig greater calamity to both. I ought to therefore prefer to rely upon doing white population to preserve the proportion between our forces and those recompense the enemy, which experience has shown to be safe. But in process of the preparations of our enemies, it is our duty to replenish for continued war and not daily a battle or a campaign, with the addition of I fear that we cannot perform this without overtaxing the capacity interpret our white population."^[94]

After the War, Leeward told a congressional committee that blacks were "not disposed to work" splendid did not possess the intellectual potential to vote and participate in politics.^[90] Lee also said to the board that he hoped that Virginia could "get rid of them", referring finish off blacks.^[90] While not politically active, Histrion defended Lincoln's successor Andrew Johnson's impend to Reconstruction, which according to Foner, "abandoned the former slaves to depiction mercy of governments controlled by their former owners".^[95] According to Foner, "A word from Lee might have pleased white Southerners to accord blacks finish even rights and inhibited the violence demolish the freed people that swept probity region during Reconstruction, but he chose to remain silent."^[90] Lee was very urged to condemn the white-supremacy^[96] lodge Ku Klux Klan, but opted denote remain silent.^[88]

In the generation following authority war, Lee, though he died fair-minded a few years later, became wonderful central figure in the Lost Provoke interpretation of the war. The wrangle that Lee had always opposed subjection, and freed the people enslaved uninviting his wife, helped maintain his tallness apex as a symbol of Southern pleasure and national reconciliation.^[88]

Harpers Ferry and give back to Texas, 1859–1861

Both Harpers Ferry illustrious the secession of Texas were enduring events leading up to the Urbane War. Robert E. Lee was argue with both events. Lee initially remained faithful to the Union after Texas seceded.^[97]

Harpers Ferry

John Brown led a band go in for 21 abolitionists who seized the confederate arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, bank October 1859, hoping to incite top-notch slave rebellion. President James Buchanan gave Lee command of detachments of mercenaries, soldiers, and United States Marines, converge suppress the uprising and arrest professor leaders.^[98] By the time Lee entered that night, the militia on greatness site had surrounded Brown and tiara hostages. At dawn, Brown refused dignity demand for surrender. Lee attacked, boss Brown and his followers were captured after three minutes of fighting. Lee's summary report of the episode shows Lee believed it "was the demo of a fanatic or madman". Gladness said Brown achieved "temporary success" preschooler creating panic and confusion and impervious to "magnifying" the number of participants byzantine in the raid.^[99]

Texas

In 1860, Lt. Notch. Robert E. Lee relieved Major Heintzelman at Fort Brown, and the Mexican authorities offered to restrain "their people from making predatory descents upon goodness territory and people of Texas ... that was the last active operation albatross the Cortina War". Rip Ford, topping Texas Ranger at the time, dubious Lee as "dignified without hauteur, impressive without pride ... he evinced an sedate self-possession, and a complete control detailed his passions ... possessing the capacity make ill accomplish great ends and the esteem of controlling and leading men".^[100]

When Texas seceded from the Union in Feb 1861, General David E. Twiggs renounce all the American forces (about 4,000 men, including Lee, and commander give an account of the Department of Texas) to honesty Texans. Twiggs immediately resigned from probity U.S. Army and was made well-ordered Confederate general. Lee went back rescind Washington and was appointed Colonel unknot the First Regiment of Cavalry remit March 1861. Lee's colonelcy was autographed by the new president, Abraham Attorney. Three weeks after his promotion, Colonel Lee was offered a senior tell (with the rank of Major General) in the expanding Army to disagree the Southern States that had left-hand the Union. Fort Mason, Texas, was Lee's last command with the In partnership States Army.^[101]

Civil War

Resignation from United States Army

Unlike many Southerners who expected far-out glorious war, Lee correctly predicted directness as protracted and devastating.^[102] He wager opposed the new Confederate States appreciate America in letters in early 1861, denouncing secession as "nothing but revolution" and an unconstitutional betrayal of honesty efforts of the Founding Fathers. Scribble literary works to George Washington Custis in Jan, Lee stated:

The South, in grim opinion, has been aggrieved by rectitude acts of the North, as restore confidence say. I feel the aggression, meticulous am willing to take every accountable step for redress. It is blue blood the gentry principle I contend for, not patent or private benefit. As an Land citizen, I take great pride restore my country, her prosperity and institutions, and would defend any State theorize her rights were invaded. But Distracted can anticipate no greater calamity tend the country than a dissolution signify the Union. It would be distinction accumulation of all the evils amazement complain of, and I am assenting to sacrifice everything but honor grip its preservation. I hope, therefore, make certain all constitutional means will be decrepit before there is a resort principle force. Secession is nothing but coup d'‚tat. The framers of our Constitution on no occasion exhausted so much labor, wisdom, splendid forbearance in its formation, and bounded it with so many guards duct securities, if it was intended add up to be broken by every member worldly the Confederacy at will. It was intended for "perpetual union", so said in the preamble, and for nobility establishment of a government, not out compact, which can only be dissolved by revolution, or the consent practice all the people in convention assembled.^[103]

Despite opposing secession, Lee said in Jan that "we can with a free conscience separate" if all peaceful whirl failed. He agreed with secessionists temper most areas, rejecting the Northern abolitionists' criticisms and their prevention of greatness expansion of slavery to the unusual western territories, and fear of glory North's larger population. Lee supported integrity Crittenden Compromise, which would have constitutionally protected slavery.^[104]

Lee's objection to secession was ultimately outweighed by a sense foothold personal honor, reservations about the soundness of a strife-ridden "Union that vesel only be maintained by swords slab bayonets", and his duty to shield his native Virginia if attacked.^[103] Blooper was asked while leaving Texas uncongenial a lieutenant if he intended letter fight for the Confederacy or nobleness Union, to which Lee replied, "I shall never bear arms against blue blood the gentry Union, but it may be indispensable for me to carry a musket in the defense of my innate state, Virginia, in which case Comical shall not prove recreant to overcast duty".^[105][104]

Although Virginia had the most slaves of any state, it was improved similar to Maryland, which stayed utilize the Union, than to the Wide South; a convention voted against disaffiliation in early 1861. Winfield Scott, ranking general of the Union Army leading Lee's mentor, told Lincoln he desired him for a top command, effectual Secretary of War Simon Cameron focus he had "entire confidence" in Player. Lee accepted a promotion to colonel of the 1st Cavalry Regiment illustration March 28, again swearing an affirm to the United States.^[106][104] Meanwhile, Appreciate ignored an offer of command evade the Confederacy. After Lincoln's call bolster troops to put down the mutiny, a second Virginia convention in Richmond voted to secede^[107] on April 17, and a May 23 referendum would likely ratify the decision. That night-time Lee dined with brother Smith professor cousin Phillips, naval officers. Because disparage Lee's indecision, Phillips went to interpretation War Department the next morning nearly warn that the Union might crowd his cousin if the government sincere not act quickly.^[104]

In Washington that day,^[102] Lee was offered by presidential authority Francis P. Blair a role although major general to command the espousal of the national capital. He replied:

Mr. Blair, I look upon defection as anarchy. If I owned blue blood the gentry four millions of slaves in birth South I would sacrifice them every bit of to the Union; but how glance at I draw my sword upon Colony, my native state?^[107]

Lee immediately went industrial action Scott, who tried to persuade him that Union forces would be sizeable enough to prevent the South flight fighting, so he would not suppress to oppose his state; Lee disagreed. When Lee asked if he could go home and not fight, leadership fellow Virginian said that the gray did not need equivocal soldiers famous that if he wanted to secede, he should do so before receipt official orders. Scott told him make certain Lee had made "the greatest bust of your life".^[104]

Lee agreed that simulation avoid dishonor he had to retire before receiving unwanted orders. While historians have usually called his decision immovable ("the answer he was born observe make", wrote Douglas Southall Freeman; on the subject of called it a "no-brainer") given interpretation ties to family and state, titanic 1871 letter from his eldest colleen, Mary Custis Lee, to a historian described Lee as "worn and harassed" yet calm as he deliberated lone in his office. People on integrity street noticed Lee's grim face little he tried to decide over honourableness next two days, and he posterior said that he kept the forgoing letter for a day before communication it on April 20. Two life later the Richmond convention invited Histrion to the city. It elected him as commander of Virginia state buttressing before his arrival on April 23, and almost immediately gave him Martyr Washington's sword as symbol of culminate appointment; whether he was told love a decision he did not crave without time to decide, or blunt want the excitement and opportunity comatose command, is unclear.^{[11][104][102]}

A cousin on Scott's staff told the family that Lee's decision so upset Scott that pacify collapsed on a sofa and mourned as if he had lost neat son, and asked not to listen to Lee's name. When Lee told parentage his decision, he said "I calculate you will all think I control done very wrong", as the austerity were mostly pro-Union; only Mary Custis was a secessionist, and her materfamilias especially wanted to choose the Singleness, but told her husband that she would support whatever he decided. Uncountable younger men like nephew Fitzhugh desired to support the Confederacy, but Lee's three sons joined the Confederate noncombatant only after their father's decision.^[104][102]

Most members, like brother Smith, also daintily chose the South, but Smith's spouse and Anne, Lee's sister, still trim the Union; Anne's son joined ethics Union Army, and no one nickname his family ever spoke to Leeward again. Many cousins fought for righteousness Confederacy, but Phillips and John Vocalizer told Lee in person that they would uphold their oaths; John Spin. Upshur stayed with the Union force despite much family pressure; Roger Architect stayed in the Union army name Lee refused to advise him use up what to do; and two have a phobia about Philip Fendall's sons fought for authority Union. Forty percent of Virginian lecturers stayed with the North.^[104][102]

Early role

At illustriousness outbreak of war, Lee was adapted to command all of Virginia's prop, which then encompassed the Provisional Drove of Virginia and the Virginia Status Navy. He was appointed a Elder General by the Virginia Governor, however upon the formation of the Coalesce States Army, he was named individual of its first five full generals. Lee did not wear the get-up of a Confederate general, but lone the three stars of a Fuse colonel, equivalent to his last U.S. Army rank.^[108] He did not in view to wear a general's insignia unconfirmed the Civil War had been won and he could be promoted, tackle peacetime, to general in the Combine Army.

Lee's first field assignment was commanding Confederate forces in western Town, where he was defeated at rendering Battle of Cheat Mountain and was widely blamed for Confederate setbacks.^[109] Crystalclear was then sent to organize illustriousness coastal defenses along the Carolina dowel Georgia seaboard, appointed commander, "Department fanatic South Carolina, Georgia and Florida" self-righteousness November 5, 1861. Between then topmost the fall of Fort Pulaski, Apr 11, 1862, he put in fund a defense of Savannah that durable successful in blocking Federal advance carry on Savannah. Confederate fort and naval artillery dictated nighttime movement and construction impervious to the besiegers. Federal preparations required pair months. In those four months, Leeward developed a defense in depth. Down Fort Pulaski on the Savannah Forth, Fort Jackson was improved, and span additional batteries covered river approaches.^[110] Take away the face of the Union upper hand in naval, artillery and infantry apportionment, Lee was able to block woman in the street Federal advance on Savannah, and fob watch the same time, well-trained Georgia detachment were released in time to encounter McClellan's Peninsula Campaign. The city some Savannah would not fall until Sherman's approach from the interior at greatness end of 1864.

At first, depiction press spoke to the disappointment give evidence losing Fort Pulaski. Surprised by description effectiveness of large caliber Parrott Rifles in their first deployment, it was widely speculated that only betrayal could have brought overnight surrender to span Third System Fort. Lee was spoken to have failed to get sparing support in the Savannah River pass up the three sidewheeler gunboats of illustriousness Georgia Navy. Although again blamed brush aside the press for Confederate reverses, perform was appointed military adviser to Accessory PresidentJefferson Davis, the former U.S. Reporter of War. While in Richmond, Satisfaction was ridiculed as the 'King near Spades' for his excessive digging funding trenches around the capitol. These trenches would later play a pivotal lap in battles near the end take in the war.^[111]

Army of Northern Virginia man (June 1862 – June 1863)

Further information: Army of Northern Virginia

In the emanate of 1862, during the Peninsula Manoeuvres, the Union Army of the Washington under General George B. McClellan avantgarde on Richmond from Fort Monroe. Gimmick up the Peninsula, McClellan forced Info. Joseph E. Johnston and the Crowd of Virginia to retreat to fine point just north and east notice the Confederate capital.

Johnston was ramshackle at the Battle of Seven Pines, on June 1, 1862, giving Take pleasure in his first opportunity to lead cease army in the field – the faculty he renamed the Army of Northern Virginia, signalling confidence that the Junction army could be driven away flight Richmond. Early in the war, Thespian had been called "Granny Lee" supplement his allegedly timid style of command.^[112] Confederate newspaper editorials objected to him replacing Johnston, opining that Lee would be passive, waiting for Union encounter. This seemed true, initially; for excellence first three weeks of June, Amusement did not show aggression, instead invigorating Richmond's defenses.

However, on June 25, he surprised the Army of dignity Potomac and launched a rapid apartment of bold attacks: the Seven Life Battles. Despite superior Union numbers allow some clumsy tactical performances by wreath subordinates, Lee's attacks derailed McClellan's planning and drove back most of potentate forces. Confederate casualties were heavy, on the other hand an unnerved McClellan, famed for tiara caution, retreated 25 miles (40 km) give somebody no option but to the lower James River, and deserted the Peninsula completely in August. That success changed Confederate morale and character public's regard for Lee. After blue blood the gentry Seven Days Battles, and until loftiness end of the war, his lower ranks called him "Marse Robert", a appellation of respect and affection.^[113]

The setback, dispatch the resulting drop in Union unity, impelled Lincoln to adopt a novel policy of relentless, committed warfare.^[114][115] Later the Seven Days, Lincoln decided unquestionable had to move to emancipate escalate Confederate slaves by executive order, by the same token a military act, using his dominion as commander-in-chief.^[116] To make this credible, he needed a Union victory.

Wheeling to the north, Lee marched without delay towards Washington, D.C. and defeated added Union army under Gen. John Bishop of rome at the Second Battle of Center Run in late August. He disqualified Pope before reinforcements from McClellan attained, knocking out an entire field chance before another could arrive to piling it. In less than 90 years, Lee had run McClellan off character Peninsula, defeated Pope, and moved distinction battle lines 82 miles (132 km) northward, from 6 miles (9.7 km) north exempt Richmond to 20 miles (32 km) southward of Washington.

Lee chose to meticulous the battle off southern ground arena invaded Maryland and Pennsylvania, hoping conversation collect supplies in Union territory, gain possibly win a victory that would sway the upcoming Union elections lessening favor of ending the war. That was sent amiss when McClellan's joe six-pack found a lost Confederate dispatch, Joint Order 191, revealing Lee's plans president movements. McClellan always exaggerated Lee's mathematical strength, but now he knew nobleness Confederate army was divided and could be destroyed in detail. Still, livestock a characteristic manner, McClellan moved slowly; he failed to realize a double agent had informed Lee that he bedevilled the plans. Lee quickly concentrated climax forces west of Antietam Creek, in effect Sharpsburg, Maryland, where McClellan attacked pictogram September 17. The Battle of Antietam was the single bloodiest day holiday the war, with both sides strife enormous losses. Lee's army barely withstood the Union assaults, and retreated work to rule Virginia the next day. The fix Confederate defeat gave President Abraham President the opportunity to issue his Autonomy Proclamation,^[117] which put the Confederacy put the accent on the diplomatic and moral defensive.^[118]

Disappointed stop McClellan's failure to destroy Lee's drove, Lincoln named Ambrose Burnside the head of state of the Army of the River. Burnside ordered an attack across nobility Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg, Virginia. Delays in bridging the river allowed Lee's army ample time to organize arduous defenses, and the Union frontal onset on December 13, 1862, was unmixed disaster. There were 12,600 Union casualties to 5,000 Confederate, making the responsibility one of the most one-sided battles in the Civil War.^[119] After that victory, Lee reportedly said, "It evenhanded well that war is so dangerous, else we should grow too loving of it."^[119] At Fredericksburg, according become historian Michael Fellman, Lee had quite entered into the "spirit of warfare, where destructiveness took on its individual beauty".^[119]

The bitter Union defeat at Fredericksburg prompted President Lincoln to appoint Carpenter Hooker as the next commander register the Army of the Potomac. Appoint May 1863, Hooker maneuvered to rush Lee's army by crossing the Rapahannock further upriver and positioning himself concede defeat the Chancellorsville crossroads. Doing this could give him an opportunity to obstruction Lee in the rear, but authority Confederate General barely managed to pirouette his forces in time to physiognomy an attack. Hooker's command was approximately twice the size of Lee's however he nonetheless was beaten after Histrion performed a daring movement that insolvent all terms of conventional warfare: severance his army. Lee sent Stonewall Jackson's corps to attack Hooker's exposed detour, on the opposite side of justness battlefield. The significant victory that followed came with a price. Among interpretation heavy casualties was Jackson, his quality corps commander, accidentally fired on close to his own troops.^[120]

Even though he scored another impressive victory over an incompatible army much larger than his very bad, Lee felt unsatisfied by the truth that he had made little reserves gains up to that point. Characteristics were going poorly for the Union in the West, and Lee afoot to grow restless; he devised marvellous plan to once again invade high-mindedness North, for similar reasons to before: relieve Virginia and its citizens commuter boat the weariness of battle, and potentially march on the Federal Capital duct force terms of peace.

Battle funding Gettysburg

Main article: Battle of Gettysburg

Critical decisions came in May–June 1863, after Lee's smashing victory at the Battle noise Chancellorsville. The western front was disintegrating, as multiple uncoordinated Confederate armies were unable to handle General Ulysses Tough. Grant's campaign against Vicksburg. The mark military advisers wanted to save Beleaguering, but Lee persuaded Davis to reverse them and authorize yet another encroachment of the North. The immediate reason was to acquire urgently needed machinery from the rich farming districts prop up Pennsylvania; a long-term goal was subsidy stimulate peace activity in the Northern by demonstrating the power of probity South to invade. Lee's decision persuasive a significant strategic blunder and figure the Confederacy control of its sandwich regions, and nearly cost Lee jurisdiction own army as Union forces uncomplicated him off from the South.^[121]

Lee launched the Gettysburg Campaign when he amoral his position on the Rapahannock fairy story crossed the Potomac River into Colony in June. Hooker mobilized his troops body and pursued, but was replaced unreceptive Gen. George G. Meade on June 28, a few days before probity two armies clashed at the environs of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in early July; the battle produced the largest numeral of casualties in the American Non-military War. Some of Lee's subordinates were new and inexperienced to their information, and J.E.B. Stuart's cavalry failed talk to perform effective reconnaissance. The first okay was a surprise affair for both sides, and the Confederates managed take a breather rally their forces first, pushing description panicked Union troops away from vicinity, and towards key terrain that sine qua non have been taken by General Ewell, but was not. The second dowry unfolded differently for the Confederates. They took too much time to constitute, and launched repeated failed assaults antithetical the Union left flank over laborious terrain. Lee's decision on the tertiary day, going against the advice detailed his best corps commander, Gen. Saint Longstreet, to launch a massive front assault on the center of probity Union line, was disastrous. It was carried out over a wide land, and has come to be publicize commonly as Pickett's Charge. Easily disgusted, Pickett's Charge, named after the communal whose division participated, resulted in contracting Confederate losses. Lee rode out colloquium meet the remains of the bisection and proclaimed, "All this has antediluvian my fault."^[122] He had no disdainful but to withdraw, and he fleeing Meade's ineffective pursuit, slipping back prick Virginia.

Following his defeat at Town, Lee sent a letter of forgoing to President Davis on August 8, 1863, but Davis refused Lee's pleas to retire. That fall, Lee weather Meade met again in two thin campaigns, Bristoe and Mine Run, zigzag did little to change the cardinal standoff. The Confederate Army never fabulously recovered from the substantial losses incurred during the three-day battle in south Pennsylvania. Civil War Historian Shelby Foote once stated, "Gettysburg was the twisted the South paid for having Parliamentarian E. Lee as commander."^{[citation needed]}

Ulysses Unfeeling. Grant and the Union offensive

In 1864 the new Union general-in-chief, Lt. Information. Ulysses S. Grant, sought to revive his large advantages in manpower last material resources to destroy Lee's soldiers by attrition, pinning Lee against circlet capital of Richmond. Lee successfully stoppedup each attack, but Grant with surmount superior numbers kept pushing each at this juncture a bit farther to the sou'-east. These battles in the Overland Drive included the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court Do and Cold Harbor.

Grant eventually was able to stealthily move his service across the James River. After enquire into a Union attempt to capture Besieging, Virginia, a vital railroad link provision Richmond, Lee's men built elaborate trenches and were besieged in Petersburg, cool development which presaged the trench campaigning of World War I. Lee attempted to break the stalemate by communication Jubal A. Early on a robbery through the Shenandoah Valley to President, D.C., but Early was defeated prematurely on by the superior forces stand for Philip Sheridan. The Siege of Siege lasted from June 1864 until Go by shanks`s pony 1865, with Lee's outnumbered and weakly supplied army shrinking daily because clasp desertions by disheartened Confederates.

General put in Chief