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Robert E. Lee was born in 1807. He had two brothers and two sisters. Robert's father was a lieutenant colonel under George Washington in the American Revolution. His Father was also the governor of Virginia. His name was Henry Lee. Unfortunately, Robert E. Lee's father died when he was 11. Lee's mother's name was Anne Carter Lee. Robert was a well educated boy. At the age of eighteen in July, 1825 Lee joined the United States Military Academy. Lee married Mary Anna Curtis in 1831. She was the great-granddaughter of Martha Washington. Lee supervised different army constitution projects until the Mexican war. Then he was sent to San Antonio, Texas to serve as a leader in the Mexican war. From 1848 to 1852, Lee served in various assignments for the Corps of Engineers. He was named Superintendent of the United States Military Academy. On his graduation day, Lee ranked the highest in class, and was considered a military leader. Then he became the second lieutenant of the United States Army. In 1861, Robert E. Lee was asked to command the Union Army at the beginning of the Civil War. He declined, then he resigned his commission in the United States Army, and took command of the military forces of Virginia. Lee was made commander of the Confederates since he didn't want to fight against his own birth place, which was Virginia. Although he fought on the Confederate's side, Lee was against slavery. After the war Robert E. Lee chose to become a President of Washington College. Then they renamed the university Washington and Lee University. At the age of 63 on October 12, 1870 Robert E. Lee died. |