Robert E. Lee
1807-1870
Robert E. Lee was born in born in Virginia. His father was Light Horse Harry Lee who fought in the revolutionary war. Lee married Mary Custis who was a relative of Martha Washington . He had seven children, George, Mary, William, Agnes, Annie, Robert, and Mildred, though he rarely saw them because of duty.
The Civil War started on April 12, 1861 and Lincoln asked Lee to lead his army but he refused even though he disliked slavery, because he felt loyal to Virginia. Robert E. Lee served Jefferson Davis (leader of the Confederacy) as an military adviser. Lee took command of his first army at Seven Pines because there leader was wounded. He invaded Maryland with 55,000 men. General George B. McClellan met him, outnumbering Lee. It was obvious that Lee knew that he could not win so he ordered a retreat. Later he was quoted saying, "It is well that war is so terrible,or we should get too fond of it." After lots of fighting they won the battle.
The Union troops were on the move and Lee divided his troops and led a surprise attack even though he was outnumbered . He won the battle but just a little later Stonewall Jackson got shot by his own troops. The war took a turning point at Gettysburg were he messed up big, by sending George Picket's division into the center of the Unions troops were they all got killed . General Grant cornered Lees army but the confederates continued to fight even though they were short on everything and fighting bare foot . Grants troops broke through Robert E. Lee's defense and Lee said that Richmond should be evacuated but they got stopped by a Union column . By then Lees army was outnumbered 5-1. Lee saw further fighting was useless and surrendered. After he surrendered the Confederacy collapsed and Lee turned to peace. Soon after he developed pneumonia and died on October 12, 1870 it is said his last words were "strike the tent."
