Robert E. Lee
Born January 19, 1807
Westmoreland County, Virginia
Died October 13, 1870
Lexington, Virginia
Confederate general
As commander of the Army of Northern Virginia,
became the Confederacy's most famous military
leader of the Civil War
General Robert E. Lee ranks as the most famous and beloved Confederate soldier to fight in the American Civil War. As commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, he masterminded many of the South's greatest military victories. Combining clever battlefield strategy with inspiring leadership, he nearly engineered an ultimate Confederate victory. As the conflict progressed, however, improved performance by the larger Union Army proved too much for Lee to overcome. Lee's decision to surrender in the spring of 1865 did not hurt his reputation among his fellow Southerners, though. In fact, the postwar South embraced Lee as its greatest symbol of nobility in defeat.
Raised to Believe in Duty and Honor
Robert Edward Lee was born in January 1807 to a wealthy Virginia family. His father, Harry Lee, was a Revolutionary War (1776–83) hero who had been one of George Washington's best friends. His mother, Anne Hill Carter Lee, also came from a wealthy and privileged background. RobertE. Lee spent his first three years at Stratford Hall, a fine mansion along the banks of the Potomac River that had been home to the Lee family for several generations.
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