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Robert E. Lee Essay

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Robert E. Lee

Introduction

Few episodes in history are more painful to Americans than the Civil War, fought between the North and the South. This biography, Great American Generals
- Robert E. Lee, by Ian Hogg, takes the reader through the life of one of the greatest heroes of that war, Robert E. Lee. It is a thorough, in depth record of the life of Lee and begins with a detailed account of his family history and his birth, through his college years, military experience and his work in later life to his death on October 12, 1870. The first few pages set the scene by listing a substantial amount of facts about the names and backgrounds of his parents Harry and Ann and Lee's wife, Mary Custis, with some reference to his …show more content…

He was, however, a poor manager of his affairs, and was constantly dodging his creditors, providing very little of substance for his family. He was a waster, with no thought for their welfare. A man with no sense of responsibility to his affairs, Henry Lee eventually ended up in jail for a year for non-payment of his debts. Upon his release, he spent every waking moment writing his memoirs, with no regard for his family at all. Lee's mother was Ann Carter Lee, daughter of Charles Carter. She was an invalid, but possessed a strong and beautiful character, and Robert grew up with a keen sense of honor and responsibility. Robert was named after his mother's brothers, Edward and Robert Carter. Lee's father, Henry, was separated from the family when Robert was only four years old. Lee's mother left Henry due to his lack of provision for them, and Lee assumed the responsibility of the household at a very early age. Henry subsequently died when Lee was only eleven, but Lee's struggle to maintain the household without the presence of a father, and with little money, taught him valuable lessons in self-discipline, lessons which supported him well in his military career. Since there was no money for college, Robert entered the U.S. Military
Academy in 1825 to pursue a career in the military. He was

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