Robert E. Lee's Impact On American History

Lee and Grant would both serve under General Winfield Scott, a man whom they both admired, during his campaign to Mexico City. General Scott saw greatness in Lee and stated his “…success in Mexico was largely due to the skill, valor, and undaunted energy of Robert E. Lee.”15 Scott was also heard commenting a few years later that; “Lee is the greatest military genius in America.”16 Grant, only a first lieutenant, did not get an opportunity to show much leadership. Grant did however serve with valor. At the Battle of Monterey, Grant would gain some respect among his peers by successfully carrying much needed ammunition to his regiment while under fire.17 During the Civil War, Lee and Grant would implement skills learned while under the command of General Winfield Scott.

Robert E. Lee was an American general known for commanding the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War from 1862 until his surrender in 1865. Robert E. Lee was born on January 19, 1807 at Stratford Hall in Virginia. He then died on October 15, 1870, Lexington,

Because of his profound and superior education, Lee proves to have a more formal background for that of a general. A source says, “Lee became as close to a model cadet as the academy has ever had. Neatness, diligence, good conduct, and patience were absolutely necessary for a successful cadet. Lee possessed them all.” Contrastingly, Ulysses S. Grant graduated at the very middle of his class, and did not apply himself throughout his entire education. Additionally:

Robert E. Lee was a man of family, culture and tradition. Lee was a man who believed in the old English ways in chivalry. The Southern states fought for the same ideals that Lee stood for. Lee believed that this way of life made men to be of a higher class. He was convinced that these old values can build a better nation. Catton express the Confederacy loyalty to these values by saying: “For four years, the southern states had fought a separate war to up held the ideals for which Lee; as if he himself was the Confederacy… the best thing that the way of life for which the Confederacy stood could have ever had to offer” (410).

He finished second in his class of 1829. He had experience early in his life, serving as a captain under General Winfield Scott in the Mexican-American War. He made himself most prominent in the wars of Veracruz, Churubusco, and Chapultepec. Lee’s general claimed that he was “the very best soldier I ever saw in the field (https://www.civilwar.org/learn/biographies/robert-e-lee). Due to his engineering background at West Point, Lee could use easily strategize against his opponents in war with mathematics and precision, making sure that his plans were very likely to succeed. These skills were later taken into the Civil War, which is a considerable reason of his

Lee was born in the slave state of Virginia on January 19, 1807; fifteen years before Ulysses S. Grant, who was born in Ohio, a free state, on the 27th of April, 1822. The two generals led very different lives: Grant came from a religious, hard working, and relatively poor background, Lee was from an honorable family with a respectable amount of money. The two generals studied in the United States Military Academy in West Point, but with very different intentions; Grant did not have any interest on becoming a soldier, but was forced by his father to enter the school and Lee had every intention on becoming a condecorated soldier. These differences ended up greatly defining their years on the Academy; Lee, who aspired to become a great soldier and future commander, graduated second in the class of 1829, while Grant, who was not very fond of military life, was 21st in a class of 39 students and was assigned to the infantry even though he was considered an amazing horse

Lee had given the Confederacy its greatest victory, and was now an idol of the southern people. Lee was one of the most supremely gifted men produced by our Nation. One of the four “greatest Americans” was none other than Robert E. Lee. His picture hung in President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s office. A New York dentist told Eisenhower that Lee helped the United States Government. Lee was a heroic role model to the nation that he has shown when he went to the war. Lee is a bit complicated, but he was extraordinary in what he does. Lee was there to serve the south and protect them. He made sure that they were safe and that the Union would not get in the way of that. His maneuvers were even better.

The focus of this investigation will be, “To what extent was Robert E. Lee an effective leader of the Confederate Army?” The investigation will analyze Lee’s strengths and weaknesses that contributed to his effectiveness and the overall loss of the Confederacy in the Civil War. The overall character of Lee throughout his lifetime is too broad, therefore, this investigation will focus solely on the testimony of his military background, and the personality traits that led to Lee’s decisions during the Civil War. As a result, Lee the American by Gamaliel Bradford Jr. and Robert E. Lee: The Soldier by Sir F. Maurice are important sources to this investigation, due to the background they give on Lee’s military training, personality, and victories in the battles leading up to Gettysburg.

Robert E. Lee was born on January 19, 1807 at Stratford in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He was the youngest son of Major-General Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee and his second wife, Ann Hill (Carter) Lee. His siblings from his father’s first wife are Philip Ludwell Lee, Lucy Grymes Lee, Henry Lee, and Nathaniel Greene Lee. His siblings from his father's second wife are Algernon Sidney

Lee married Mary Custis in July of 1831. Mary Custis was the daughter of Mary Fitzhugh Custis and George Washington Custis, who was the adopted son of George Washington. Lee became the heir to Washington although the marriage did not bring Lee any financial benefits until Mary’s father died in 1857. Until then, he

Robert E. Lee had many successes in leading the United States Army. What made Lee so remarkable was he carried a lot about what the United States government was doing and believed in a good relationship with the personal that are working for the government. We know that Lee held high standards. He was big on honor, and held people to high standards. He graduated West Point as a military commander. Lee was considered one of the bluest of Virginia blue bloods. Lee was a full blown southerner who would give anything he could to get a southern victory. Lee would be the general of the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Lee first will take over and will be in charge from 1861-1865. What Lee’s first task will be to take his army at Second Bull Run and lead them to a Confederate victory.

Robert E. Lee was born on January 19, 1807 to Major General Henry Lee 3 at Stratford Hall Plantation in Westmoreland County, Virginia. Lee’s great-grandfather, Henry Lee 1 was one of the original colonists to Virginia. Very little is known of Robert E. Lee’s boyhood, except the fact that he had 5 siblings and he showed an aptitude for math. He was brought

prisoners of war. He was, among the high Confederate officials ostracized from President Jackson. Later after the war Robert accepted the presidency of Washington College.Lee instituted the Lexington Law School into the college,he inspired the involvement of the sciences, and enacted affairs in business edification that led to the founding of the School of Commerce. He also initiated courses in journalism, which formulated into the School of Journalism in 1925.

We know for Robert E. Lee his major success leading up to this was success in the United States Army. What made Lee so remarkable was he carried a lot about what the United States government was doing and believed in a good relationship with the personal that are working for the government. We know that Lee held high standards. He was big on honor, and held people to high standards. He graduated West Point as a military commander. Lee was considered one of the bluest of Virginia blue bloods. Lee was a full blown southerner who would give anything he could to get a southern victory. Lee would be the general of the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Lee first will take over and will be in charge from 1861-1865. What Lee’s first task will be to take his army at Second Bull Run and lead them to a Confederate victory (Eilenberg).

Robert E. Lee felt that he needed to continue the prestigious family name that was carried on by his ancestors and make up for what his father had ruined by debt and jail time and his brother had ruined by an affair with his sister-in-law. The reputation of his name was not only earned back, but made stronger then it had ever been before. His career was one of success. His devotion to war made it rare for him to loose in battle. In 1861, Lee was asked to become the commander of the Union army, he politely declined and then shortly