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Robert E. Lee's Military Career

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Robert Edward Lee was born in Stratford, Virginia on January 19, 1807 to an aristocratic family. His parents both played a major role in Lee’s success. His mother Ann Hill Carter descended from a wealthy family while his father Colonel Henry Lee, served as a cavalry leader during the Revolutionary War. At a young age his father passed away, and his leadership roles were challenged. He was one of the six men in his family and had to help support the household. At eighteen he attended West Point MIlitary Academy, where he excelled in artillery, infantry and cavalry. Shortly after his mother’s passing in 1829, Lee was appointed to second lieutenant in the U.S. Military Corps of Engineers. He began courting Mary Curtis who is a member of the Virginia’s aristocracy. After getting Mr. Curtis’s approval they get married and have seven children together. As the Mexican-American war began, Lee was presented with an amazing opportunity that would be one of his highlights in his military career. On October 12, 1846 he entered Mexico under General John E. Wool as a staff engineer, where he managed the building and repairing of roads for over 600 miles. About a year later, Lee received orders from General Winfield Scott to hold the position as chief engineer. General Winfield Scott knew that Lee had great knowledge …show more content…

Lee is promoted as a Lieutenant Colonel of the second U.S. Cavalry. Lee has to moved west to Texas to successfully undergo the position. Mary and the children lived at a family plantation while Lee focuses on his military obligations. In 1857 Lee has to take a leave from the army, to help administer his father-in-law’s estate. The family had began to encounter financial issues, and Mary’s father had stated in his will, slaves their freedom. The slaves are unwilling to work to help pay off the family debt. Lee faces challenges with slave’s being rebellious and he payed to have runaway slaves captured and send them away from their

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