During the Civil War there were two sides, the Confederates and the Union. Robert E. Lee was the Confederate general and Ulysses S Grant was the Union general. Robert E. Lee never thought he was going to be a soldier, and he never wanted to break his country apart. Early Years Robert Edward Lee was born on January 19, 1807 in Westmoreland County. His parents are Henry “Light horse Harry” Lee and Ann Hill Carter Lee. He wanted to go to college at Harvard University but since he had no money he went to the United States Military Academy in 1825. He graduated second in his class in 1829 and was commissioned to the Corps of Engineers. He married Mary Anne Randolph Custis on June