Robert E. Lee Essay

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Robert Edward Lee Robert Edward Lee was born on January 19th, 1807 in Stratford, Virginia. He was the fourth child of Revolutionary War hero, Henry “Light Horse” Harry Lee and Ann Hill Carter Lee. Robert was raised mostly by his mother. From her he learned ethics and values like patience, control, and discipline. As a young man he was exposed to Christianity and believed in its faith one hundred percent, he saw a huge importance in religion. Growing up it was obvious that Lee was a gifted thinker, he was very studious. His parents weren’t wealthy enough to pay his way through college, so he had to figure out how to pay for his education himself. Robert was accepted to West Point, the United States Military Academy, It was around this time he married Mary Custis, the granddaughter of George Washington. Lee enrolled in West Point in 1825. From the beginning, he demonstrated the qualities of leadership and command that would shape his long service as a soldier. When he graduated four years later, he was head of his class in tactics and artillery and second in general standing. He also graduated without receiving a single demerit.
By the time of his commissioning, Lee had developed traits of character which would make him stand out far from his peers and make him a legend even after death. Of these traits, moderation, character, duty, sincerity, consideration of others, courage, special regard for ladies, courtesy, honor, and deep religious conviction, he believed duty and honor to be especially important. Lee once wrote, "There is true glory and true honor, the glory of duty done and the honor of integrity and principles." He also wrote, "Duty is the sublimest word in the language. You cannot do more than your duty; you should never wish to do less." He believed that a man’s duty is what defines his character, and a true gentleman’s duty will never slack.
As a full general in the Confederate Army, Lee showed off his amazing talent as a military leader. His skill as a strategist to quickly analyze a combat situation, combined with his ability to make troops get fired up and ready to fight, furthered the Confederate cause. But, Lee and the south faced being outnumbered, production capability, and limited supply sources. Outnumbered and outgunned, the confederate men were set up for failure during the civil war, but the confederates fought for a cause that they truly believed in. Many confederate troops were forced to quit fighting, against their will. They were willing to fight to the death for what they believed in. General Robert Edward Lee wasn’t only a great commander of killing, but he also saved thousands of lives when he realized losing the war was inevitable.
The end of the War brought dramatic change to Lee's life. The Custis-Lee fortune was almost lost and Arlington was gone. His military career was terminated, he wasn’t allowed to take part in public office, for which he was more than qualified because of his leadership capabilities. Although he was among the first to accept the result of the war and to apply for amnesty, his petition was not acted upon until more than a hundred years after
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