General Robert E. Lee

Robert E. Lee is not only one of the most studied men from the Civil War era, but he is also one of the most honorable. He was a true role model; he did not curse, drink, or swear, he was extremely intelligent, and was a great military leader. As a general he was aggressive, and that may have been his downfall in his reign as General and advisor the Confederate president Jefferson Davis in the Civil War.

Lee was born in Stratford Hall, Virginia on January 19, 1807. Robert is the son of Revolutionary War hero "Light Horse Harry" Lee. Lee, a very bright man, attended West Point College where he graduated with honors. After West Point Lee served in the Mexican War under General Winfield Scott and gained experience he would use 16 years later in the Civil War (Robert Edward Lee 235)

Before the Civil War had begun Abraham Lincoln asked Lee to lead the Northern troops against the Confederates. Lee was against slavery and secession, and had previously owned slaves before setting them free many years before the war. Despite this, Lee respectfully declined Lincoln's offer because he said he would be loyal to his state, Virginia, which had seceded. This was how Lee chose to become General of the Confederate as opposed to the Union army (Robert Edward Lee 156).

Lee was involved in many important battles during the Civil War, and his first important one took place near Richmond, Virginia, called the Seven Days' Battle. General McClellan was moving his Union troops towards the Confederate's capitol of Richmond. Lee was undermanned but managed to force McClellan's troops to retreat by cutting off their reinforcement line. This was performed by General J.E.B. Stuart, General in charge of the cavalry. This was the North's first threat to the capital of Richmond, and had Lee not stopped McClellan's army, the war may have been over before really started (The Official Records).

The second battle of Bull Run was the first battle of the Northern Virginia Campaign. After getting beat by General John Pope, Lee quickly moved north and surprised Pope's men, resulting in a crushing defeat. Lee again managed to cut off reinforcements of men and supplies, this time from McClellan's men (The Official Records).

The battle of Antietam was the single bloodiest war in American history, and was also one of the turning points in the war. Lee and his men were methodically moving north and after The Second Battle of Bull Run Lee tried to keep moving north because the Federal army was looking disorganized. Lee may have moved north successfully if not for McClellan finding Lee's plans. McClellan managed to catch up with Lee's army at Antietam, Maryland. McClellan succeeded in stopping the Confederates from their northern movement. This was the closest the South had and would come to winning the war. After The Union won this battle, it gave Lincoln the chance to put out his Emancipation Proclamation, which stated that slavery was to now officially ...