Figure 1.--
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Figure 1.-- |
Robert E. Lee was born into two of the most prestigious families of Viurginia. His father, "Light Horse" Harry Lee was a dashing young cavalry officer in the Revolution who served under George Washington. His lack of prudence in financial matters, however, clouded the family future. As a boy, he tenderly cared for his ailing mother. His choice of a military career was virtually by his father's squandering of his inheritance. As a younger brother, there was no money to pay for college. Family connections secured his appoinment to the West Point Military Academy. He led the Cadet Corps in 1829, graduated second in his class. He was the most perfect cadet in West Point history--never receiving a single demerit. He also became one of the most popular cadets in his class. He played an important role in the Mexican War. After that War, Lee returned to the Academy as superintendent. He was one of the the most outstanding superintendents in West Point history. He was affectionately regarded by the cadets for his fairness and moral leadership. As the Southern states began to succeed, Lincoln offered Lee command of the Federal armies. Ideas of pariotism and nationlity were different in ante-bellum America and when Virginia succeeded, Lee tendered his resignation and joined the Confederate Army. Lee is regarded by many as the greatest general to emerge from the Civil War. This is an open question. He may well have been the greatest field commandr. He was known for his audacity and bold strokes. [Alexander] Lee has been questioned about his strategic concept. Even in his great victories, therecwere very substantial Condederate losses. It may have been better foir the South to have hubanded its resources rather than to carry out Lee's two failed and very costly invasions of the North.
Robert E. Lee was born into two of the most prestigious families of Viurginia. His father, "Light Horse" Harry Lee was a dashing young cavalry officer in the Revolution who served under George Washington. His lack of prudence in financial matters, however, clouded the family future. As a boy, he tenderly cared for his ailing mother. His choice of a military career was virtually by his father's squandering of his inheritance.
As a younger brother, there was no money to pay for college. His older brother Carter had gone to Harvard. Family connections secured his appoinment to the West Point Military Academy. He led the Cadet Corps in 1829, graduated second in his class. He was the most perfect cadet in West Point history--never receiving a single demerit. He also became one of the most popular cadets in his class.
He played an important role in the Mexican War. After that War, Lee returned to the Academy as superintendent.
He was one of the the most outstanding superintendents in West Point history. He was affectionately regarded by the cadets for his fairness and moral leadership.
As the Southern states began to succeed, Lincoln offered Lee command of the Federal armies. Ideas of pariotism and nationlity were different in ante-bellum America and when Virginia succeeded, Lee tendered his resignation and joined the Confederate Army.
Lee is regarded by many as the greatest general to emerge from the Civil War. This is an open question. He may well have been the greatest field commandr. He was known for his audacity and bold strokes. [Alexander] Lee has been questioned about his strategic concept. Even in his great victories, therecwere very substantial Condederate losses. It may have been better for the South to have hubanded its resources rather than to carry out Lee's two failed and very costly invasions of the North. Longstreet was one, for example, disagreed with Lee's strategy. [Grady] One historian writes, "For the war as a whole, Lee's Army had a higher casualty rate than the armies commanded by Grant. The romantic glorification ofthe army of Northern Virginia by generations of Lost Cause writers has obscured this truth." [McPherson] Dragging out the War so the Northern public tired of it may well have been the Confederacy's best strategy.
Lee had no choice, but to surrender at Appomattox, Longstreet agreed. There was one alternative. Artillery commander Brigadier General Edward Porter Alexander, went to Lee to present his view that if the Army could no longer continue te wa, than Lee should order it to disperse and continue the War in small groups by reaching Johnston in North Carolina or reporting to their respective governors. That is what Alexander had planned to do. Lee replied that hehad only 16,000 men and that would have been insufficet o do any goodwth Johnston or the differet governors. At any rate, he thought most men would head home, understandably to see after their families. He agreed that the surrender was in effect the end of the Confederacy, but it had to faced. He feared that if the men were told to disperse wiythout food and conttol that many would become robbers, brining further harm and suffering on the Southern people. he Federal calvary would persume and the resulting devetation would require years of recovery. [Alexander] Of course Lee was right and this decission was one of the greatest services he did chis country. The soldiers were told after the surrender to go home and become good citizens.
Alexander, Edward Porter. "Lee at Appomattox," The Century Magazine April 1902. Alexander ws the commander of artillery in Longstreet's corps.
Grady, Henry W. "General Longstreet: His Reminiscences of the struggle between the states", Weekly Times (Philadelphia, August 2, 1879. Gradt went on the found the Atlanta Constitution, the single most important Southern newspaper.
Hayes, Ruthorford B. "Grant's Stoicism and Sheridan's Enthusiasm," The Ohio Soldier, September 17, 1888. Hayes was a brigade and division commander in the Federal Army and suceeded Grant as president of the United States.
McPherson, James M. The Mighty Scourge: Perspectives of the Civil War (Oxford University Press, 2007), 260p.
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