LEE, RonEaT EnwAnn (1807-70). A distin guished American soldier, commander-in-chief of the armies of the Confederate States of Anteriea. Ile was born in Westmoreland County. Va., January 19, 1807. His father was 'Light Horse Harry' Lee, a distinguished cavalry leader in the Revolutionary War; his mother, Anne Hall Carter. In 1811 his father removed to Alex andria, in Fairfax County. lie entered West Point in 1825, on an appointment secured for him by Gen. Andrew Jackson, and by his dili gence and ability graduated in 1829 second in his. class. From this time until 1834 lie was in the Engineer Corps, with the rank of second lieuten ant. In 1831 he married Mary Randolph Custis, the granddaughter of Martha Washington. In 1834 he became assistant to the chief engineer of the army in \Vashington; three years later lie superintended improvements at Saint Louis, and in 1842 he took charge of the defenses in Now York 1Iarbor, where he remained until the out break of the Mexican War, in 1846. In 1338 lie had been made a captain.
In the Mexiean War he was first with General ' Wool, for whom he did excellent scouting. Transferred at the personal request of General Scott to the army before Vera Cruz, he arranged the batteries so that the town was reduced in a week. After each of the battles of Cerro Gordo, Churnbuseo, and Chapultepee, he received pro motion, and for his services in the last was bre vetted colonel. lle was engaged in engineering work in the City of Mexico, and after the war was put in charge of the defenses then being con structed at Baltimore. In lti52 Lee became su perintendent at \Vest Point, and in his three years of service there improved the discipline greatly and lengthened the course of study to five years. On the formation of a new cavalry regiment in 1555, he was appointed lieutenant colonel and saw service lie western Texas against the Indians. In July the command of the regi ment devolved on him, hut three months later he was called home by the death of his father-in law. Mr. Custis. Returning to his command. he continued with it until the fall of 1559, when he obtained leave to visit his family. During this visit he commanded the troops which suppressed the John Brown raid. Ile was then called to Richmond to advise the Legislature with regard to defense. should an invasion again occur. Returning to Texas. he was in charge of his former department. until. on the secession of that State in 1561, he was recalled to Washing ton.
Lee was earnestly opposed to disunion. but his future actions were clearly foreshadowed in a let ter to his son: "Still, a union that can only he maintained by swords and bayonets, and in which strife and civil war are to take the place of brotherly love and kindness, has no charm for me. I shall mourn for my country and for the welfare of mankind. If the is dissolved and the Government disrupted, I shall return to my native State and share the miseries of my people, and, save in defense, will draw my sword on none." While deploring the actions of his people. he believed that they had been wronged, and his sympathy drew him to them. In the last analysis. too, he was a States-right: man; for he "would defend any State if her rights were invaded." He reached home on March 1, and on April 15th Frank P. Blair. on be half of President Lincoln. visited him and offered him the command of the Army of the United States. Lee wrote later, "I declined the offer he made me to take command of the army that was to be brought into the field, stating, as candidly and courageously as 1 could. that, though opposed to secession and deprecating war, I could take no part in an invasion of the Southern States." On April 19th President Lincoln declared a blockade of the Southern port.: troops began to pour into Washington: the invasion of his State had, in Lee's opinion, begun, and on April 20th he re signed. three days later taking command in Rich mond of the military forces of Virginia. On May 25th he ceased to lie a major-general in the army of his State. and became a brigadier in the
service of the Smith. no higher rank having then been created by the Confederate Government.
l.ee found Virginia totally unprepared for the hut acting as the eommanderdn-chief of the State troops and working steadily with Gen eral norgas, the chief of ordnance, he had by the end of May 30.000 men equipped and in the field and many regiments well advanced in organiza tion. On June 5th President Davis took charge of all military movements and General Lee. though to take the field, remained at his side as an adviser.
his first operations in the field were in West Virginia during the summer and autumn of 1561, and were on the whole unsuceessful. The dis advantage; he had to contend with were great, his subordinates were at loggerheads, and the enemy under Mecl•llan was strong and alert. Assigned to the Department of south Carolina, Georgia. and Florida, lie devoted him self to the task of creating coast defenses and in terior works to protect tl e eountry on which the Confederacy was absolutely dependent for sup plies. Ilk grasp of the situation was masterly, and his personal presence did much to stimulate the rapidity with which the defense wag made efficient. In March. 1tiG2, he a- recalled to Rich mond to direct the military operations of the Confederacy, under the supervision of President Davis. and it speaks well for the serenity of Lee's character that this somewhat trying situation produced so little friction. Men and supplies had to he prepared to meet McClellan's advance up the Peninsula, where sonic victory was expected from the victors of the first hill Run to compen sate for the disasters of Forts 'Henry and Done- son, and of Roanoke Island. Lee kept in full eom muniention with Jackson's movement: in the Valley of Virginia, giving him free hand. When Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. who had command in the Peninsula against McClellan. wished to draw strongly on the defensive force. of the interior and to risk all on one battle, Lee. believing that a smaller army eould be successful, opposed him, and was supported in this opinion by President Davis. Johnston steadily retreated before McClel lan until Jackson's famous dash prevented Mc Dowell• with his force of about 40,000, from join ing the main Federal army; then he turned and fought the indecisive battle of Seven Pines I May 31-June 1). Lee took no part in this fighting, but on June 3 he took command, for Johnston had been wounded and the next in rank, Gen. G. W. Smith. was in bad health. Setting about vigorously to secure rei:nforeements and sending Stuart on his brilliant circuit of the Federal army, the new- commander resisted the gen eral desire for him to fall back on Richmond. and took the otrensive. Some tremendous fighting at the battle of Gaines's Mill forced MeClellan to retreat toward his gunboats on the The fierce fight of Malvern where the Confeder ates were unable to dislodge the allowed McClellan to reach his place of safety. The Federal: had been driven hack but not routed in these terrible days' battles around Rich mond. dune 25-July I. and Lee was not 'satisfied with what he had done. It is possible that if he had had the right snpport from his subordinates he would have carried out his original plan of de stroying the opposing army. Genera] Pope soon after this took command of the Federal armies in Virginia west of Washington, while General Mc Clellan retained position on the James River. Lee, assuming that Richmond was n fl longer in serious danger from M•Chllan's forces. planned to throw- his whole available strength against Pope. A series of rapid and unexpected blows fell upon the outer armies under Pope's com mand, his store of provisions was captured, and on August 29 and 30. Poi's main army was signally defeated by Jackson and Lee on the same field ti at had witnessed the first battle of Bull Run. Lee then pro jected the invasion of Maryland, well fi r political as for military reasoi s. On Septem ber 7th his entire army was near Frederick City.