Robert+E.+Lee++8

 **Mexican War:**  **Civil War:** //**"though opposed to secession and deprecating war, I could take no part in an invasion of the southern states."** //  **Works Cited:**
 * Early Life:**
 * Born in Stratford, Wesmoreland County, Virginia
 * Born on January 19, 1807
 * He went to Westpoint at the age of 18
 * Graduated 2nd in his class July 1, 1829
 * Was superintendant at Westpoint for two and a half years
 * Served as a captian
 * Was first called to Washington to serve in the Unions army but declined saying
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When Virginia seceded he resigned his position in the US Army and went to Virginia where he became a Confederate General
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He fought on the side of the Confederates because he could not fight against his home state, Virginia.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He was first commissioned to command of the naval forces in Virginia.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He was also commisioned as the highest rank in the new southern army, brigadier general, he was later commisioned as a full general
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He was nicknamed Granny Lee at first because he was put on the unfortunate task of trying to gain back lost land in West Virginia.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When he got re-ordered he was unliked and got no popularity while having the troops dig trenches.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trenches were very good for protection but southerns didn't understand and he got another nickname of "The King Of Spades"
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When he convinced the President Jefferson Davis to bring troops up from the Carolinas and Georgia he launched an attack on McClellan which turned into the Battle of Seven Days
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This battle showed the soldiers the significance of digging the trenches
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This battle also let up on the pressure of Richmond
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lee gave the name of Army of North Virginia to his troops, and the troops fughtung in the Battle of Seven Days
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He drove the enemy 15 miles from their original place to seige Richmond
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lee was not satisfied with the win because he knew that the North had many more soldiers and thought the odds were 4 to 1
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lee made a decision that many people even now do not understand, instead of staying outside Richmond heavily gaurding it he left it lightly gaurded and left to join Jackson and attack John Pope.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lee then went and attacked McCllelan and won in Fredericksburg
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At Chancellosville and lost one of his best commanders, Lieutenant Stonewall Jackson.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> split his troops into three different groups and attacked from different areas, he did this to confused the enemy and win.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Though it worked it came at a high cost, the Union and his own troops had high casualty rates.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 1863 he led his troops to Gettysburg and took part in one of the most important battles of the war.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here he lost two more good commanders, like James Longstreet and J.E.B Stuart
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lee was also forced back to Richmond
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 1865 he tried to retreat back down to North Carolina but was cut off by Uylsses Grant and was forced to surrender.
 * http://library.thinkquest.org/3055/netscape/people/lee.html
 * Military Leaders in the Civil War: Lt. Col. Joseph B. Mitchell