1. Crossroads of
Freedom
Robert E. Lee
Esthela Caito
Professor M. Arguello
History 141
2. Robert Edward Lee commanded
the Confederate Army of
Northern Virginia in the
American Civil War.
Lee was born in Stratford.
Westmoreland County, Virginia
and lived from 1807- 1870.
The Confederate states were
the 11 Southern slave states of
In 1861, President Abraham the US that wanted to secede
Lincoln asked Lee if he from the US.
wanted to take command
over the entire Union Army.
Lee said no to the offer
because his home state of
Virginia decided to secede
from the Union.
3. Even though Lee did not agree with
Virginia’s secession nor did he agree with
having slavery, he had to stay faithful to his
state.
He was respected by his enemies and was
sometimes regarded as “the right man on
the wrong side of a war.”
Lee was recognized as having great
awareness & good judgment when he
planned & executed military tactics.
Lee’s military strategies were so
impressive that they are actually studied in
military schools as models of strategy and
tactics.
Lee was good at knowing what the other
side was going to do next.
He was also good at understanding the
other side’s weaknesses.
4. Lee liked to be offensive in strategy
but defensive in tactics.
Lee set up his front to bulge outward
toward the enemy (convex front) so
that reinforcements, transfers, &
supplies could reach the destination
over a direct route.
Lee is greatly known for having his
troops protected by trenches.
He knew that when a small group of
soldiers is protected well by
entrenchments, it has a better
chance of standing up to a larger
enemy force.
Lee’s victories included the Battle of
Fredericksburg, Battle of
Chancellorsville, Battle of the
Wilderness, Battle of Cold Harbor,
Seven Days Battle, and the Second
Battle of Bull Run.
5. When Lee’s army was defeated at
Antietam (1862) and Gettysburg
(1863), it was obvious that the
South would be defeated.
In 1864, Ulysses S. Grant became
the new Commander of the Union
army and his plan was to wear
down Lee’s army.
In early 1865, Lee wanted to have
slaves fight for the Confederate
Army in exchange for their
freedom. This plan never came
about.
In 1865, Robert E. Lee wrote to a
former Confederate soldier concerning Lee’s army experienced many
his signing the Oath of Allegiance, and losses against Grant.
I quote: "This war, being at an end, the
Southern States having laid down their
arms, and the questions at issue On April 9, 1865, Lee surrendered
between them and the Northern States to Grant at Appomattox Court
having been decided, I believe it to be House.
the duty of everyone to unite in the
restoration of the country and the
reestablishment of peace and
harmony."
