Robert Edward Lee :: essays research papers

Robert Edward lee sideRobert Edward Lee was born of two distinguished Virginia families. Hewas a devoted son, an outstanding Westpoint cadet, and an United States armyofficer for thirty two years. He graduated second in his class.Lee started his impressive Military passage as a Lieutenant in the Corpsof Engineers. His first assignment was to work on the construction of FortPulaski in 1830 near Savannah, Georgia. Then in 1831 he was transferred to FortMonroe, Virginia where he worked on harbor defenses.In 1834 he moved to Washington, D.C. as an assistant to the chief ofengineers. In 1835 he was delegate to finalise the Ohio-Michigan boarderconflict.In 1837 he went to Saint Louis to work on stabalizing the Mississippiriver channel. He was promoted to captain in 1838. Being sucessful in SaintLouis he was assigned to Fort Hamilton in 1841 to work on the New York Harborfortifications.When war broke out with Mexico in 1840 Lee was sent to Mexico for twoyears as an engieneering officer. There he was praised for his galantry andgood conduct. In the war with Mexico he was wounded in the Storming ofChapultepec in 1847. The Mexican war was suposed to be the help that Lee takein the experance of commanding troops.After the Mexican war Lee was assigned to Baltimore in 1848, he was tosupervise the construction of Fort Carrol for nearly four years.In 1852 the United States military academy at West Point became Leeshome when he was appointed superintendent. During his three year stint heraised acidemic standards, extensive the program from four to five years, andimproved facilities.In 1859 in Arlington, Texas Lee was given command of Federal forceswhich were there to make sure Mexicans did not engross Texas. Then Lee was sentto capture the abolitionist, John Brown at Harpers Ferry.Then when war seemed impossible to avoid, President Abraham Lincionsummond Lee and asked him to lead the Union army, except Lee declined. On April 23he became commander and chief of the milit ary forces in Virgnia, just three daysafter he resigned from the U.S. Army.In February 1865 Lee was made commander and chief of all confederateforces. His great battles of the Civil wars include Antietam, Chancellorsville,Fredericksburg, and Gettysburg. He won many, many battles in the Civil war.Finally on April 9, 1865 General Robert E.