“My chief concern is to be a humble, earnest Christian.” So said Robert E. Lee, one of America’s greatest military commanders and strategists. Today, Lee is remembered for leading the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia to victory after victory during the Civil War. Today, the Confederacy is looked down upon. (Wrongly, many times, I believe. But that’s another story.) It is for this reason that the inclusion of Lee among the enumeration of “great Americans” may bring questioning looks or even offended frowns. But Robert E. Lee was an American commander before he was a Confederate commander and he lived 58 years as an American, while living only 5 years as a Confederate. This man was a Man of strong, moral character, patriotism, faith and unwavering conviction in God.
Lee was born in Virginia in 1807 to Henry “Light Horse” Lee III, a Revolutionary War hero who had fought under Washington, and his wife, Anne. In 1825, Lee entered West Point, the military school, to study as a military engineer. He married Mary Custis, the great granddaughter of Martha Custis Washington in 1831.
He fought under General Winfield Scott in the Mexican-American War, contributing to American victories through his reconnaissance and planning. He participated in multiple battles and was wounded at the final fight at Chapultepec. It was during the Mexican-American War that Lee worked alongside his future foe: Ulysses S. Grant.
Lee led the United States troops which captured John Brown after his violent insurrection at Harper’s Ferry in 1859.
When South Carolina and six other southern states succeeded from the Union in 1860, Lee was opposed to the Confederacy. He wrote to his son, “I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than a dissolution of the Union.” He was offered a promotion and a place of high command in the Union army. Lee prepared to go to war to preserve the Union. Everything changed though when Virginia succeeded from the Union in early 1861. Lee would not fight against his home state and so when Virginia left the Union, Lee went with it. He soon became the foremost Confederate commander and campaigned against vastly inferior Union generals in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. He led his Army of Northern Virginia to victories at the Second Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) and at Fredericksburg. He even invaded the North twice, being pushed back first at Antietam (1862) and then Gettysburg (1863). Eventually, Lee was forced to surrender to his once-long-ago comrade, Grant at Appomattox, Virginia in 1865. He died in 1870.
Robert E. Lee is a forgotten hero of American history. His involvement in the ill-fated Confederacy has put him in a bad light in the history books of today. Lee was a Christian man however, and should be remembered as the honorable leader that he was. He was influential in the freeing of local slaves and many historians believe that he had anti-slavery beliefs. All-in-all, Robert E. Lee needs to be remembered and his character and faith need to be emulated today.
Here are some quotes from Robert E. Lee:
“Obedience to lawful authority is the foundation of manly character.”
“The education of a man is never completed until he dies.”
“In all my perplexities and distresses, the Bible has never failed to give me light and strength.”
“It is good that war is terrible, lest we grow to like it.”
“We failed, but in the good providence of God apparent failure often proves a blessing.”
Quotes found on brainyquote.com