Lee (ROBERT ican military officer)

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

ROBERT ican military officer; born in Stratford EDWARD, an Amer- House, Westmoreland co., Va., Jan. 19, 1807. He was graduated States Military Academy in 1829, and at United entered the United States ademy in 1829, and army as 2d lieutenant, States army as 2d becoming 1st lieutenant in 1836, and g 1st lieutenant in captain two years later. In 1846 Lee was two years later. In appointed engineer-in-chief to the United States army ted engineer-in-chiet in Mexico; was brevetted tes army in Mexico: major in April of that year for "gallant for in April of that conduct at the battle of Cerro conduct the battla Gordo"; lieutenant-colonel in August, 1847, lierten el in for distinguished bravery in the actions of distinguished bravery Contreras and Churubusco Contreras and Churu ; and colonel (Sept. 13, 1847), for eminent services (Sept. 18, 1847), for at Chapultepec. After the close of the Chapultepec. After war Colonel Lee was reappointed Colonel Lee was rea member of the United States Board of of the United States Engineers, and in 1852 was made superintendent and in 1852 was of West Point Military Academy of West Point Mili- , which he held till March, 1855, when he was he held till March, appointed lieutenantcolonel of cavalry appointed lieutenant . In 1861 he received his colonelcy, 1861 he received but resigned his commission within a month resigned his commisafterward, and offered his sword terward, and ofto his native State, Virginia, which native State, Vir had just seceded from the Union, and was then eded from the threatened by the National forces. reatened by the His offer offer being promptly accepted, Colonel Lee was apbeing pointed commander-in el Lee was ap- -chief of the Virginia troops, of of the Vir with the rank of general in the rank of general in GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE ROBERT E Z the Confederate army. He occupied himself with army. He occupied organizing his troops till May, 1862, anizing his troops till when he he superseded Gen. J. E. Johnston in the command of the army superseded Gen. J. intrusted with command of the army defense the defense of Richmond, threatened by a of Richmond, formidable Union army ormidable Union army under General McClellan. In the san- of guinary campaign that ensued, General final Lee, aided by " Stonewall " Jackson, made 1898. a vigorous assault on McClellan's army, and succeeded, in a series of severe battles, known as the "Seven Days' Battles," in forcing it back from its position in front of Richmond. In August, of the same year, General Lee forced the Union army under General Pope to fall precipitately back upon Washington. The campaigns he conducted in Maryland and Pennsylvania in 1862-1863 were, however, not so fortunate. After fighting a hotly-contested and drawn battle at Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862, Lee was obliged across the Potomac; and, to retreat though victorious in the first day's battle at Gettysburg (July 1, 1863), he met with a disastrous repulse two days afterward, and was again compelled to retire across the Potomac. Previous to this, however, General Lee had signally defeated General Burnside's army at Fredericksburg, Dec. 12-16, 1862, and also defeated General Hooker at Chancellorsville, May 1-4, 1863. From August, 1863, till May, 1864, General Lee was engaged in operations along the line of the Rappahannock, and fought a succession of desperate battles in the Wilderness, and from there S. to his old position before Richmond, during May, 1864. On Feb. 5, 1865, General Lee was appointed commander-in-chief of all the Confederate armies in the field, and till April in that year held the defenses of Petersburg and Richmond, fighting several battles to retain them. On April 2 he was at last dislodged from his intrenchments by superior forces, compelled to retreat from Petersburg, and eventually to surrender himself and army to General Grant, April 9, after a long and gallant blood. contest with his resolute and able adversary. General Lee was installed president of Washington College, Va., Oct. 2, 1865. He died in Lexington, Va., Oct. 12, 1870. English