Robert E. Lee

**Robert Edward Lee** (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was an American colonel in the United States Army. He became the General-in-chief of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He led the Army of Northern Virginia in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. He started out as an engineer but then moved up the ranks. Before the Civil War, Lee was an officer in the Mexican-American War. He was also head of West Point. As a colonel in the United States Army he led a battalion of marines to put down the rebellion at Harpers Ferry Armory and captured their leader, John Brown.

## Early years
Lee was born at Stratford Hall in Westmoreland County, Virginia, on January 19, 1807. His parents were American Revolutionary War General and Governor of Virginia, Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee, and his wife, Anne Carter Lee. In 1818, Lee's father died in the West Indies without ever seeing his son again.

## Education
Lee attended Eastern View, a school in Fauquier County, Virginia.  He may have attended schools in Shirley, Virginia, and in Alexandria, Virginia. His mother instructed him in the Episcopalian faith.

## Marriage
On June 30, 1831, Lee married Mary Custis at Arlington House. She was the granddaughter of George Washington's stepson, John Parke Custis. They made their home at Arlington House. They had seven children.

## Middle years
Lee fought in the Mexican–American War under General Winfield Scott as a captain. Later, Scott wrote about Lee calling him "the very best soldier I ever saw in the field." He proved not to be a very good slave master. Several days later he accepted command of all Virginia forces. It contained 14 exempted es and members of these groups had to make an  to the President of the United States asking for a pardon. Lee sent an application to General Grant. On June 13, 1865, Lee wrote to President Johnson:

On October 2, 1865, Lee became president of Washington College in Virginia. That same day Lee signed his Amnesty Oath as required by President Johnson. But Lee was not pardoned and his citizenship was not restored.

His amnesty oath was found over a hundred years later in the National Archives. It appears United States Secretary of State William H. Seward had given the application to a friend to keep as a souvenir. The State Department had simply ignored Lee's application and it was never granted. In a 1975 Joint resolution by the United States Congress, Lee's rights as a citizen were restored with the effective date of June 13, 1865. The act was signed into law by President Gerald R. Ford on August 5, 1975.

Lee died of heart failure on October 12, 1870. Washington College changed its name to Washington and Lee University in Lee's honor. Lee's birthday is celebrated in several southern states as a holiday.

## Legacy
Robert E. Lee's legacy is complicated, and bring to mind a skilled military leader during the American Civil War, yet his  with the Confederacy raises ethical questions about his role in defending slavery. Opinions on his legacy vary, with some emphasizing his military tactics and others saying negative things and his allegiance to a cause rooted in maintaining slavery. It's a topic that has raised ongoing historical and moral discussions. However, historians engage in ongoing debates about Robert E. Lee's legacy. Some focus on his military  and strategic brilliance, while others examine his choice to fight for the Confederacy, a cause deeply entwined with slavery. These discussions often delve into the complexities of historical figures and the background of their actions.

## References
## Other websites 
* Civil War Journal - Robert E. Lee; YouTube
* Robert E. Lee in the Post-War Years (Lecture); YouTube
* Document for October 2nd: Robert E. Lee’s Amnesty Oath, 10/02/1865; National Archives
* Surrender at Appomattox, 1865