Rob Lee

Robert E. = Lee
They say you had to see him to believe that a man so fine = could exist.=20 He
was handsome. He was clever. He was brave. He was gentle. He = was=20 generous
and charming, noble and modest, admired and beloved. He had = never=20 failed at
anything in his upright soldier’s life. He was born a winner, = this=20 Robert
E. Lee. Except for once. In the greatest contest of his life, = in a=20 war
between the South and the North, Robert E. Lee lost (Redmond). = Through=20 his
life, Robert E. Lee would prove to be always noble, always a = gentleman,=20 and
always capable of overcoming the challenge lying before him. =
Robert Edward Lee was born on January 19, 1807 (Compton’s). He = was=20 born
into one of Virginia’s most respected families. The Lee family = had=20 moved to
America during the mid 1600’s. Some genealogist can trace the = Lee’s=20 roots
back to William the Conqueror. Two members of the Lee family = had signed=20 the
Declaration of Independence, Richard Lee and Francis Lightfoot. = Charles=20 Lee
had served as attorney General under the Washington = administration=20 while
Richard Bland Lee, had become one of Virginia’s leading=20 Federalists.

Needless to say, the Lees were an American Political dynasty = (Nash=20 242).

Lee’s father was General Henry Light-Horse Harry Lee. He had = been=20 a
heroic cavalry leader in the American Revolution. He married = his=20 cousin
Matilda. They had four children, but Matilda died in 1790. On = her death=20 bed
she added insult to injury upon Henry Lee by leaving her estate = to=20 her
children. She feared Henry would squander the family fortune. = He was=20 well
known for poor investments and schemes that had depleted his = own=20 family’s
fortune (Connelly 5).

Henry Lee solved his financial problems by marrying Robert’s = mother=20 Anne
Carter, daughter of one of Virginia’s wealthiest men (Nash = 242). Henry=20 Lee
eventually spent his family into debt. Their stately mansion,=20 Stratford
Hall, was turned over to Robert’s half brother. Anne Lee moved = with=20 her
children to a simple brick house in Alexandria. Light Horse = Harry=20 was
seldom around. Finally, in 1813 he moved to the West Indies. = His=20 self-exile
became permanent, and he was never seen again by his family=20 (Thomas).

Young Robert had other family problems. His mother became very = ill. At=20 the
age of twelve he had to shoulder the load of not only being the = family’s
provider, but also his mother’s nurse. When time came for = Robert to=20 attend
college, it was obvious his mother could not support him = financially.=20 She
was already supporting his older brother at Harvard and three = other
children in school. In 1824 he accepted an appointment to the = United=20 States
Military Academy. During his time at West Point Lee = distinguished=20 himself
as a soldier and a student. Lee graduated with honors in 1829 = (Nash=20 245).

His graduation was dampened by a call to the bedside of his = ailing=20 mother.

When he arrived home he found his fifty-four year old mother = close=20 to
death. A death caused by struggles and illnesses of her = difficult=20 life.

Robert was always close to his mother. He again attended to her = needs=20 until
her death. On July 10, 1829, Anne Lee died with Robert, her = closest=20 son, at
her side. Forty years later Robert would stand in the same room = and=20 say,
It seems but yesterday that his beloved mother died (Connelly = 6).

While awaiting his first assignment, Lee frequently visited = Arlington,=20 the
estate of George Washington Parke Custis. Custis was the = grandson of=20 Martha
Washington and the adopted son of George Washington. After = Martha’s=20 death
Custis left Mount Vernon and used his inheritance to build = Arlington=20 in
1778. Arlington was set on a hill over looking the Potomac = river=20 and
Washington D.C. (NPS Arlington House). Custis had only one = daughter,=20 Mary
Anna Randolph. Mary had been pampered and petted throughout her = life.=20 Lee’s
Courtship with Mary soon turned serious, before long they were = thinking=20 of
marriage. However, before Robert could propose he was assigned = to=20 Cockspur
Island, Georgia.
Robert returned to Arlington in 1830. He and Mary decided to = get=20 married.

The two were married on June 30, 1831(Nash 248). Shortly there = after=20 the
Lees went to Fort Monroe. Mary was never happy here.