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Page 2 It will be understood by all who read any biographical
sketch of one so eminent as the Southern military leader thus
portrayed in Mr. Hill's
splendid words, that the facts of his life must sustain the eulogy.
Fortunately this support appears even in the cold recital which is
here attempted. General Lee was born at Stratford, Virginia, January
19, 1807, and was eleven years old on the death of his chivalric
father, General Henry Lee, the "Light Horse Harry" of the American
revolution. In boyhood he was taught in the schools of Alexandria,
chiefly by Mr. William B. Leary, an Irishman, and prepared for West
Point by Mr. Benjamin Hallowel1. He entered the National military
academy in 1825, and was graduated in 1829, without a demerit and
with second honors. During these youthful years he was remarkable in
personal appearance, possessing a handsome face and superb figure,
and a manner that charmed by cordiality and won respect by dignity.
He was thoroughly moral, free from the vices, and while "full of
life and fun, animated, bright and charming," as a contemporary
describes him, he was more inclined to serious than to gay society.
He married Mary Custis, daughter of Washington Parke
Custis, and grand-daughter of Martha Washington, at Arlington,
Va., June 30, 1831. Their children were G. W. Custis, Mary, W.
H. Fitzhugh, Annie, Agnes, Robert and Mildred.
At his graduation he was appointed second-lieutenant of
engineers and by assignment engaged in engineering at Old Point
and on the coasts. In 1834 he was assistant to the chief
engineer at Washington; in 1835 on the commission to mark the
boundary line between Ohio and Michigan; in 1836 promoted first
lieutenant, and in 1838, captain of engineers. In 1837 he was
ordered to the Mississippi river, in association with Lieutenant
Meigs (afterward general) to make special surveys and plans for
improvements of navigation; in 1840 a military engineer; in 1842
stationed at Fort Hamilton, New York; and in 1844 one of the
board of visitors at West Point. Captain Lee was with General
Wool in the beginning of the Mexican war, and at the special
request of General Scott was assigned to the personal staff of
that commander. When Scott landed 12,000 men south of Vera Cruz,
Captain Lee established the batteries which were so effective in
compelling the surrender of the city. The advance which followed
met with serious resistance from Santa Anna at Cerro Gordo. Here
Captain Lee made the reconnaissances and in three days' time
placed batteries in positions which Santa Anna had judged
inaccessible, enabling Scott to carry the heights and rout the
enemy. In his report Scott wrote: "I am compelled to make
special mention of Captain R. E. Lee," and the brevet as major
was accorded the skillful artilleryman. The valley of Mexico was
the scene of the next military operations, and here Lee
continued to serve with signal ability and personal bravery. One
act of daring General Scott afterward referred to as" the
greatest feat of physical and moral courage performed by any
individual in my knowledge pending the campaign." Having
participated in the daylight assault which carried the
entrenchments of Contreras, Captain Lee was soon afterward
engaged in the battles of Churubusco and Molino del Rey, gaining
promotion to brevet lieutenant-colonel. In the storming at
Chapultepec, one of the most brilliant affairs of the war, he
was severely wounded, and won from General Scott, in his
official report, appreciative mention as being "as distinguished
for execution as for science and daring." After Chapultepec he
was recommended for the rank of colonel. The City of Mexico was
next taken and the war ended.
Among the officers with Lee in Mexico were Grant, Meade,
McClellan, Hancock, Sedgwick, Hooker, Burnside, Thomas,
McDowell, A. S. Johnston, Beauregard, T. J. Jackson, Longstreet,
Loring, Hunt, Magruder, and Wilcox, all of whom seemed to have
felt for him a strong attachment. Reverdy Johnson said he had
heard General Scott more than once say that his "success in
Mexico was largely due to the skill, valor and undaunted energy
of Robert E. Lee." Jefferson Davis, in a public address at the
Lee memorial meeting November 3, 1870, said: "He came from
Mexico crowned with honors, covered with brevets, and
recognized, young as he was, as one of the ablest of his
country's soldiers." General Scott said with emphasis: "Lee is
the greatest military genius in America." Every general officer
with whom he personally served in Mexico made special mention of
him in official reports. General Persifer Smith wrote: "I wish
to record particularly my admiration of the conduct of Captain
Lee, of the engineers--the soundness of his judgment and his
personal daring being equally conspicuous." General Shields
referred to him as one" in whose skill and judgment I had the
utmost confidence." General Twiggs declared" his gallantry and
good conduct deserve the highest praise," and Colonel Riley bore
"testimony to the intrepid coolness and gallantry exhibited by
Captain Lee when conducting the advance of my brigade under the
heavy flank fire of the enemy."
In the subsequent years of peace Lee was assigned first
to important duties in the corps of military engineers with
headquarters at Baltimore, from 1849 to 1852, and then served as
superintendent of the military academy at West Point until 1855,
when he was promoted brevet lieutenant-colonel and assigned to
the Second cavalry, commanded by Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston
This remarkably fine regiment included among its officers
besides Johnston and Lee, Hardee, Thomas, VanDorn, Fitz Lee,
Kirby Smith, and Stoneman, later distinguished in the
Confederate war. With this regiment Lee shared the hardships of
frontier duty, defending the western frontier of Texas against
hostile Indians from 1856 until the spring of 1861. In October,
1859, he was at Washington in obedience to command, and
fortunately so, as during his visit occurred the John Brown
raid. President Buchanan selected him to suppress the movement,
which he did with prompt vigor, after giving the proper summons
to Brown to surrender. Returning to Texas, he was in command of
the department in 1860 and early in 1861, while the Southern
States were passing ordinances of secession, and with sincere
pain observed the progress of dissolution. Writing January 23,
1861, he said that the South had been aggrieved by the acts of
the North, and that he felt the aggression and was willing to
take every proper step for redress. But he anticipated no
greater calamity than a dissolution of the Union and would
sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation. He termed
secession a revolution, but said that a Union that can only be
maintained by swords and bayonets had no charms for him. "If the
Union is dissolved and the government disrupted, I shall return
to my native State and share the miseries of my people; and save
in defense will draw my sword on none."
About a month later Lee was summoned to Washington to
report to General Scott and reached the capital on the 1st of
March, only a few days before the inauguration of Lincoln. He
was then just fifty-four years of age, and dating from his
cadetship at West Point had been in the military service of the
government about thirty-six years. He had reached the exact
prime of maturity; in form, features, and general bearing the
type of magnificent manhood; educated to thoroughness;
cultivated by extensive reading, wide experience, and contact
with the great men of the period; with a dauntless bravery
tested and improved by military perils in many battles; his
skill in war recognized as of the highest order by comrades and
commanders; and withal a patriot in whom there was no guile and
a man without reproach. Bearing this record and character, Lee
appeared at the capital of the country he loved, hoping that
wisdom in its counsels would avert coercion and that this policy
would lead to reunion. Above all others he was the choice of
General Scott for the command of the United States army; and the
aged hero seems to have earnestly urged the supreme command upon
him. Francis P. Blair also invited him to a conference and said,
"I come to you on the part of President Lincoln to ask whether
any inducement that he can offer will prevail on you to take
command of the Union army." To this alluring offer Lee at once
replied courteously but candidly that though "opposed to
secession and deprecating war he would take no part in the
invasion of the Southern States." His resignation followed at
once, and repairing to Virginia, he placed his stainless sword
at the service of his imperiled State and accepted the command
of her military forces. The commission was presented to him in
the presence of the Virginia convention on April 23, 1861, by
Mr. Janney, the president of that body, with ceremonies of great
impressiveness, and General Lee entered at once upon duties
which absorbed his thought and engaged his heart. The position
thus assigned confined him at first to a narrowed area, but he
diligently organized the military strength of Virginia and
surveyed the field over which he foresaw the battles for the
Confederacy would be fought. As late as April 25 he wrote, "No
earthly act would give me so much pleasure as to restore peace
to my country, but I fear it is now out of the power of man, and
in God alone must be our trust. I think our policy should be
purely on the defensive, to resist aggression and allow time to
allay the passions and permit reason to resume her sway."
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