Who was this man the South loved so and whose men would follow into the depths of hell it self, if need be? Lee was a man among men, a man who stood head and shoulders above all others. A man of honor, a man completely dedicated to God and country. But who was he and what made him the man so beloved by the South? Robert Edward Lee was a handsome man, 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing about 170 pounds. He presented a commanding appearance, straight, alert and intelligent. He was never known to smoke, drink alcoholic beverages, or use profane language. He was a moralist, and once said "duty" is the sublimest word in the English language.

         Robert Edward Lee was born January 19, 1807, in Stratford Hall, near Montross, Virginia. He was the fifth child of "Light-horse" Henry Lee, a brave and daring cavalry leader in the American Army during the Revolutionary War, and Ann Hill Carter.

         Robert was a serious boy, spending many hours in his father's library. At the age of 18, he entered the United States Military Academy at West Point. He was admired by his classmates, for his brilliance, leadership, and devotion to duty. He graduated in 1929 with high honors and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers.

         He served for 17 months at Fort Pulaski on Cockspur Island, Georgia. He was transferred to Fort Monroe, Virginia, as an assistant engineer,  in 1831.  It was there he met a beautiful young lady, Mary Anna Randolph Custis, and was immediately smitten with her. She was the great granddaughter of Martha Washington. They were married on June 30, 1831 and lived in her family home, Arlington. This historical home place still stands, high on a Virginia hill overlooking Washington, D.C. Robert and Mary Lee had seven children, George Washington Custis, Mary Custis, William Henry Fitzhugh, Annie Carter, Eleanor Agnes,  Robert Edward and Mildred Childe. The children were all born and  lived most of their lives at Arlington.

          Lee made his mark in the military in 1846, during the war with Mexico. He was sent to Texas as an assistant engineer under General John. E. Wool and impressed all his superiors with his bravery and intelligence. Early in the war, he supervised the construction of bridges for Gen. Wool's march toward the Mexican boarder. He was served as a scout and was praised for his excellent work. He was soon transferred to General Winfield Scott's command and took part in the capture of Veracruz.  His engineering skill made it possible for American troops to cross the difficult mountain passes on the way to the Mexican capitol. During this march to Mexico City, he was promoted to brevet major, then to brevet lieutenant colonel. He became brevet colonel by the end of the war. Robert E. Lee had more than proved himself as a very intelligent man and a brilliant military leader.

          In 1852 Robert E. Lee became superintendent of West Point but he preferred field duty instead of a desk position and resigned in 1855. Within that same year he became a Lieutenant Colonel of the cavalry and assigned to duty on the Texas frontier. His duty was to protect the settlers from attacks by the Apache and Comanche Indians. He again proved himself to be and excellent soldier and organizer. Although he performed his duties well, Robert was not a happy man. He missed his family, particularly his wife, who was becoming an invalid. When Texas seceded from the Union in 1861, he was recalled to Washington, D.C. to await further orders.

          Robert E. Lee did not believe in slavery and had long freed the few slaves he had inherited. Lee also held strong believes that the Union should not be dissolved. He greatly admired George Washington and hated the thought of a divided nation. Although he felt so strongly against secession, he believed the Southern states, were protecting the very liberty, freedom and legal principles for which Washington had left the British Empire. With those ideas in mind, Lee resigned and joined the Confederate Army.

           At first he served as a military advisor to Confederate President Jefferson Davis. In May, 1861, he was appointed to a full General and by fall he had taken charge of protecting the South Carolina coast against invasion. Thus began a career that would place him in the hearts of all Southerners for eternity.  Lee served the Confederacy with honor and bravery. Before each battle, General Robert Edward Lee, knelt with his men in prayer, asking God for protection of his men and guidance of his decision. It has been recorded that Lee was one of the most beloved figures in American history. Lee was not only an excellent military leader, but a man of character and a man who loved and obeyed God. He gained the respect of all his men and even that of the Union officers. Union General Ulysses S. Grant, the man Lee would surrender to,  said of Lee, "There was not a man in the Confederacy whose influence with the whole people was as great as his." General Robert E. Lee surrendered his troops to General Grant on April 9, 1865. Even in surrender, Lee was still thinking of his men. Knowing most were just poor dirt farmers, he requested they be allowed to take their horses home to aid in the spring plowing. His request was granted. As General Lee left the signing of the surrender, he parted with these words to his men. "Men, we have fought through the war together. I have done my best for you; my heart is too full to say more." As General Lee rode down the road on his fateful horse, Traveller, his men lined each side of the road, hats in their hands, one man ran up to him and said, "We still love you General Lee." That was and still is the sentiment of Southerners everywhere.

           After the war, General Lee took the position of president of Washington College in Lexington, Virginia. Young men from all parts of the South flocked to "General Lee's school" and the college grew to become a well established school in business and journalism. After Lee's death the college was named the "Washington and Lee University."

         In the fall of 1870, General Lee's health began to fail. After a brief illness, he died on October 21, 1870. He is buried in the chapel he built on the campus in Lexington, along with other members of his family. This chapel is sometimes called "The Shrine of the South," and it is visited by thousands every year.

         Although Lee had applied for a full pardon and signed an oath of allegiance in 1865,  the  oath had been lost and General Lee was not pardoned until after his death. The signed oath was discovered in 1970 by an employee of the National Archives and Congress restored his citizenship in 1975.
 
         General Robert E. Lee's birthplace, Stratford Hall, in Westmoreland County, Virginia, is now a museum. His home, Arlington, has been preserved and overlooks the Potomac in Arlington National Cemetery. His birthday, January 19th, is a legal holiday in most Southern states. Yes, we can echo the sentiment of that young soldier some 134 years ago, "WE STILL LOVE YOU GENERAL LEE."