Robert E. Lee

Gr 9 Up—The military discipline that governed Robert E. Lee's life is the focal point for this examination of the man who was a hero of the Confederacy. Scion of an important Virginia family, Lee married George Washington's great-granddaughter, graduated from West Point, and served with distinction during the Mexican War. Hard work, discipline, and self-sacrifice were Lee's greatest characteristics, and throughout his life he expected others to follow this creed. Lee ran his father-in-law's Arlington plantation for a while but returned to the army in 1859. With Lincoln's election, southern states began to secede and Lee, fiercely loyal to Virginia, turned down the opportunity to command federal forces. As Confederate commander, he had successes and failures as he adjusted to field command. When Ulysses S. Grant took control of all Union forces in 1864, the battles between North and South became more frequent and bloody with high numbers of casualties resulting in Confederate surrender in April 1865. Historical photographs, maps, and illustrations complement the narrative provided by historians. A useful supplement for history classes ,especially during this year's 150th anniversary of the Civil War.—Patricia Ann Owens, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, Mt. Carmel