IndexLee's Adult PersonalityLee's Tactics and Strategies for WarLee's Respect for SlaveryReconciliation of ProvidenceRobert Edward Lee, born January 18 1807 and died October 12, 1870, he is considered one of the most successful generals of the Civil War era. Lee enrolled at the "...United States Military Academy at West Point on July 1, 1825 from which he graduated second in his class in 1829." and, upon graduation, Lee "...chose service in the Corps of Engineers, considered the most prestigious branch of the U.S. Army." Lee's reputation was formed by his many victories in the fight against the Army of the Potomac, the main Union army, as well as his marriage to Mary Anna Randolph Custis, great-granddaughter of George Washington's wife, Martha Washington; thus, he secured a stable financial position, a feat his father did not achieve, and being associated with George Washington provided Lee with a notable reputation. With this, he was given various assignments, from Georgia to New York, and became the lead general of the Army of Northern Virginia, the Army of the Confederacy. Lee won many battles, the most popular of which was the Battle of Chancellorsville; however he lost two major battles with Ulysses S. Grant and George Meade in the Northern lands, the most notable defeat being the Battle of Gettysburg where Lee surrendered to Grant on April 9, 1865. Lee's legacy remained in the Southern states and became an icon; however this assumption is based on his credentials and rank rather than his personality and character off the field. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Lee's Adult Personality Lee's father, "...'Light-Horse Harry,' formally known as Colonel Henry Lee, served in the Army as chief of the cavalry during the Revolutionary War, where he gained recognition as one of the many heroes of the war. Ancestral wealth was not promised to Robert Lee, as his father received many sanctions due to "...financial neglect and ill health"; absence of a father attempting to escape his creditors and at the same time improve his own health. As a result, Lee's mother, Ann Hill Carter, financed his family with her family's inheritance strong sense of duty and responsibility, which most likely influenced his decision to participate in military service Another factor, his father's excellent rank during his military days, inspired Lee to continue his family's legacy . Lee's strong, dominant personality is reflected in his few interactions with his youngest son, Robert E. Lee Jr., who notes in his memoir how his father "[passed] by me without any sign of recognition", indicating how Lee mirrored his own. father's negligence and absence of a parental figure; however, after speaking with his father, later in his memoir, Lee turns to his son to send the men back to their rightful home states with a smile. Lee's inattention to his youngest son is evident, but on the other hand, Lee's care for his children is represented by his firm behavior and interactions with them, so it does not fully reflect his father's lack of interactions. Lee's tactics and strategies for WarLee's tactics and strategies consisted primarily of taking the offensive and invading enemy territory, which was influenced by his involvement in the Mexican-American War, where he entered intoMexico as "...staff engineer on October 12, 1846" and "...directed the construction and paving of roads and bridges from San Antonio to Saltillo. According to Weigley, also, on January 16, 1847 Lee received orders to " join Major General Winfield Scott, who was the commanding general of the U.S. Army." Scott allowed Lee to have total control, which gave Lee the ability to create and direct as a commanderdecisions. Lee discovered many ways to overcome the enemy which provided the United States with large victories, such as a victory that occurred at Contreras, located near the Pedregal, a lava bed, on August 20. The main enemy position was located at Churubusco, and Lee found a way to turn the forces around and the Mexican defenses. From there, Weigley adds that Lee joined "Brigadier Generals Persifor F. Smith and John Cadwaldar in deciding the appropriate procedure for the breakthrough attack of the Mexican forces"; and it has been very successful, despite forces attracting new arrivals that have threatened its success. Lee once again crossed the Pedregal with only a few men to get more troops from Scott, and so another victory was in the hands of the United States. Lee's decision to take the lead implied heavy casualties, which meant more manpower would be needed; however, the Confederation did not have such a resource. Furthermore, for Lee to choose such a tactic meant that he was willing to adapt the unwanted option to achieve a quick victory, in case there was little or no hope of winning the Civil War. Lee concluded that if the Confederate states did not adopt such a tactic and simply maintained their borders, the North would multiply its manpower and resources and defeat the Confederacy; on the other hand, if the Confederate states adopted this tactic, then they could potentially gain superior strength to the North and win the war. Lee's reputation, as stated above, is spread throughout the United States, particularly in the Northern states. After hearing the seven states' decision to secede from the United States, Lee informed General Scott that if his home state of Virginia seceded, he would feel obligated to defend it and resign his office, as Lee felt that he should remain loyal to Virginia and not battle with the Commonwealth. Lee rejected a potentially war-decisive offer, as "...on April 12-14, Francis Preston Blair Sr, on behalf of President Lincoln, asked him if he would take command of the Union Army... . Lee refused and reiterated what he had stated to Scott. On April 20, Virginia seceded and Lee, fulfilling his promise, "...resigned his commission and agreed to command the state's military and naval forces from Governor John Letcher. of Virginia". Lee's respect for slavery Lee's opinion on slavery can be described as ambivalent and full of contradictions. Lee grew up surrounded by enslaved African Americans, but this changed when he joined the army. Lee opposed the freedom and equality of not only African Americans but also Mexicans and American Indians who threatened white expansion; however Lee initially supported enlisting African Americans in the army, as the Confederacy needed more manpower after the defeat in the Wilderness campaign, but took revenge at the last minute. In conclusion, Lee takes a complicated middle path, as he acknowledges that slavery is evil but asserts that the evil is greater for whites than for blacks without explanation, as well as assuming that the peculiar institution will fade away; does not provide the reason. Lee also regrets the existence of the.