Military officer; born in
Stratford, Westmoreland co., Va., Jan. 19, 1807; son of
Gen. Henry Lee; graduated at the United States Military Academy, second in his class, in 1829.
Entering the engineer corps, he became captain in July, 1838, and was chief engineer of
General Wool's brigade in the war with
Mexico.
At the close of that war he had earned three brevets—major,
lieutenant-colonel, and colonel; and he was a great favorite with
General Scott.
From Sept. 3, 1852, to March 3, 1855, he was superintendent of the Military Academy.
In the latter year he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel of cavalry, and in March, 1861, to colonel.
Accepting the doctrine of State supremacy when
Virginia passed an ordinance of secession, in April, 1861,
Lee went to
Richmond, accepted (April 22, 1861) the command of the forces in that commonwealth, and resigned his commission in the
National army.
In accepting the office of commander of the
Virginia forces, he said: “Trusting in Almighty God, an approving conscience, and the aid of my fellowcitizens, I devote myself to the aid of my native State, in whose behalf alone will I ever draw my sword.”
Lee's services had always been very acceptable to his government.
He was an officer of fine culture, a soldier brave and discreet, and an engineer of great skill.
He had superintended the construction and repairs of the forts at the entrance to the harbor of
New York after 1841, and was a member of the board of engineers of the
Atlantic coast defence.
He had married, in 1832, Mary, daughter of
G. W. P. Custis, the adopted son of
Washington, and by her, in 1857, he became possessor of the estate of
Arlington, opposite
Georgetown, on the
Potomac, and the “
White House” estate, on the
Pamunkey.
He was in command of a regiment of cavalry in
Texas in 1860, and towards the close of that year he obtained leave of absence and returned home, where he was when appointed to the command of the
Virginia forces.
For a while he did not have a separate command in the field, and for more than a year did not fill any important place in the Confederate army.
He was nominally superintendent of fortifications at
Richmond and elsewhere, and was the military adviser of
President Jefferson Davis and of the
Confederate Secretary of War.
When
Gen. Joseph E. Johnston was wounded (May 31, 1862), in the battle of
Seven Pines, near
Richmond, the command of the Confederate army of
Northern Virginia was given to
Lee, June 3, and on the 26th of that month he began the series of conflicts before
Richmond known as the Seven Days Battles.
He was finally compelled to surrender his army to
General Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, April 9, 1865, on most generous terms for himself and his followers.
He had been appointed general-in-chief of the Confederate armies in February preceding.
After the war he retired to private life, refusing even to attend public gatherings of any kind.
In October, 1865, he accepted the presidency of Washington College (now Washington and Lee University), at
Lexington, Va., which he held
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until his death, Oct. 12, 1870.
Lee's sons —
G. W. Custis, W. H. F., and Robert E. —all served as officers in the Confederate army.
His eldest son,
G. W. C. Lee, was chosen president of the college on the death of his father.
In the summer of 1861
General Reynolds had been left by
Rosecrans to confront
General Lee in the
Cheat Mountain region.
Lee was then in chief command in
western Virginia.
He had sent
General Floyd to drive the Nationals out of the
Kanawha Valley, but the latter was defeated (Sept. 11) at
Carnifex Ferry, and fled to
Big Sewell Mountain.
Reynolds's command consisted of
Indiana and
Ohio troops.
With them he held the roads and passes of the mountains of the more westerly ranges of the
Alleghany chain.
His headquarters were at Cheat Mountain pass, and
Lee's were at
Huntersville, in Pocahontas county.
It was evident early in September, by the activity of
Lee's scouts, that he was preparing to strike a blow somewhere.
It was finally made clear that he was about to strike the Nationals at Elk Water, at the western foot of
Cheat Mountain.
His object evidently was to secure the great Cheat Mountain pass, and have free communication with the Shenandoah Valley.
For this purpose he marched from
Huntersville, in the night of Sept. 11, to make a simultaneous attack on Elk Water, the pass, and a station of
Indiana troops on the summit, under
Colonel Kimball.
About 5,000 Confederates, under
General Anderson, of
Tennessee, attempted to take the summit and the pass, but were repulsed.
On the 12th
Lee advanced in heavy force upon Elk Water, but was driven back.
He was satisfied that his plan for seizing and destroying
Reynolds's army and opening a way to the
Ohio had failed, and he hastened to join
Floyd on
Big Sewell Mountain, between the forks of the
Kanawha.
In the encounters during two or three days,
Reynolds lost ten men killed, fourteen wounded, and sixty-four made prisoners.
The Confederates lost about 100 killed and wounded, and ninety prisoners. The joint forces of
Lee and
Floyd, on
Big Sewell Mountain, numbered about 20,000 men, and there they were confronted by 10,000 Nationals, under
Rosecrans, assisted by
Generals Cox,
Schenck, and
Benham.
The belligerents remained in sight of each other for about three weeks.
Wise, then under
Lee's command, was recalled to
Richmond.
Lee's campaign in
western Virginia was regarded by the Confederate government as a failure, and he, too, was soon afterwards recalled and sent to
South Carolina, where he planned and partially constructed the coast defensive works.
See
Charleston.
After his disastrous experience at
Gettysburg (July 1, 2, and 3, 1863),
General Lee began a retreat for
Virginia on the night of the 5th, having previously sent forward his enormous wagon-trains and sick and wounded men.
Sedgwick's corps and
Kilpatrick's cavalry were sent in pursuit.
Sedgwick overtook the
Confederate rear-guard at a pass in the
South Mountain range, but was recalled, and the whole army, having rested, were put in motion for a flank movement through the lower passes of
South Mountain.
But the movement was so tardy that when
Meade overtook
Lee (July 12) he was strongly intrenched on the banks of the
Potomac, near
Williamsport, waiting for a flood in the river, caused by recent rains, to subside.
While
Meade was preparing to attack
Lee, the latter escaped over the river.
General Hill's rear-guard had been struck by
Kilpatrick, and lost 125 men killed and 1,500 made prisoners.
Kilpatrick's loss was 105 men. Thus ended, in utter discomfiture and repulse,
Lee's second formidable invasion of
Maryland.
Lee's final struggle.
While the
Confederates were leaving
Richmond,
Lee's army was withdrawing from
Petersburg.
He hoped to conduct his army to
Danville, on the southern borders of
Virginia, whither his government had fled.
He appointed
Amelia Court-house as the point for the concentration of his army.
There his forces would reach the Danville Railway, and thereafter use it in their flight into
North Carolina . At the time when he sent his despatch for the evacuation of
Richmond he ordered commissary and quartermaster's stories to be sent from
Danville to
Amelia Court-house for the use of his army.
They were promptly forwarded; but when the officer in charge reached
Amelia Court-house he received
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orders from
Richmond to hasten thither with his train.
The stupid fellow obeyed, but took with him the supplies.
The government, in its flight, occupied the whole train.
The stores were left at
Richmond and destroyed in the conflagrations.
Lee was almost hopeless when he discovered this calamity, for it threatened his army with starvation.
He knew that
Grant, for the sake of celerity in pursuit, would break up his army into detachments; and
Lee hoped, by a bountifully supplied army well in hand, to fall upon these fragments and cut up the
National army in detail.
Now he was compelled to detach nearly one-half of his army to forage for supplies to keep his forces from starving.
Grant, meanwhile, bad taken possession of
Petersburg, and his army moved in vigorous pursuit.
Sheridan's cavalry and
Warren's corps struck the Danville Railway (April 4, 1865) at
Jetersville, 7 miles southwest of
Amelia Court-house.
Some of his cavalry then pushed on to Burkesville Station, at the junction of that road with the Southside Railway.
Sheridan now stood squarely across
Lee's pathway of retreat, and held possession of his chief channel of supplies from
Lynchburg and
Danville.
Lee attempted to escape by way of
Farmville.
Sheridan sent
General Davies on a reconnaissance, who found part of
Lee's army moving westward (April 5), his cavalry escorting a train of 180 wagons.
Davies fell upon the escort, captured many men and five guns, and destroyed the wagons.
Lee's accompanying infantry had pressed
Davies for a while, but, reinforced by
Generals Gregg and
Smith, he extricated himself.
On the morning of the 6th nearly the whole of the Army of the Potomac were at
Jetersville, and moved upon
Amelia Court-house.
Sheridan discovered
Lee's army moving rapidly westward, and made a rapid pursuit, in three columns.
Great efforts were made to check
Lee's retreat.
He was smitten severely at
Sailor's Creek, a small tributary of the
Appomattox, where another train of 400 wagons, sixteen guns, and many men were captured.
By this blow
Ewell's corps, following the train, was cut off from
Lee's main army.
Very soon afterwards that corps was captured,
Ewell and four other generals and 6,000 veterans becoming prisoners.
With his dreadfully shattered army,
Lee crossed the
Appomattox that night (Aug. 6 and 7) at
Farmville, setting fire to bridges behind him. They were not all consumed.
The
Nationals crossed and captured eighteen guns abandoned by a rear-guard.
Lee's troops and animals were perishing for want of food.
Thousands let their muskets fall because they were too weak to carry them and walk.
Lee would not listen to a proposition of his officers to give up the contest, and resolved to make further efforts to escape.
Nearly the whole of
Grant's army joined in vigorous pursuit of the
Confederates, and
Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court-house. April 9, 1865.
Terms of the surrender.
The following is the correspondence that passed between
Generals Grant and
Lee, which resulted in the surrender of the army of the latter:
I.
Sir,—The result of the last week must convince you of the hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia in this struggle.
I feel that it is so, and regard it as my duty to shift from myself the responsibility of any further effusion of blood by asking of you the surrender of that portion of the
Confederate States army known as the Army of Northern Virginia.
II.
April 7.
General,—I have received your note of this date.
Though not entirely of the opinion you express of the hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia, I reciprocate your desire to avoid useless effusion of blood, and, therefore, before considering your proposition, ask the terms you will offer on condition of its surrender.
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III.
General,—Your note of last evening, in reply to mine of same date, asking the conditions on which I will accept the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, is just received.
In reply, I would say that, peace being my first desire, there is but one condition that I insist upon—
viz.:
That the men surrendered shall be disqualified for taking up arms against the government of the
United States until properly exchanged.
I will meet you, or designate officers to meet any officers you may name for the same purpose, at any point agreeable to you, for the purpose of arranging definitely the terms upon which the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia will be received.
IV.
April 8.
General,—I received, at a late hour, your note of to-day in answer to mine of yesterday.
I did not intend to propose the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, but to ask the terms of your proposition.
To be frank, I do not think the emergency has arisen to call for the surrender.
But, as the restoration of peace should be the sole object of all, I desire to know whether your proposals would tend to that end.
I cannot, therefore, meet you with a view to surrender the Army of Northern Virginia, but so far as your proposition may affect the
Confederate States forces under my command, and lead to the restoration of peace, I should be pleased to meet you at 10 A. M. to-morrow on the old stage-road to
Richmond, between the picket-lines of the two armies.
V.
General,—Your note of yesterday is received.
As I have no authority to treat on the subject of peace, the meeting proposed for 10 A. M. to-day could lead to no good.
I will state, however, general, that I am equally anxious for peace with yourself; and the whole
North entertain the same feeling.
The terms upon which peace can be had are well understood.
By the
South laying down their arms they will hasten that most desirable event, save thousands of human lives, and hundreds of millions of property not yet destroyed.
Sincerely hoping that all our difficulties may be settled without the loss of another life, I subscribe myself,
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
U. S. Grant,
Lieutenant-General, U. S. A.
VI.
April 9, 1865.
General,—I received your note of this morning on the picket-line, whither I had come to meet you and ascertain definitely what terms were embraced in your proposition of yesterday with reference to the surrender of this army.
I now request an interview in accordance with the offer contained in your letter of yesterday for that purpose.
VII.
Your note of this date is but this moment (11.50 A. M.) received.
In consequence of my having passed from the
Richmond and
Lynchburg road to the
Farmville and
Lynchburg road, I am at this writing about 4 miles west of Walter's Church, and will push forward to the front for the purpose of meeting you.
Notice sent to me on this road where you wish the interview to take place will meet me.
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Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
U. S. Grant,
Lieutenant-General.
VIII.
Appomattox Court-House, April 9, 1865.
Gen. R. E. Lee, Commanding C. S. A.:
In accordance with the substance of my letter to you of the 8th inst., I
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Chair in which General Lee sat when signing the surrender. |
propose to receive the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia on the following terms, to wit:
Rolls of all the officers and men to be made in duplicate, one copy to be given to an officer designated by me, the other to be retained by such officers as you may designate.
The officers to give their individual parole not to take arms against the government of the
United States until properly exchanged; and each company or regimental commander to sign a like parole for the men of their commands.
The arms, artillery, and public property to be parked and stacked, and turned over to the officers appointed by me to receive them.
This will not embrace the side-arms of the officers, nor their private horses or baggage.
This done, each officer and man will be allowed to return to their homes, not to be disturbed by
United States authority so long as they observe their parole and the laws in force where they may reside.
IX.
General,—I have received your letter of this date, containing the terms of surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, as proposed by you. As they are substantially the same as those expressed in your letter of the 8th inst., they are accepted.
I will proceed to designate the proper officers to carry the stipulations into effect.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. E. Lee, General.
On the day of the surrender
General Lee addressed the following farewell to the Army of Northern Virginia:
headquarters army of Northern Virginia, April 10, 1865.
After four years of arduous service, marked by unsurpassed courage and fortitude, the Army of Northern Virginia has been compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and resources.
I need not tell the survivors of so
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Table on which the surrender was signed. |
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many hard-fought battles, who have remained steadfast to the last, that I have consented to this result from no distrust of them; but feeling that valor and devotion could accomplish nothing that could compensate for the loss that would have attended the continuation of the contest, I have determined to avoid the useless sacrifice of those whose past services have endeared them to their countrymen.
By the terms of agreement, officers and men can return to their homes, and remain there until exchanged.
You will take with you the satisfaction that proceeds from the consciousness of duty faithfully performed; and I earnestly pray that a merciful God will
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extend to you His blessing and protection.
With an unceasing admiration of your constancy and devotion to your country, and a grateful remembrance of your kind and generous consideration of myself, I bid you an affectionate farewell.
At the final act of surrender,
General Lee was not present.
It was executed by commissioners designated for the purpose, who acceded to the following agreement:
Appomattox Court-House, Va., April 10, 1865.
Agreement entered into this day, in regard to the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia to the
United States authorities.
First.
The troops shall march by brigades and detachments to a designated point; stack their arms; deposit their flags, sabres, pistols, etc.; and from thence march to their homes, under charge of their officers, superintended by their respective division and corps commanders, officers retaining their side-arms and the authorized number of private horses.
Second.
All public horses, and public property of all kinds, to be turned over to staff-officers to be designated by the
United States authorities.
Third.
Such transportation as may be agreed upon as necessary for the transportation of the private baggage of officers will be allowed to accompany the officers, to be turned over, at the end of the trip, to the nearest
United States quartermaster, receipts being taken for the same.
Fourth.
Couriers and mounted men of the artillery and cavalry, whose horses are their own private property, will be allowed to retain them.
Fifth.
The surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia shall be construed to include all the forces operating with that army on the 8th instant, the date of the commencement of the negotiations for surrender, except such bodies of cavalry as actually made their escape previous to the surrender; and except, also, such pieces of artillery as were more than 20 miles from Appomattox Court-house at the time of surrender on the 9th instant.
The following is a copy of the parole signed by
General Lee and his staffofficers:
We, the undersigned, prisoners of war belonging to the Army of Northern Virginia, having been this day surrendered by
Gen. R. E. Lee, commanding said army, to
Lieutenant-General Grant, commanding the armies of the
United States, do hereby give our solemn parole of honor that we will not hereafter serve in the armies of the
Confederate States, or in any military capacity whatsoever against the
United States of America, or render aid to the enemies of the latter, until properly exchanged in such manner as shall be mutually approved by the relative authorities.
The parole was countersigned as follows:
The above-named officers will not be disturbed by
United States authorities as long as they observe their parole and the laws in force where they may reside.