Robert E. Lee has been considered by many historians to be one of the greatest American generals and military engineers in United States history. He revolutionized the tactics of trench warfare that would be widely used during the First World War. Furthermore, Lee was able to defeat much larger Union armies with command of a much smaller force using clever military tactics and strategies. Robert Edward Lee was born on January 19, 1807 in Stratford, Virginia, to Colonel Henry "Light-Horse Harry" Lee and Ann Hill Carter. Lee's ancestors included a president, a chief justice of the United States, and signers of the Declaration of Independence. His father, Henry Lee, had served as governor of Virginia and was under the command of General George Washington during the American Revolution. Lee's first formal education took place at a plantation school and was attended by a private tutor, then he attended Alexandria Academy. Lee saw himself as an extension of his family's greatness and enrolled at the West Point Military Academy. He was appointed by President James Monroe at the age of eighteen because of his intelligence, quick decision-making, his last name, and his education. West Point was considered the best military academy in the Americas because of its institutional discipline and exceptional character. At West Point, Lee learned marching customs, battlefield formations, and principles of war. Lee also became proficient in building forts, bridges and canals. He became one of six cadets in his class to finish without a single loss. Lee also achieved perfect scores in artillery, cavalry and infantry. After graduating from West Point, Lee married Mary Custis, the great-granddaughter of Martha and George Was...... middle of paper ......ee arguably became one of the most beloved generals in American history. His troops developed an immense feeling of respect for him. Lee was able to win large-scale battles with only a fraction of the men the Union army contained. He served in a Civil War that caused more than six hundred thousand deaths and thousands of his countrymen fought to the death in an attempt to preserve the Union or secede from it. He was a great motivator for the Army of Northern Virginia. Lee ultimately succumbed to overwhelming numbers and lack of resources, but never lost the pride of his men. Although Lee fought for the defeated Confederacy, he was admirable during the Reconstruction period. He became the embodiment of the quote his father praised: “First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.” Works CitedWikipedia.org, Robert E. Lee: A Life,