Robert Edward  LEE

On April 20, 1861, Robert E. Lee, a distinguished officer in the United States Army, made a pivotal decision that would alter the course of American history. Amidst the escalating tensions of the American Civil War, Lee resigned his commission in the U.S. Army. His resignation was prompted by his loyalty to his home state of Virginia, which had seceded from the Union just days earlier. Lee's decision reflected the deeply divided allegiances among military leaders and citizens during this tumultuous period.

By resigning from the U.S. Army, Lee prepared to take up command of the military forces of Virginia, a momentous role that would define his legacy. Lee's military acumen and leadership would later make him one of the most prominent figures of the Confederate States Army, influencing the strategies and outcomes of many battles throughout the Civil War.

Harried mercilessly by Federal troops and continually cut off from turning south, Lee headed west, eventually arriving in Appomattox County on April 8. Heading for the South Side Railroad at Appomattox Station, where food supplies awaited, the Confederates were cut off once again and nearly surrounded by Union troops near the small village of Appomattox Court House. Despite a final desperate attempt to escape, Lee’s army was trapped. General Lee surrendered his remaining troops to General Grant at the McLean House on the afternoon of April 9.

www.civilwar.org

Robert E. Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox; Lee and troops forced to leave Richmond; setting fire to bridges along the way

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