Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Leewas an American general known for commanding the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War from 1862 until his surrender in 1865. The son of Revolutionary War officer Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee III, Lee was a top graduate of the United States Military Academy and an exceptional officer and military engineer in the United States Army for 32 years. During this time, he served throughout the United States, distinguished himself during the Mexican–American War,...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth19 January 1807
CityStratford Hall, VA
CountryUnited States of America
No blame can be attached to the army for its failure to accomplish what was projected by me... I alone am to blame, in perhaps expecting too much of its prowess and valor... could I have foreseen that the attack on the last day would fail, I should certainly have tried some other course... but I do not know what better course I could have pursued.
Why, it appears that we appointed all of our worst generals to command the armies and we appointed all of our best generals to edit the newspapers. I mean, I found by reading a newspaper that these editor generals saw all of the defects plainly from the start but didn't tell me until it was too late. I'm willing to yield my place to these best generals and I'll do my best for the cause by editing a newspaper.
Without music, we wouldn't have an Army.
I have been up to see the Congress and they do not seem to be able to do anything except to eat peanuts and chew tobacco, while my army is starving.
To be a good soldier, you must love the army. To be a good commander, you must be willing to order the death of the thing you love.
Lee tells his troops. 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.
General Longstreet,when once in a fight, was a most brilliant soldier; but he was the hardest man to move I had in my army.
It would appear that General Hooker has placed his hindquarters where his headquarters should be." (So said by Lee when he learned that General Hooker, the new Union Commander, had written, in a letter to his soldiers, that "My headquarters will be 'in the saddle.'
Duty is the sublimest word in the language. You can never do more than your duty. You should never wish to do less.
Duty is the most sublime word in our language. Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more. You should never wish to do less.
Private and public life are subject to the same rules-- truth and manliness are two qualities that will carry you through this world much better then policy or tact or expediency or other words that were devised to conceal a deviation from a straight line.
At present, I am not concerned with results. God's will ought to be our aim, and I am quite contented that His designs should be accomplished and not mine.
Whiskey - I like it, I always did, and that is the reason I never use it.
There are very few nearly perfect plays. 'Streetcar' is one of them,