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General Robert Edward Lee's Defeat

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A Study in Defeat PART ONE The general who could not be defeated – General Robert Edward Lee “Lee is the only man I know whom I would follow blindfold.” General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, 1862 I In early April 1861, Colonel Robert Edward Lee was offered field command of the Union armies by Winfield Scott. Lee declined, saying that he could not contemplate fighting against the South in the event of their secession from the Union. He resigned from his anomalous position and returned to his beloved Virginia. On 25 April 1861, he was promptly made commander of the Virginian army. The Us Civil War had broken out on 12 April 1861 with the shelling of Fort Sumter in South Carolina. The Confederate Brigadier General Pierre Beauregard had demanded …show more content…

The delay allowed Lee to rush troops to Fredericksburg. The ensuing battles ended in a Confederate victory. Despite being outnumbered, they had been skilfully placed in impregnable positions where a mere 5,000 troops pinned down the Union soldiers. On 26 January 1863, General Burnside was replaced by General Joseph Hooker. IV Chancellorsville – Lee’s “finest hour” In the Battle of Chancellorsville fought from 30 April to 6 May 1863, Lee inflicted a serious defeat against General Joseph Hooker. It was considered by many military historians as his finest battle because he defeated a much larger foe by using aggressive tactics. However, Lee suffered the loss of his most capable officer, General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. The “Stonewall” was accidentally shot by his own men while making a dusk reconnaissance. Lee then took his armies across the Potomac to threaten Maryland and Pennsylvania. He rejected suggestions to relieve the Union pressure on the siege of Vicksburg. He was seeking for a decisive victory which might bring about French or British support or recognition for the Confederacy. V The turning points of the war – Gettysburg and Vicksburg The decisive battle was fought but it was General George Meade who defeated Lee’s armies in the bloody Battle of Gettysburg from 1 July to 3 July

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Following a previous defeat at Fredericksburg, the senate pressured President Lincoln for a victory. Prompted by the loss at Fredericksburg, a failure by General Burnside, the previous Union Army Commander, Lincoln appointed General Hooker to the task. According to Sears (1996), the Union Soldiers at Chancellorsville were better equipped, and clothed than their opponents (p. 130), but they suffered low morale due to the recent loss and the inability of their previous commander to strategically lead the fight. General Hooker sought to gain a victory for the Union which could have potentially elevated the popularity of the war and reinvigorate his troops.

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There have been many prominent leaders that have molded America into what it is today, Lee is one of them. Robert E. Lee was born in Virginia, January 19, 1807, although one historian believes has was born one year earlier (Wikipedia.com 1). Little is actually known about his childhood, and Lee scarcely mentioned it as an adult. His father, Henry “Light Horse” Lee, left him and his family at a young age and never returned. In 1825, Robert E. Lee attended West Point and graduated second in his class in 1829.

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Robert E. Lee imagined that by battling in Maryland, he could win support from the general population of Maryland, and also bolster his troops with nourishment from Maryland ranches. President Abraham Lincoln put Major General George B. McClellan accountable for the Union troops in charge of safeguarding Washington, D.C., against Lee 's attack. McClellan 's Army of the Potomac conflicted first with Lee 's men on September 14, with the

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As the Union troops dug in to withstand the attack, General Johnston’s Confederate Army jumped on railcars and headed for Bull Run to reinforce General Beauregard’s Confederate Army. Meanwhile, at Bull Run, General McDowell was attempting to flank General Beauregard’s Confederate Army by moving north and west in order to flank him and his Army. The Union Army began to launch what would be several attacks upon Confederate Forces, to include attack along Bull Run Creek and attacks at the center of the Confederate line at Henry House. Attempting to wear down the Confederate troops at Bull Run, General McDowell was unaware of the reinforcements that were on their way from Harrier’s Ferry to assist the Confederates who were losing ground.

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He was afraid to risk failure so he never would risk doing anything. On the other hand, the Confederates leaders had General Robert E. Lee, who commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. He was considered a big risk taker. McClellan was not too worried about Lee or his army thinking that Lee was weak and too cautious but Lee was anything but that. General Lee gathered as many men as was available and attacked General McClellan on June 26, 1862 repeatedly for seven days.

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Quite a number of the Confederate’s generals were hurt, dead, or dying which made Lee one of the few generals who were capable of leading the army. In a letter to Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederates, Lee requested him to replace him as general. Document C explains that Lee felt like he not only failed the South, but he also failed himself when he lost The Battle of Gettysburg. Document C states, “I therefore, in all sincerity, request Your Excellency to take measures to supply my place. I do this with the more earnestness because no one is more aware than myself of my inability for the duties of my position” (277).

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Robert E. Lee lost his will to fight. Lee wrote a letter to Jefferson Davis (Confederate President) telling him that he was dissatisfied with himself. (Document C) This letter was written August 8, 1863, AFTER the Battle of Gettysburg. (Document C)

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The Army of Northern Virginia, led by Lee, and the Army of the Potomac, led by newly appointed General George Meade, hammered each other. On the 3rd day of battle, General Lee, hoping to end the war, ordered the great frontal assault popularly known as Pickett's Charge. After the failure of the attack, General Lee blamed only himself, but Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia fought on for two more years. General Lee surrendered at Appomatox Court House on April 9, 1865. This effectively brought the American Civil War to an end as other Confederate field commanders followed Lee's example.

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The Battle technically lasted 3 days, September 16-18 1862, although, the main fighting was only on the 17th. George McClellan was the Union General of the troops in that Battle, and Robert. E. Lee was the confederate General. Lee was at a disadvantage because his army was half the size of McClellan’s army. Both sides suffered about 10,000 casualties and the Battle was generally considered a tie, it was thought that the Union army could have shattered Lee’s army if they had pursued him back south.

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Vicksburg Campaign successfully ended with a significant degraded the ability of the confederacy to maintain its war effort. Robert E. Lee’s defeat at Gettysburg by George G. Meade, a previous day was a turning point of the war. Cut off the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas from the confederacy, as communication with the confederate forces pin the Trans-Mississippi Department for a reminder of war. Union forces approached Vicksburg, Pemberton put only 18,500 troops, Grant put over 35,000, with more coming. Pemberton made his defense nearly got broken into with the advantage of terrain and fortifications.

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The guidance he gave to Stoneman via a very long and eloquent letter ended with “Let your watchword be fight, fight, fight, bearing in mind that time is valuable to your General as it is to the Rebels.” Stoneman attempted to follow this guidance by attacking small enemy positions but did not complete his primary mission of cutting supply lines. In addition to General Stoneman’s failure, Major General Hooker’s change in plans from an offensive envelopment to a defense created confusion among the Union Corps Commanders. Major General Hooker fails to describe his new visualization to his subordinate commanders. Hooker does not communicate the new plan to any of his corps commanders except Generals Stoneman, and Sedgewick.

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Before this Lee was making all the Union Generals look terrible and then the Union finally got a win. This changed the whole war because then the Union started winning more battles and they would add up and eventually lead to them winning the war. There was no chance of the Union winning the war until this

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Robert E. Lee’s (1807-1870) contribution to the United States as a war general and commander received positive connotations for his commitment, attitude and inspiration on the battlefield. However, it is debateable about his contributions because of Robert Lee’s association in the Civil War (1861-1865) to the Confederate Army that fought for the Southern States. Robert Lee lead many successful campaigns and battles including the following; helping defeat Mexican armies that lead to U.S land gains and westward expansion, battles against a more powerful army in the Civil War. Despite these achievements Lee’s loyalty for the Confederate Army that fought to uphold slavery undermines his success and is highly debateable about whether his contribution is justified or not. Robert Lee’s contributions to his nation begin before the Civil War in the Mexican-American War (1846-1848).

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Lee was so fearless he determined to invade the North reiteratively. Robert E. Lee strategy was to drift the fighting away from Virginia and into the Union Territory. He wanted to move the fighting, because the Confederate were under siege in Virginia. Lee hoped to gain recognition from Britain and France for the Confederacy. Joesph Hooker,the Union commander, was exposed to the worst defeat of the Army of Potomac in the Battle of Chancellorsville.

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Lee’s plan was to take 60,000 troops north and take out as many military targets as possible. As his troops traveled north they collected various supplies from every farm and town they came across which strengthened his cause. His main goal was to head to the largest cities in the North which would greatly decimate the northerner’s capability and spirits. While traveling Major General George Meade was positioning his troops between Lee’s troops and the Capital until General Lee learned of his in Pennsylvania. This quickly prompted his attack on Gettysburg where on the first day 50,000 soldiers clashed in battle killing or injuring over 15,000.

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