Robert E. Lee was born in 1807 VA. His father served George Washington  as a Calvary commander in the revolutionary war. His father left the family and moved to Barbados so Robert did not have the money to attend University of Virginia. Instead he joined the us military and graduated from west point in 1829. he served in mexico and Texas before he was asked by Lincoln to command the union army. He said no to Lincoln because he was more loyal to his home state Virginia. He was the son of a Revolutionary War officer Henry Lee.  He led cadets at the United States Military Academy and he was an exceptional officer and military engineer in the United States Army for 32 years.  After the battle of Appomattox in April 1865 General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Confederate Army to the Union General U.S. Grant.  His best years according to Lee were the 8 years of his life spent in education and in the leadership of West Point as well as Washington College.

Fort Sumter, South Carolina is the location of the beginning of the Civil War in April 1861. Confederate artillery opened fire on this Federal fort in Charleston Harbor as Lincoln sent Federal troops in response to South Carolina’s secession from the Union.  This is the point where Lee had to make a decision.  What about you?  Are you more loyal to your state or are you more loyal to the country?  What would you do if Virginia decided to break away from the United States?

http://www.nps.gov/fosu/index.htm