Virginia Vignettes

Defeat left Robert E. Lee penniless and without a home. He became president of struggling Washington College in Lexington and proved to be an able educator. He revamped the curriculum—adding practical subjects such as engineering and journalism to the traditional classical studies—attracted funding, and increased discipline. And in the meantime, he publicly counseled southerners to [...]

One of Robert E. Lee’s greatest victories was at Chancellorsville (1863), but he complained that “our loss was severe, and again we had gained not an inch of ground and the enemy could not be pursued.” He risked his scarce resources in large and costly battles because he hoped to destroy the enemy’s army—or to [...]

In settling the Arlington estate of his father-in-law, George Washington Parke Custis, in 1857, Robert E. Lee confronted the political reality of slavery. He disliked the institution—more from its inefficiency than from its moral repugnance—yet defended it throughout his life. Custis, however, had liberated his slaves in a messy will that stipulated they be released [...]

Robert E. Lee was known by all three, actually. Born Robert Edward Lee at Stratford in Westmoreland County, he was called Robert or Bob by his family and friends, while signing his letters “R. E. Lee.” In fact, he never used the moniker “Robert E. Lee” to refer to himself, but the newspapers did, and [...]