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1809-1865

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Abraham was the 16th president of the United States and led the north during the American Civil War. Abraham freed the slaves after the north won the Civil War.

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1807-1870

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Robert E.Lee Served as a military officer in the United States army in West point. Robert E.Lee was a general in the American Civil War for the Confederate army.

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1822-1885

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Robert E Lee is well known for being the general of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War. He is revered by his supporters for his devotion to duty and his brilliant tactical success against a stronger opposition. Here are 10 interesting facts about him.

#1 Robert E Lee's father served as the governor of Virginia

Robert E Lee's father Henry Lee III fought under generals George Washington and Nathaniel Greene in the American Revolution; served as the ninth governor of Virginia from 1791 to 1794; and was Major General in the US army from 1798 to 1800. Henry Lee III is often referred to by his nickname 'Light Horse Harry' which he acquired due to his adroit horsemanship. However, he suffered severe losses in in the latter part of his life and had to serve one year in debtors' prison. Robert Edward Lee was the fifth of six children born to Henry Lee III and his second wife, Anne Hill Carter.

#2 Robert graduated from West Point without any demerits

In 1825, Robert E Lee entered the United States Military Academy. He graduated without any demerits. In the early part of his career, Lee served as a military engineer with his duties varying from budgeting to building designs for buildings. He was known for his attention to detail.

#3 Robert married the great granddaughter of Martha Washington

Lee had known Mary Custis from childhood. She was the great granddaughter of Martha Washington, the first, First Lady of the United States. He started courting Mary in 1829 but her father George Washington Parke Custis didn't consider Robert a suitable match for his daughter as Robert's father had spent time in jail. However, Robert and Mary were able to change his mind and they married with his approval on June 30, 1831. The couple went on to have seven children.

#4 His tactical planning contributed in America winning the Mexican War

During the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), Lee was put under General Winfield Scott. He learned from General Scott's ability to outthink the enemy, plan precisely and react intelligently to overcome adverse situations in battles. Lee fought with distinction at battles such as Vera Cruz (March 1847), Cerro Gordo (April 1847), and Chapultepec (September 1847). He was also involved in tactical planning and found routes to attack the Mexicans which they didn't defend as they thought the terrain was impassable.

#5 Robert E Lee was against the Civil War

Lee foresaw a long and difficult war and wanted peaceful resolution of the differences between North and South. He also didn't want Virginia to secede (withdraw formally) from the Union so that his various loyalties-to country, army, state, and family-could remain intact. He also considered secession a betrayal of the efforts of the founders.

#6 He struggled to decide his loyalties in the Civil War

In March 1861, Lee was promoted to full colonel by US President Abraham Lincoln. However a few weeks later Virginia seceded and Lee was offered command of the Union forces as major general. He declined the offer as it would require him to invade the South. Mary Lee later called the moment of choosing between the Union and Virginia as "the severest struggle" of her husband's life. Lee prayed for two days after which he resigned from the US army and accepted command of Virginia's forces.

#7 His campaign in the Civil War started with a defeat

The first field assignment of Lee in the Civil War was commanding Confederate forces in western Virginia. Here he was defeated by Union Gen. William S. Rosecrans in the Battle of Cheat Mountain in September 1861 and was relieved by Jefferson Davis. He was widely criticized by the press, which blamed him for the Confederate losses.

#8 Lee's nickname changed from 'Granny Lee' to 'Marse Robert' after the Seven Days' Battles

In June 1862, Lee was ordered by Davis to temporarily replace the wounded Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and take command of the army of Northern Virginia. Initially his men called him ' Granny Lee' due to his allegedly timid style of command. Lee's immediate task was to fight Union Gen. George B. McClellan whose army was threatening the Confederate Capital Richmond. Lee used aggressive tactics and bold field maneuvers while confronting McClellan in the Seven Days' Battles. Although, Lee only won one of the contests and his aggressive assaults resulted in heavy Confederate casualties, he was able to scare McClellan, who retreated to James River and abandoned the campaign. Lee's men started calling him ' Marse Robert ', a term of respect and affection; and he was widely praised in the press.

#9 Robert E Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant in 1865

Lee went on to win numerous battles against far superior Union armies, which included Second Battle of Bull Run and the Battle of Chancellorsville. Soldiers, as well as civilians, looked to him for leadership and inspiration, more so than the troubled Davis government. However, the Union's access to better weaponry and technology; and Union General Ulysses S. Grant's superior campaigns; led to multiple Confederate defeats. Lee surrendered to Grant on April 9, 1865. Ironically, he had fought alongside Grant in the American-Mexican War. Despite his defeats, Lee was revered in postwar South.

#10 He was buried without his shoes

After the war, Lee was not arrested but he lost his right to vote. He accepted an offer to become the president of Washington College in 1865 and remained so till his death. Lee suffered a stroke on September 28, 1870 and died 2 weeks later due to the effects of pneumonia. Due to heavy rains, the only undamaged coffin that could be found for him was a little short and hence he was buried without his shoes. Robert E. Lee remains one of the most revered American generals and has been commemorated on U.S. postage stamps at least five times.

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10 Interesting Facts About Robert E Lee | Learnodo Newtonic

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Robert E Lee is well known for being the general of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War. He is revered by his supporters for his devotion to duty and his brilliant tactical success against a stronger opposition. Here are 10 interesting facts about him.

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Republican Presidents of the United States

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10. Lincoln has no heirs

Although Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd Lincoln produced four sons, there are no living descendants today. Three of their sons died before the age of twenty. Edward died at the age of four, Willie at twelve and Tad at the age of eighteen. Robert was the only child to live to adulthood and his last known descendant died in 1985.

9. Lincoln's son was saved by his assassin's brother

Shortly before his father was assassinated, Robert Lincoln was at at train station where he fell between the platform and the train as the train began to move. He was pulled to safety by a prominent actor of the time named Edwin Booth. Edwin was the brother of John Wilkes Booth, who would later assassinate President Lincoln.

8. Lincoln fought in the Civil War...sort of

Lincoln felt as the leader of the nation's military, the president should be fighting in the Civil War but obviously couldn't because of his duties. When J. Summerfield Staples heard this, he volunteered to fight as a substitute for Lincoln. Staples was the son of an Army chaplain and both he and his father fought in and survived the war.

7. Lincoln's beard was historic

Lincoln was the first president to sport a beard while serving in office.

6. Lincoln was an inventor

Lincoln was the first and only president to ever obtain a patent. He was mechanically inclined and like to take things apart just to see how they worked. In 1849, he got a patent for a device to lift ships over shoals by way of a buoying mechanism. His invention, US Patent No. 6,469 never made it into practical use.

5. Lincoln supported women's rights

Abraham Lincoln was the first major political figure to suggest extending the right to vote to women. Twelve years before the first woman's rights convention occurred, Lincoln, then a state legislator, made a statement to an Illinois paper supporting "female suffrage".

4. Lincoln had the first inaugural photograph

Lincoln was the first president to be photographed at his inauguration. Standing close to Lincoln in the photo is his future assassin, John Wilkes Booth.

3. Lincoln's son was a Presidential death magnet

Robert Lincoln was close to three separate presidential assassinations. He was invited to Ford Theater the night his father was assassinated. However, he had declined the invitation and remained at the White House instead. He was invited to meet President James Garfield at a train station in Washington, D.C. where he was an eyewitness to Garfield's assassination. Robert was also invited to a New York fair, where he was present at the time President William McKinley was assassinated.

2. Lincoln had a premonition he would be killed

Not long before he was assassinated, Lincoln spoke of a dream where he heard someone weeping in the White House. When he found the room it was coming from, he asked who had died. He was told it was the president. He approached the coffin to peer in and saw his own face.

1. The Lincoln-Kennedy coincidences

There are several strange coincidences between Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. Although you can likely find similar coincidences between other presidents if you look hard enough, we'll leave it up to you to decide whether it's mere coincidence or something more mysterious. Nevertheless, here they are:

Both men were shot in the head on a Friday.

Lincoln and Kennedy were elected to Congress 100 years apart. Lincoln was elected in 1846, Kennedy was elected in 1946.

Lincoln and Kennedy were elected to the presidency 100 years apart. Lincoln was elected in 1860, Kennedy was elected in 1960.

Both men's successors were named Johnson. Lincoln's was Andrew Johnson, Kennedy's was Lyndon Johsnon.

Andrew Johnson was born in 1808 while Lyndon Johnson was born in 1908, another 100 year difference.

Both men were assassinated by men who were known by three names. Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald.

The names Lincoln and Kennedy both contain seven letters.

The names of their assassins contain fifteen letters.

Lincoln was shot in a theater named Ford, Kennedy was shot in a car (a Lincoln) made by Ford.

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10 Interesting Facts About Abraham Lincoln

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Although Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd Lincoln produced four sons, there are no living descendants today. Three of their sons died before the age of twenty. Edward died at the age of four, Willie at twelve and Tad at the age of eighteen.

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Ulysses grant was president from 1869-1877. Ulysses was a soldier and author as well as being the 18th president.

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10 Things You May Not Know About Ulysses S. Grant | HISTORY

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One of the most influential Americans of the 19th century, Grant led the Union Army to victory during the Civil War and later helped steer the nation through Reconstruction during two terms as president.

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1818-1893

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Beauregard was a military officer who was the first prominent confederate army general.

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P. G. T. Beauregard | Wikipedia audio article

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April 9, 1865 to April 12, 1865

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The British surrender in Yorktown. America declared independence in 1776, but it took America another 5 years to gain freedom.

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10 facts about the Battle of Appomattox Court House.

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September 18, 1850,

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The fugitive slave act was passed by congress and decided that slave owners could pursue slaves in northern slaves.

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Quick Facts

Quick Facts about the subject of this entry.

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was enacted by the United States Congress on September 18, 1850.

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 expanded the federal government to track down and apprehend fugitive slaves in the North.

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 made any Federal marshal or other official who did not arrest an alleged runaway slave subject to a fine of $1,000.

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 required law-enforcement officials to arrest anyone suspected of being a runaway slave on no more evidence than a claimant's sworn testimony of ownership.

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 denied suspected runaway slaves of the right to jury trials.

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 denied suspected runaway slaves of the right to testify on their or her own behalf.

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 stipulated that persons aiding runaway slaves by providing food or shelter were subject to six months' imprisonment and $1,000 fines.

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 created a force of federal commissioners empowered to pursue fugitive slaves in any state and return them to their owners.

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 empowered federal commissioners to issue warrants, depose witnesses, and employ federal marshals to arrest and imprison suspected runaways within the jurisdictions of the individual states.

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 empowered federal commissioners to imposes fines of $1,000 on federal marshals or local officials who did not cooperate in the pursuit or arrest alleged runaways.

Federal commissioners created by the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 received ten dollars, paid by the plaintiffs (slave owners), for each suspect sent back into bondage and half of that amount for each suspect set free.

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 empowered the federal government to deputize citizens, even against their will, and force them to take part in posses or other groups to seize fugitive slaves.

Historians estimate that eighty percent of accused runaways brought before federal commissioners under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 were sent into bondage.

Many Northerners disapproved of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 because the terms of the law were much harsher and more unfair to suspected runaway slaves.

Many Northerners disapproved of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 because the terms of the law impinged upon their own freedom by requiring them to personally participate in the pursuit and apprehension of suspected runaways.

Many Northerners disapproved of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 because it circumvented state and local jurisdiction and expanded the power of the federal government.

In a strange reversal of roles, Southern apostles of states' rights championed the extension of federal jurisdiction to protect their property rights north of the Mason-Dixon Line. Simultaneously, many Northern promoters of federal authority to limit or even abolish slavery found the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 insidious and threatening to home rule.

Rather than reduce sectional division over the issue of slavery, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 fanned the flames of civil war in the United States.

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Quick Facts | Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 | Ohio Civil War Central

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Quick Facts about the subject of this entry. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was enacted by the United States Congress on September 18, 1850. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 expanded the federal government to track down and apprehend fugitive slaves in the North.

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April 15, 1865

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Abraham Lincoln the 16th president was shot in the head by a confederate army member.

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It was 153 years ago when President Abraham Lincoln was shot while watching a play at Ford's Theater. Lincoln died the next morning, and in the aftermath, some odd facts seemed to pop up.

Why wasn't General Ulysses S. Grant in the theater box with Lincoln, as scheduled? Where was the President's bodyguard? How many people were targeted in the plot? And how did all the assassins escape, at least temporarily?

Many of the questions were eventually answered, but some still linger today. And some people have doubts about one of the alleged plotters and her involvement in Lincoln's murder.
1. Where was General Grant?
He wanted to be in New Jersey! Grant was advertised to be at the event, according to the New York Times, but he declined the invitation so he could travel with his wife to New Jersey to visit relatives.

Link: Read the account in The New York Times
2. Lincoln almost didn't go to Ford's Theater
In that first report of the assassination from the Times, the newspaper said Lincoln was reluctant to go to the play. However, since General Grant cancelled, he felt obliged to attend, even though his wife didn't feel well. Lincoln tried to get House Speaker Schuyler Colfax to go with him, but Colfax declined.

"He went with apparent reluctance and urged Mr. Colfax to go with him; but that gentleman had made other engagements," the Times reported.

New Podcast: Did Lincoln Honor The Constitution As President?
3. If Colfax had been in the booth with Lincoln, two persons in line to succeed Lincoln would have been in danger.
Vice President Andrew Johnson was also an assassination target, but his assailant lost his nerve and didn't attack. Colfax was third in line to succeed Lincoln, after Johnson, and Senate Pro Tempore Lafayette Sabine Foster. Secretary of State William Seward wasn't in the line of succession in 1865.
4. Why wasn't Vice President Johnson attacked?
John Wilkes Booth had convinced George Atzerodt, an acquaintance, to kill Johnson by setting a trap at the Kirkwood House hotel where the vice president lived. However, Atzerodt lost his nerve and didn't attempt to kill the vice president, even though he had a rented room above Johnson's and a loaded gun was found in the room.
5. How did Secretary of State Seward survive despite having his throat stabbed two or three times?
Assassin Lewis Powell gained entry to Seward's home, where the secretary was bed ridden after a carriage accident. Frederick W. Seward, his son, was seriously injured defending his father during Powell's assassination attempt. The secretary was wounded, but the metal surgical collar he was wearing protected him.
6. Where was Lincoln's bodyguard?
The Smithsonian Magazine did a story on this a few years ago. John Parker, the bodyguard, initially left his position to watch the play, and then he went to the saloon next door for intermission. It was the same saloon where Booth was drinking. No one knows where Parker was during the assassination, but he wasn't at his position at the door to the booth.
7. Where was the Secret Service?
It didn't exist yet, but Lincoln signed the bill creating it that night before he left for Ford's Theater.
8. How did Booth stay in hiding for so long?
Booth was able to escape Ford's Theater alive and he was on the run for 12 days, accompanied by another conspirator, David Herold. The pair went to the Surratt Tavern in Maryland, gathered supplies, went to see Dr. Mudd to have Booth's broken leg set, and then headed through forest lands and swamps to Virginia. They were also aided by a former Confederate spy operative and by other Confederate sympathizers. Military forces were hot on their trail, and they found a person who directed them to a Virginia farm. At the Garrett Farm, Booth was fatally wounded and Herold surrendered.
9. The original plan was to kidnap Lincoln and not kill him
Booth met with his conspirators in March 1865 and came up with a plan to kidnap Lincoln as he returned from a play at the Campbell Hospital on March 17. But Lincoln changed his plans at the last minute and went to a military ceremony. Booth then thought about kidnapping Lincoln after he left an event at Ford's Theater. But the actor changed his mind after Lee's surrender.
10. Was Mary Surratt part of the conspiracy?
That's a topic still being debated today. Surratt was a Southern sympathizer who had owned land with her late husband in Maryland. She also owned a home in Washington that was also used as a boarding house and she was friends with Booth. She also rented a tavern she owned in Maryland to an innkeeper.

Surratt was with Booth on the day of the assassination, and she allegedly had told the innkeeper to get a pair of guns ready that night for visitors. The innkeeper's testimony doomed Surratt to the gallows. What was controversial was the decision to hang Surratt - which was personally approved by Andrew Johnson.

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10 interesting facts about Abraham Lincoln's assassination

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It was 153 years ago when President Abraham Lincoln was shot while watching a play at Ford's Theater. Lincoln died the next morning, and in the aftermath, some odd facts seemed to pop up. Why wasn't General Ulysses S. Grant in the theater box with Lincoln, as scheduled?

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Apr 12, 1861–Apr 13, 1861

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This battle started the Civil War, it was a confederate victory.

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Fort Sumter is located SE of South Carolina and was purposely built to act as shield for Charles Harbor. It was later captured and bombarded during the American Civil War by forces of the Confederacy on April 12, 1861. The attack was led by Brigadier General P.G.T. Beauregard and the union commander at the fort was Major Robert Anderson. At the time, Abraham Lincoln was president. The fortress was built as part of the 'detached forts' system as well as a military post and coastal garrison to defend the major ports of the United States. Fort Sumter is situated on a man-made island that's 2.4 acres large and at the entrance to Charleston Harbor in South Carolina.

The battle of Fort Sumter took place in April 1861. At that time, the Secession of South Carolina from the Union in December 1860 brought the threat of a civil war. Major Anderson therefore decided to withdraw his troops from the land forts to the Fort Sumter. But even with more than a hundred troops, Major Anderson was in desperate need of reinforcements as well as food and ammunition supplies. As such, a steamer known as Star of the West with 200 soldiers and new supplies was sent by President Buchanan. It was however fired at and forced to steam away before landing either the soldiers or supplies.

As a newly inaugurated president, Abraham Lincoln hoped that secessions would return to the Union of their own volition. This however didn't happen and after a month of being president, Fort Sumter was attacked by the Confederates under the command of General Pierre Beauregard on April 12, 1861. Major Anderson was forced to surrender two days later. On April, 15 1861, President Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers and declared the American Civil War. Shots were fire from all sides of the fort from both the banks of Sullivans Island and Morris Island. After the battle did massive damage much of the area ended up with new custom homes in Charleston.

Prior to the attack on Fort Sumter that lasted about 34 hours, General Beauregard made a provocative move by sending aides to the fortress to demand Major Anderson's surrender. It was then that he decided to open fire at Fort Sumter, thus marking the beginning of the American Civil War. It's however incredible that no soldiers were killed. The terms of surrender however allowed Major Anderson to perform a 100-gun salute before evacuation.
In summary, here the 5 facts about the Battle of Fort Sumter:

1. It took place on April, 1861

2. Fort Sumter was purposely built to protect the Charleston Harbor

3. More than 100 troops at the Fort Sumter were commanded by Major Anderson

4. The Battle of Fort Sumter marked the beginning of the American Civil War

5. General Pierre Beauregard headed the attack on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861

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Fort Sumter is located SE of South Carolina and was purposely built to act as shield for Charles Harbor. It was later captured and bombarded during the American Civil War by forces of the Confederacy on April 12, 1861. The attack was led by Brigadier General P.G.T.

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July 21, 1861

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The First major battle of the civil war.Irvin McDowell marched from Washington against the Confederate army.

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April 6–7, 1862

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A battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War,fought April 6–7,1862,This war was fought in southwest Tennessee.