January 19. Robert E. Lee was born at Stratford, Westmoreland County, Virginia: Parents, Henry Lee (“Light-horse Harry” Lee) of Leesylvania, and Ann Hill Carter of Shirley.

1811

Removed to Alexandria with his family.

1812

His father received injuries in Baltimore riot from which he never recovered and which necessitated his leaving Alexandria for a warmer climate. He died six years later, at Cumberland Island, Georgia, March 25, 1818. Robert was reared by his mother. He spent his holidays and vacations at Stratford and Shirley.

1818

His father died while Lee was in the midst of his schooling.

1825

Entered West Point.

1829

Graduated from West Point second in his class. His mother died at Ravensworth, Virginia. He was assigned to duty at Hampton Roads, Virginia.

1831

June 30. Married Mary Randolph Custis of Arlington.

1834-37

Served as Assistant to Chief Engineer of the Army.

1837

Took charge of improvement of Mississippi at St. Louis.

1838

Made Captain of Engineers.

1841

In charge of defense at Fort Hamilton, New York.

1844

Appointed Visitor to West Point.

1846-47

Rendered distinguished services in Mexican War.

1848

January to June. Stationed in Mexico.

1849-52

At work on the defenses of Baltimore.

1852-55

Superintendent of West Point Academy.

1855

April. Appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the Second Cavalry.

1855-59

Saw service against Indians in Texas.

1856-59

October. Suppressed the John Brown insurrection.

1860

February. Took charge of Department of Texas where he stayed one year.

1861

March 1. Returned to Arlington to his family.

March 16. Appointed Colonel of First Cavalry.

April 16. Offered command of United States Armies.

April 20. Resigned commission in army.

April 23. Accepted command of Virginia forces.

May – July. Organized troops and advised President Davis in Richmond.

August – October. Was in charge of abortive campaign in Western Virginia.

November. Had charge of coast defense in South Carolina and Georgia.

1862

March. Became military advisor to President Davis.

June 1. Assumed command of Army of Northern Virginia.

June 26 – July 2. Commanded Confederates in Seven Days’ fighting around Richmond.

August 30. Defeated Pope at second Manassas.

September 5. Crossed the Potomac. Began advance into Maryland.

September 12. Drew Battle of Antietam or Sharpsburg. Abandoned campaign of invastion.

December 13. Won a victory over Burnside at Fredericksburg.

December. In winter quarters until March.

1863

May 2 – 3. Won a victory over Hooker at Chacellorsville.

May 10. His great liutenant, “Stonewall” Jackson, died.

June.. Began movements leading up to second invasion of the North.

July 1 -3. Defeated at Gettysburg.

July 4 – 13. Made a masterly retreat and recrossed the Potomac.

October – November. Conducted the ineffective campaign of Mine Run.

December. Lay in winter quarters on the Rapidan until April.

1864

May 5 – 6. Fought the Battle of the Wilderness against Grant.

May 8 – 18. Conducted fighting about Spotsylvania Courthouse.

May 21 – June 1. Conducted operations on interior lines.

June 2 – 3. Fought a fierce battle at Cold Harbor.

June 18. Joined Beauregard at Petersburg. Siege of Petersburg began.

July 30. Fought the Battle of the Crater.

1865

February 9. Issued his first general order as Commander-in-Chief.

April 2. Retreated from Petersburg. End of the siege.

April 3. Richmond fell.

April 9. Surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Courthouse.

April 10. Issued his Farewell Address to the Army of Northern Virginia.

June 13. Applied for Pardon.

August 4. Elected President of Washington College, Lexington, Virginia (now Washington and Lee University.)

1867

February 4. Declined to be a candidate for the governorship of Virginia.

1870

March – April. Visited Georgia in seach of health.

October 12. Robert E. Lee died at Lexington.

He had become a symbol of Southern resistance to the Union armies and was made an icon of the Lost Cause in the post-war South. Today, he remains internationally respected as a daring, often brilliant tactician, a gentleman who never referred to Northern soldiers as "the enemy" but as "those people over there," a man who opposed secession but felt honor-bound to serve his native state. He applied for restoration of his American citizenship, but the papers were lost until the 1970s, when his wish was granted.

http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/greatest-battles-of-robert-e-lee/?referrer=https://www.google.com/#