Robert E. Lee Day 2025 is on Monday, January 20, 2025: Robert Edward Lee?

Monday, January 20, 2025 is Robert E. Lee Day 2025. Robert E. Lee Day is a holiday marking the birthdate of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, observed on the 19th of January each year, on Lee's birthday.

Robert E. Lee Day is a holiday marking the birthdate of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, observed on the 19th of January each year, on Lee's birthday.

Lt. Gen. Robert E. Lee (Saint Bob to the white South) was commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, the most important Confederate military force, from June 1862 until he surrendered at Appomattox in April 1865.

Lee carried an "offensive defensive" strategy of trying to overcome the South's manpower and resource shortages by taking the war to the North, most notably with offensives into Maryland in September 1862 and Pennsylvania in June-July 1863. Each of these offensives ended in a Confederate defeat, at Sharpsburg (Antietam) and Gettysburg.

Lee's most famous victories, ironically, were defensive battles--routing the Union armies in front of Richmond during the Seven Days' Battle in June 1862, at Fredericksburg in December 1862, and at Chancellorsville in May 1863. At Chancellorsville, the Confederates nearly succeeded in a double-envelopment of the Union Army of the Potomac despite being outnumbered two or three to one.

Before taking command of the Army of Northern Virginia, Lee was a miltiary advisor to the Governor of Virginia, commanded the unsuccessful defense of western Virginia (now the state of West Virginia), and headed up the reinforcement of Confederate coastal fortifications.

Lee's legacy in peace may be more important than as a warrior. He exemplified grace in defeat during the bitter experience of surrendering his army, and counselled his officers and soldiers to cooperate with federal authorities in rebuiliding civilian lives as American citizens. He set an example of treating the freed slaves with common decency and courtesy.

Lee's most famous quote was in the aftermath of his army's succcessful defense of Fredericksburg, Va.: "It is well war is so terrible, else we should grow too fond of it."

Gettysburg movie. Robert E. Lee's relationship?

Robert E. Lee was seen as a sort of god-like figure by his soldiers, and he inspired and deserved much respect. Pickett should have refused to send wave after wave of his men into battle on the second day of the battle of Gettysburg, but Lee was a man who inspired courage. He took all the blame for the failure of Pickett's charge, and the defeat at Gettysburg.

He relied on his generals like J.E.B. Stuart, his cavalry leader, and Thomas, Stonewall Jackson, his artillery man. After Lee lost Jackson (after his death of a secondary set in of pneumonia after being shot and having his arm amputated), he said, "Jackson has lost his left arm, but I have lost my right."

Lincoln first asked Lee to be the commander of the North, but when Virginia seceded from the Union, Lee went with Virginia. When Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, the Union band played "Dixie," for him. That is how much he was respected.

However, the army never gave him back his home in Arlington, Virginia, but made it a cemetery for Union soldiers in one last insult to Lee. It is still the National Cemetery, and from Lee's home, and from the front porch you can look out over a sea of graves.

Robert E. Lee...?

General Robert E Lee was the greatest American/Confederate general of all time. He was top in his class at West Point, and made a series of successful campaigns against inferior Union generals throughout the Civil War, even being outnumbered most of the time. It is said that if Lee had lead the Union the war would've lasted less than 6 months, which is probably true, but by defending the South he made it go on for 6 years instead, resulting in the eventual surrender at Appamatox Courthouse, yielding to his own roommate from West Point, General Ulysses S Grant, who is famous for losing more men in the war than anyone else. Grant is known to be a very poor leader and general, which can only make Robert E Lee look that much better. He valued his men and his state of Virginia to the point he would risk his own life. Men can only hope to attain that status in life which others would give theirs so freely to the cause.