Traces the life of the highly respected Confederate general, with an emphasis on his difficult boyhood in Virginia.

"Ty Seidule scorches us with the truth and rivets us with his fierce sense of moral urgency." --Ron Chernow In a forceful but humane narrative, former soldier and head of the West Point history department Ty Seidule's Robert E. Lee and Me challenges the myths and lies of the Confederate legacy—and explores why some of this country’s oldest wounds have never healed. Ty Seidule grew up revering Robert E. Lee. From his southern childhood to his service in the U.S. Army, every part of his life reinforced the Lost Cause myth: that Lee was the greatest man who ever lived, and that the Confederates were underdogs who lost the Civil War with honor. Now, as a retired brigadier general and Professor Emeritus of History at West Point, his view has radically changed. From a soldier, a scholar, and a southerner, Ty Seidule believes that American history demands a reckoning. In a unique blend of history and reflection, Seidule deconstructs the truth about the Confederacy—that its undisputed primary goal was the subjugation and enslavement of Black Americans—and directly challenges the idea of honoring those who labored to preserve that system and committed treason in their failed attempt to achieve it. Through the arc of Seidule’s own life, as well as the culture that formed him, he seeks a path to understanding why the facts of the Civil War have remained buried beneath layers of myth and even outright lies—and how they embody a cultural gulf that separates millions of Americans to this day. Part history lecture, part meditation on the Civil War and its fallout, and part memoir, Robert E. Lee and Me challenges the deeply-held legends and myths of the Confederacy—and provides a surprising interpretation of essential truths that our country still has a difficult time articulating and accepting.

A WALL STREET JOURNAL BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • From the award-winning historian and best-selling author of Gettysburg comes the definitive biography of Robert E. Lee. An intimate look at the Confederate general in all his complexity—his hypocrisy and courage, his inner turmoil and outward calm, his disloyalty and his honor. "An important contribution to reconciling the myths with the facts." —New York Times Book Review Robert E. Lee is one of the most confounding figures in American history. Lee betrayed his nation in order to defend his home state and uphold the slave system he claimed to oppose. He was a traitor to the country he swore to serve as an Army officer, and yet he was admired even by his enemies for his composure and leadership. He considered slavery immoral, but benefited from inherited slaves and fought to defend the institution. And behind his genteel demeanor and perfectionism lurked the insecurities of a man haunted by the legacy of a father who stained the family name by declaring bankruptcy and who disappeared when Robert was just six years old. In Robert E. Lee, the award-winning historian Allen Guelzo has written the definitive biography of the general, following him from his refined upbringing in Virginia high society, to his long career in the U.S. Army, his agonized decision to side with Virginia when it seceded from the Union, and his leadership during the Civil War. Above all, Guelzo captures Robert E. Lee in all his complexity--his hypocrisy and courage, his outward calm and inner turmoil, his honor and his disloyalty.

Great Military Leaders - A Bibliography with Vignettes

This Is A New Release Of The Original 1886 Edition.

This eBook edition of "The Life and Military Carrier of General Robert E. Lee" has been formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. This book explores the incredible life of the legendary General Robert E. Lee, one of the most prominent figures of the Confederate Army in the American Civil War. Readers will discover the Robert's formatting years and early life, but of course main focus in the book remains on Lee's military carrier, owing to the fact that his greatest accomplishments and legacy is his service as the commanding officer of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War from 1862 until his surrender in 1865. Content: Lee's Early Life The Lees of Virginia General "Light-horse Harry" Lee Stratford Lee's Early Manhood and Career in the United States Army Lee and Scott Lee Resigns His Reception at Richmond Lee in 1861 The War Begins Lee's Advance Into Western Virginia Lee's Last Interview With Bishop Meade In Front of Richmond. Plan of the Federal Campaign Johnston Is Wounded Lee Assigned to the Command Stuart's "Ride Around Mcclellan" On the Chickahominy Lee's Plan of Assault The Retreat Richmond in Danger The War Advances Northward Lee's Protest Lee's Manoeuvres Lee Advances From the Rapidan Jackson Flanks General Pope The Second Battle of Manassas Lee Invades Maryland. Movements of the Two Armies The Prelude to Sharpsburg The Battle of Sharpsburg Lee Concentrates at Fredericksburg The Battle of Fredericksburg Chancellorsville and Gettysburg Advance of General Hooker Jackson's Attack and Fall The Battle of Chancellorsville Circumstances Leading to the Invasion of Pennsylvania Lee's Plans and Objects The Cavalry-fight at Fleetwood Lee in Pennsylvania The Last Charge at Gettysburg Lee's Retreat Across the Potomac Last Campaigns of the Year 1863. The Cavalry of Lee's Army Lee Flanks General Meade ...