Causes Of Lee's Glorification

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Recommended: The end of the American civil war

By the end of the Civil War started with the siege of Petersburg. The ten month siege causes the fall of Richmond, because Petersburg was where all the supplies came through before going to Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy. Starvation started to affect the army in November 1864, so once Lee left Richmond in March he was frantic to resupply his army. Throughout the last weeks before Appomattox Court House, Lee struggled to get food and supplies. Many factors interfered with this goal, like the “Federals had captured 1,000 more of Lee’s dwin¬dling forces, three of the supply trains, 25 guns, scores of wagons and up to 300,000 (accounts vary) of the Rebels’ precious food rations,” (Baker, 2007). Near the end Lee knew he had to attack or …show more content…

Lee’s reputations saved him, because he was “an icon whose impression during the Civil War and Reconstruction was so grand, so monolithic, that during the last seven years of his life he became the emblem of the Confederate cause,” (Epstien). This glorification is the main reasons that Lee is not considered a traitor. Historians and Americans in general consider Lee the greatest general from the Civil War. His tactics were brilliant, and it was only his lack of men and materiel that did not allow him to win the war. Even at the beginning of the war, Lee and his men were winning against the Union army. The Union had enough men and factories to make supplies that they could have our longed the Confederates. This glorification of Lee takes away from the fact that he switched sides and fought against the Union. Something remarkable is “he stands in the American military pantheon alongside Washington, Jackson, Grant, MacArthur, Eisenhower, Patton, and Powell” ("A Patriot's History of the USA"). The biggest difference between him and other generals is that the most remarkable thing he ever did was not for the United States of America ("Robert Edward Lee,” …show more content…

At first Lee was worried that there would be a sense of hostility because he was the former commander of the Confederate Army, but he decided to take the job. Lee cited that one of the main reasons he decided to become president was because he believed that "it [is] the duty of every citizen in the present condition of the Country, to do all in his power to aid in the restoration of peace and harmony," ("Robert E. Lee President, Washington College, 1865-1870"). As president of the college, he incorporated the Lexington Law School, developed sciences, and inaugurated courses in journalism into the College curriculum. In addition, Lee oversaw the building of the Chapel, now called Lee Chapel, and the president’s house, and now called Lee House. As president, he created a culture with one rule, that every man will be a gentleman. The College changed its name after the death of Lee to honor him. Lee was a great college president, but this cannot erase the fact that he committed treason during the war and was not imprisoned but he is rather honored to this day ("Robert E. Lee President, Washington College,

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