Robert Edward Lee was born January 19, 1807 at "Stratford".  Robert was
appointed to West Point Military Acadamy 1825-1829.  After compiling an
enviable adademic record, Lee was commissioned into the Corps of
Engineers in 1829.  Lee married Mary Ann Randolph Custis,
great-granddaughter of Martha Washington in 1831, during the next 30
years he often lived at Arlington, the Custis mansion near Washington,
D.C.  In 1852-1855 Lee was Superintendent of West Point Military
Acadamy.

In May 1862 Lee was appointed commander of the Confederate Army
commissioned as a Brigider General, Lee would hold this stature until the
end of the war.  After taking command of the Confederate Army Lee
renamed the force "Army of Northern Virginia".  

"As I take command of this army I can see that my job will be tough to
accomplish.  The outlook for the Confederacy is dim to say the least and
furthermore the northern army is slowly gaining control of the
Mississippi Valley, our main supply route.  A large Northern Army is in
site of Richmond which we will have to destroy first."

I May of 1862 Lee struck a unionists battle group near Richmond and in
what was called the "Seven Day Battle".  He drove the army away from the
capital.