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General Lee: A Story of Disappointment
The story of General Lee, as professional as well as political leader is pretty different and could hardly be called successful, despite the fact he was an outstanding person. Robert Edward Lee was born in January 19, 1807 at the wealthy family of Virginia Governor. Later he became an outstanding General, who headed Confederate Army and in post war times he became an icon of so called South’s ‘lost clause’.
As well as General Grant, Lee graduated from the West Point Military Academy. He was among the top graduated and actually considered himself to be an exceptional general. His abilities and talents as a military leader perfectly revealed during the war. According to the investigator’s Lee was persistent and learned to finish up everything he started from the yearly years: “The self-control he had learned from his mother was his in larger measure. The habit of “finishing up” that Hallowell had observed in him at Alexandria had been strengthened by the fine discipline and precise instruction of the academy. Already his character was formed and his personality was developed. It was easy for him to win and to hold the friendship of other people. His professional interest was fixed in engineering and thereafter it never wavered until disappointment over slow promotion led him to accept a cavalry commission”
Lee and Grant have a lot of in common in their biographies. Both took part in the Mexican War, finished West Point Academy, demonstrated outstanding talents and military skills yet their fortune was different. In 1869 Abraham Lincoln was elected as the United States President and this became a sign for the Southern States to start segregation. In March 1861 Lincoln took his position and made several attempts to prevent the upcoming war, but his attempts actually failed. Lincoln offered General Robert Lee to head the federal army. He took into account the fact that Lee was not supporting slavery and was supporting the idea of keeping to the Union. But due to his moral obligations Lee could not start campaign against his motherland – Virginia State that is why he refused to head the federal forces and headed Virginian ones, becoming a military assistant of President Jefferson Davies: “Then his Virginia background and the mental discipline of years asserted themselves. He had said: ‘If the Union is dissolved and the government disrupted, I shall return to my native state and share the miseries of my people and save in defense will draw my sword on none’” . General Lee was the one, who refused to take the offer to command the Army. His roots and moral obligations to his motherland did not give him the chance to command the Federal Army. That is why he decided to return back to his motherland and did his best to assist the Confederates in their intentions to segregation from the federation. With the help of Jefferson Davies Lee provided a significant impact on the military activity guidance. In 1862 Lee became the military leader of the North Virginia Army and perfectly showed himself during the Seven Days battle.

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His talent as a military leader was brightly revealed in the following battles: Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg and others. In 1863 he made an attempt to move the Northern troops away from the Southern territories, but he failed in the most bloody and outrageous battle of the Civil War – Gettysburg battle, which had taken the Confederate, chances to win. Lee demonstrated good skills of defender providing defending campaigns in 1864 – 1865 – s, but the military troops headed by Ulysses Grant constantly attacked Confederate Army and did not leave any chance for them. April 9th became the end of the Confederate Army, Lee signed capitulation near Appomattox. It should be noted that during the War Lee was appointed as a head of Confederate Army only, when the Southern states ended its resources and even having brilliant talents Lee could hardly do a thing with the powers of the North. It should be noted that from the very beginning of the war, when General Lee refused to take the significant military post at the federal Army, one of his friends told him, that he is making the greatest mistake of his life: “Bidding farewell to Blair, Lee went directly to Scott’s office. He sensed Scott’s deep interest in his action, and as soon as he had arrived he told him what Blair had offered and what he had answered. “Lee”, said Scott, deeply moved, “you have made the greatest mistake of your life; but I feared it would be so.” Scott did not stop with this sad observation, but expressed the belief that if Lee were going to resign he ought not to delay” . This phrase could illustrate the rest of General Lee’s life as not very successful. Despite the fact of being talented and well experienced, he was always staying in the shade of the others and could not fully demonstrate his talents. When he was appointed on the significant military position, the only thing he could do is just to sign the capitulation. During his after war careers he was still under the precise attention, hence he was just the president of Washington College. Some investigators consider that Lee was the one who inspired the Ku Klux Klan activity, hence he never joined this racist organization
Conclusion
In the end I would to focus on the fact that that General Grant was more successful than General Lee. As it was mentioned earlier Lee was always prevented to do the bright career. After his decision to refuse the appointment suggested by Lincoln, his life could hardly be called successful. General Grant the same time was not afraid to make mistakes. He was very resolute leader and was determined to be successful. That is why he became the military leader of the Federal Army and ended the war very successfully. That is why he considered being the hero of the war. It should be taken into consideration that Lee really had perfect opportunities, but he had no chance to use them, as he headed the Army only when the victory of the Northern States troops was obvious. General Grant chanced to appear in suitable place and in suitable time. And he took his chance, as well as after the end of war he became the President on the way of personal popularity. The Same time Grant promoted peaceful relations between the sates even being a general. To my mind Lee refused his chance for being successful with the refusal of President’s Lincoln appointment. His perspectives were really brilliant and in Confederate camp he had no chance to head the Army from the very beginning.

 
References
McFeely, William S. 1981. Grant: A biography. 2002 edition. W. W. Norton & Company
Sherman, William Tecumseh. 1875 Memoirs of General William T. Sherman. 2 vols.
Bruce Catton. 1954. U. S. Grant and the American Military Tradition
Douglas Southall Freeman. 1934. R. E. Lee: A Biography. Charles Scribner’s Sons: New York and London
Connelly, Thomas Lawrence. 1977. The Marble Man: Robert E. Lee and His Image in American society. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Bonekemper, Edward H., III. 2004. A Victor, Not a Butcher: Ulysses S. Grant’s Overlooked Military Genius. Regnery.