GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE'S 200TH BIRTHDAY

200 Years After His Birth, Signed Photographs Of General Robert E. Lee Are Prized Among Collectors.

January 19, 2007 will mark the 200th birthday of Robert E. Lee, an iconic American soldier and the Confederacy's most famous general. Several generations removed from the terrible Civil War that divided a country, many will come forward to pay homage te this noble soldier who is remembered as perhaps America's greatest general. With the exception of George Washington, whom Lee consciously emulated, there are few military figures in American history with greater moral standing and integrity and none more admired. In victory, Lee took risks where others flinched and with supreme confidence in his soldiers inflicted much damage to the Union Army. In defeat, Lee sought honorable terms for his men and became a symbol of reconciliation. Honed by nearly 32 years of military service, the general was blessed with an extraordinarily innate sense of anticipating the opponent's intentions coupled with a great ability to inspire men.

Born in Stratford, Virginia, Lee grew up in modest circumstances in Alexandria, VA, and became the personification of the 19th century gentleman, soldier, and deeply religious man-although he wasn't formally confirmed into the Episcopal Church until 1854. Low-key, he practiced personal discipline as a selfless virtue with a quiet, unassuming demeanor guided by principals-"duty, honor,country"-honed at West Point. Contemporaries recall that he was patient, unfailingly courteous, and impossible to anger. Offered command of the Union Army at the onset of the war, Lee agonized over the decision but respectfully declined, concluding that his paramount loyalty lie with his family and native state Virginia. It is said that shortly afterwards his flecked gray hair and beard turned completely white.

Lee was ever conscious of his own shortcomings-never one to blame others-and quick to accept the responsibility for failure. After the retreat from Gettysburg, Lee formally offered to resign as commanding general but Jefferson Davis adamantly refused to consider the matter. Too late to turn the tide, Lee was promoted to command "all of the military forces of the Confederate States" in February 1865 dutifully assuming an additional mantel of leadership that even he must have known was futile.

Lee also showed his high-mindedness with respect to his former adversary, General Ulysses Grant. Lee was supremely appreciative, even humbled by Grant's very generous terms of surrender afforded the defeated Southern army at Appomattox. Even in his later years as President of Washington University Lee threatened dismissal for any faculty member who spoke disrespectfully of Grant in his presence. It is said that during the war Lee never once referred to his Union antagonists as "the enemy," preferring the less inflammatory "those people."

While few generals-even successful ones-are loved by their troops, Lee earned the lasting devotion and fiill respect of the soldiers that followed him. The Duke of Wellington and George Patton were highly regarded, successful generals but the Iron Duke despised the common British soldier in the ranks and the hard charging Patton was ridiculed by his men with the famous"...our guts, his glory" entendre.. Lee's manner proved that a commander does not have to be personally brutal or sacrificial. One Army of Northern Virginia veteran wrote: "[Lee] was the grandest thing in all the world to us, when he loved us like a father and led us like a king, when we trusted him like a providence and obeyed him like a god."1

The soldiers' great reverence for Lee was also typified by an event that occurred at the Battle of the Wilderness in May 1864. Lee ordered a counterattack by his battle-wearied men and when the Confederate soldiers refused to advance, Lee announced that he would personally lead the attack. As he moved forward his soldiers yelled, "General Lee to the rear!" They grabbed the bridle of their leader's horse, Traveller, and marched forward until Lee was safely placed in the rear. The attack then commenced.

Lee's love of animals was another of his respected characteristics. His favorite and faithful horse, Traveller, carried Lee through most of the war and was even at the surrender at Appomattox.

During Lee's retirement at Lexington, Virginia, while teaching at Washington University, he "commuted" on Traveller almost 11 miles a day to visit his wife at Blue Sulphur Springs. (Mrs. Lee moved to this location for health reasons.) From 1867-1869, Traveller also made the 60-mile trip from Lexington to the Greenbrier hotel, and finally, the horse followed behind the hearse during Lee's funeral procession in 1870. He was buried nearby Robert E. Lee in Lexington, Virginia.

Even today Traveller is the most famous American war horse. His ancestry can be traced back to the Grey Eagle stock. This line ties him to the American Saddlebred and Tennessee Walking horse lines. Traveller also had Thoroughbred, Morgan and Narragansett mixed blood lines. His iron grey color was appropriate for the Confederacy. He was foaled in 1857 in Greenbrier County, Virginia (in present day West Virginia) and raised by Mr. Andrew Johnston near Blue Sulphur Springs. In nearby Lewisburg, Virginia, Traveller won first place at horse shows in 1859 and 1860 under his former name "Jeff Davis" before riding off to war with his soon-to-be famous owner.