GENERAL ROBERT EDWARD LEE.
The achievements of this distinguished officer form the most remarkable chapter, not only in the history of the present gigantic war, but, in some respects, in the entire annals of war. To detail them minutely would fill a volume even larger than this, and we, therefore, leave this agreeable task to the future historian. In the halcyon days, which we opine are not far distant, the student of history will delight to dwell upon them, even as we delight to find rescued from oblivion any little circumstance of early youth in which Napoleon or Washington was concerned.
Robert Edward Lee is a member of the old historical family of Westmoreland Lees. He is the youngest son, by a second marriage, of General Henry Lee, better known to history by his soubriquet of "Light Horse Harry," the friend and confidant of Washington, and the author of one of the most pleasant histories ever written by a Virginian. He was born at Stratford, in Westmoreland county, in 1806, in the same house and in the same chamber in which Richard Henry Lee and Francis Lightfoot Lee, two signers of the Declaration of Independence, were born.
He entered West Point, as a cadet from his native State, in 1825. On the first day of his entrance he took the head of his class, and kept it until he graduated in 1829, having never been marked with a demerit, or been subjected to a reprimand, or received any other species of punishment whatever, during the whole time of his residence. Having graduated at the head of his class, he was, of course, selected for service in the corps of topographical engineers, which was always filled from the ranks of the highest graduates. He entered upon his new field of duty in July, 1829, with the brevet rank of second lieutenant. We hear no more of him until 1835, when he was appointed assistant astronomer for fixing the boundary line between Ohio and Michigan. He became first lieutenant in September, 1836, and captain in July, 1838. In 1845, he was chief engineer in the army of General Wool, in Mexico. In 1847, he was brevetted major, for "gallant and meritorious conduct" in the battle of Cerro Gordo, fought April 18th, 1847. He received a second brevet for "gallant and meritorious conduct" in the battles of Contreras and Cherubusco, and was now lieutenant-colonel by brevet. For gallant and meritorious conduct in the battle of Chapultepec, where he was wounded, on the 1st September, 1852, he was appointed superintendent of the Military Academy. How long he continued in that post we do not know; but we find him, in 1858, lieutenant-colonel of the
