Robert E Lee, Virginia Soldier, by James Robertson is an accessible book with an extensive index and helpful notes and citations on each chapter. The other titles written by the author are also displayed in the opening pages and a well-documented citation notes list for each chapter and lengthy index reveal that this book is full of accurate data. This book thematically is an argument by the author Robertson that Robert E. Lee was a superlative soldier and fought because it was his duty as a citizen of Virginia, not as a proponent of slavery. It is not a treatise on the evils of slavery that brought us to the Civil war, but a focus on the Confederate General Robert E. Lee.
Robert E. Lee is organized as a chronological narrative of the fact of the Civil War and presents Robert E. Lee as the main character in this historical event. Robert E. Lee believed this was a war for State sovereignty not for the evil law of slavery. Only 5 per cent of Southerners could afford to own slave labor and Robert E. Lee was not fighting for them, he believed he was fighting for the 95% of the agrarian workers of the south who did not want the Industrialized north to rule over them. The southern states desired to become their own nation, their own sovereigns. However, because the moral fight was based on slavery, a practice that many new states in the west and a few states in the North had outlawed, the south was never going to win this fight. Even though Lee was considered a better warrior, he could never win this war on his own merits.
Lee was a descendant of those that considered themselves “citizens of the country of Virginia.” His father, Henry Lee, the Revolutionary war Calvary Commander earned the title “Light Horse Harry”: Henry Lee declared “Virginia is my country. Her will I obey”. Lee’s father, Light Horse Harry, became the Governor of Virginia and raised his son, Robert E Lee with this Virginian creed as their moral center. This was Confederate General Lee’s moral duty, to protect his country of Virginia, a seceding state. As the beautiful cover of the book declares. Virginian Soldier. American Citizen Robert E Lee.
The chapters of the book are in chronological order from Lee’s infancy to his days as a student at West Point, through his achievements in the Mexican war to the Battles of the Civil war till his death. They easily move through the historical events, and have document citations throughout. The titles of the Chapter always focus on Lee and his exploits and is a chronology of the Soldier’s life through the civil war. Not a survey on the civil war.
The 1st Chapter is named The Making of a Soldier. This chapter name reveals the direction of this autobiographical account of a major figure in the Civil War The first chapter includes a youthful portrait of Robert E. Lee and several pictures of the family and land that General Robert E. Lee was raised in. Each successive chapter goes on to reveal well documented details about General Lee as he grew. Every other page of this chronological narrative includes a well-documented picture, map, illustration or diagram. In the first chapter, we have a beautiful pen and ink drawing of West Point where he was militarily trained. The drawing is circa 1825 when Secretary of war John Calhoun ordered Lee to report to West Point.
Lee gained his merits and promotions through achievements in the Mexican War with Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. This war is documented with maps, and illustrations of the American victories in this war. Lieutenant Colonel Lee was appointed as the superintendent of the Nation’s West Point Military Academy. Many United States Leaders in Military service were great admirers of General Lee. His marriage to a wealthy land owner’s daughter made him admirable to the wealthy landowners of Virginia. On page 31 a circa 1850 pen and ink drawing shows the palatial Arlington Estate his wife inherited. The Arlington Estate is where Lee and his wife were living when John Brown, and the abolitionists, seized the Harper’s Ferry Arsenal which led to the bloodiest American war, known as The Civil War.
The book continues to focus its historical account of the civil war on Lee and his family’s involvement. We are introduced to President Jefferson Davis and Stonewall Jackson. Both leaders are presented in their relationship with General Lee. The portrait of Lee that is recognizable to most Americans is his portrait as The Commander of The Army of Northern Virginia. Author Robertson makes it clear that Lee did not choose the south and slavery, he just refused to leave his command in a state that joined secession. He was devoted to Virginia as his family had always been.
Beginning with Lees first offensive in 1862, The Seven Day’s campaign, we are brought through all the battles of the Civil war. Robertson’s chronological narrative has a large Civil War illustration, map or portrait every other page.
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level and it flows well through the historical events of the Civil war. The writing is easy to read and moving at times. In Chapter 6, the author shares quotes from battle worn soldiers of both armies. An illustration of the soldiers praying with Lee, is on page 85. This moving illustration is coupled with the quotes of soldiers documented by the author. On page 86 the author writes “A surgeon told his wife: “it does not seem possible to defeat this army now with General Lee leading .. the men were ready to follow him wherever he might lead, or order them to go”
Robertson’s Robert E. Lee is an extremely accessible book. It has an extensive index and helpful notes on each chapter. Although clearly a chronological narrative, the pictures on every other page one could almost describe it as a photo survey, The well documented visual display are inserted every two pages. It has over 80 visual displays that are relevant and tell the facts of the Civil War, clearly.
I believe that the theme that Lee was a dutiful Virginian Soldier and American citizen doing his duty in the bloody Civil War, is a compelling argument. I believe it is relevant to a history student today because Lee is a defender of the Tenth Amendment and a soldier faithfully and expertly doing his duty in a war he surely knew he would lose. It was His duty to fight for seceding Virginia, even though the war really was about slavery, an evil practice that broke our country. Bad laws have adverse consequences, and we are still suffering the consequences of our ancestor’s decisions to hold people in slavery. ( )

Rober E. Lee by James Robertson Jr. was a very interesting look into the life of the great Confederate Army. Lee's roots in the military stemmed from his father's leadership of George Washington's cavalry in the American Revolution. General Lee was respected and loved by his fellow statesmen, his soldiers, and his enemies. This biography detailed the many struggles and triumphs of the Confederate army across the south. General Lee was praised as a great strategist, leader, and man of faith. After the war was over, a Confederate soldier told General Lee, "I love you just as well as ever, General Lee!" (Robertson 132).

I found that the organization and content of the book were very pleasing for the reader. After reviewing the notes and works cited in the back of the book, I feel that James Robertson is a very credible author. Robertson used over 50 sources to detail the incredible military genius of Robert E. Lee. I also believe that the organization of the book was very chronological. It started off with the birth of Lee and some family history. The book then detailed the Civil War in depth from the first shot at Fort Sumter to Lee's surrender at Appomattox Courthouse. I found the information to be very extensive and informational about the entire life Robert E. Lee. ( )

My area of Allegan is filled with Civil War fans. Our streets are named after Civil war generals. We have an active historical society that sometimes hosts Civil War reenactments of famous battles. I am not, however, much of a Civil War reader even if I am able to show visitors the house that General Pritchard lived in. Consequently I am not as excited as others from my community will be to see that a book on Robert E. Lee is on our BBYA list. This is one of the fabulous benefits of this committee. We read things that we must. We do not expect much from the book and then find ourselves in awe, when we zip right through the book. Readers should know that the outcome of the various Civil War battles and the war itself are not in doubt; reading this book, however, captures the drama of the times. Despite the fact that I am a Northerner (or at least a sympathizer), I can’t help rooting for Lee and wondering what will happen next (even though I know). The writing is superb. It makes me want to believe that teens in my area will list Robert E. Lee as one of this country’s heroes as the author claims! I can forgive this hyperbole because this is a biography (not my favorite type of book) that I read as if it is a novel. Certainly recommended for middle and high school libraries in my area! Also recommended for any school library in the country that studies the Civil War!