Robert E. Lee (Dixieland)

Robert E. Lee (January 19, 1807 - October 12, 1870) was a United States and Confederate Military Commander as well as the Second President of the Confederate States of America.

Early Life
Lee was a native of Virginia. He would later go on the study at West Point Academy. Where he would eventually graduate in 1829 finishing second in his class behind Charles Mason.

Mexican-American War
During the Mexican-American War Lee rose to national prominence. He whilst working with a future adversary Ulysses S. Grant would assist in the US Victory over the Mexicans.

The Civil War
Lee became a southern hero during the US Civil War. As one of the CSA's top military brass Robert E. Lee was instrumental in early Rebel Victories over the Union. However his greatest hour came during the Battle of Gettysburg in the apex of the War Lee valiantly lead troops under heavy fire to drive out Union Forces.

This would spawn a march from Pennsylvania down towards Washington D.C. This included looting as well as recapturing escaped slaves from the south. All of which was allowed and in some instances encouraged by Lee.

The March arrived in Baltimore in August. During this time his troops in a matter of days routed up the ill prepared defenders. Lee led the charge as Rebel Forces chased Ulysses S. Grant and his men towards Baltimore Harbor, there they fled via boat in disarray. However for many this was too late. A large number of Union Forces were still trying to evacuate when Confederate Forces arrived. With there backs to the wall the 1,500 or so Union Forces without there commander (who had already fled) tried to mount a defense. Unfortunately for them they were slaughtered in the Harbor. Around 1,000 died with around 300 receiving non fatal injuries and 200 remaining unhit. There survivors were surrendered to Lee.

Soon Lee receives new orders. On September the 29th, 10 days after first occupying Baltimore, Lee received word from President Davis to make the push to D.C. Unfortunately for Lee and the Confederate Soldiers D.C. would not be as easy to capture as Baltimore. The defeated Union Troops had regrouped in Washington D.C. and had been allotted enough time to set up serious defenses. The first day of travel goes uneventfully for the Confederates, this perhaps gives Lee a false sense of an easy battle that would be over in a matter of days. As he notes in his Diary on an entry on October 2nd,

"No Resistance, no defense, yanks should crumble within a week or too"

This proves to be false. A day after President Lincoln and his Cabinet abandon D.C. to make the trek up to Chicago to set up a temporary government Lee makes first contact with Union Defenses. Attempting to enter from the north it would, despite having control of Union supply lines, take Lee until mid-November to break into D.C. then several months of fighting would proceed. It would take until January 25th when the last Union Soldiers (stationed in defense of the white house would surrender). The Grant has to personally surrendered whilst in the Oval Office to Lee.

The night Lee sets in the freezing weather on the balcony of the white house. He famously smokes a cigar as he looks at the burning wreckage of the city. The image of the confederate occupying the white house causes a huge drop in moral for Americans in the north and turns many against the war. While in the South it boosts moral and leads many to be assured of final victory.

For the remainder of the war Lee leads the south to continue to fight the disorganized north occupying nearly all of Maryland as well as parts of Delaware. His only major lose comes in December of 1864 when he unsuccessfully attempts to cross the Ohio river nearly dying after catching a bout of pneumonia in the process. In April of 1865 a cease fire is agreed upon, in October Lee personally joins Davis in unsettled Western Territory where an official peace treaty is signed.

Intermittent Period
For a time it seemed for Lee his life of public service was over. On October 31st, 1865 he resigned his post to retire to his home in Virginia to live out the remainder of his days. However during this time Lee received much fanfare and encouragement from supporters and fans to run for President of the Confederate States of America.

Lee did not feel up to the task. He had never been involved in politics and he was getting old too. He felt he was too old and unable to conduct himself for the full time he would occupy the office. However the push was strong. In August of 1866 both Republican and Democratic Representatives tried to get Lee to run, promising the nomination. Lee was more or less drafted into the role. On September 1st, 1866 he announced to close friends he planned on running for President in next years election. In those days the Republicans were virtually non-existent in the south and the winner of the Democratic Nomination would win any office. As such he felt an urge to run as a Democrat. However this was in contrast with his political stance on slaver, he was opposed to slavery.

On September 16th he wrote a letter to the Richmond Times Dispatch formally announcing his intent to run as a Democrat. The campaign was virtually non-existent. He easily defeated Democratic Challengers and then the Republican Candidate, Elliot Stone, a businessman and banker from Louisiana. The totals were astounding. Lee received 98.1% of the popular vote to Stones 1.0% and received all of the nations electoral votes.

Presidency
Now a sick and older man Lee found government a hard task. This was once more compounded by the deep state of recession in the newly independent south. Lee not a very politically inclined man could do very little to stop this. He did however attempt to negotiate trade agreements with the north all of which fell through. He additionally tried to negotiate international agreements all of which fell through due to their unwillingness to work with a nation built upon slavery.

This was the premise of he used when in July he gave a speech to the Confederate Congress urging them to outlaw slavery, though he did oppose it on a moral level he knew his best chance was to go with an economic approach. They were not very receptive of this. He was eventually able to make headway. In August he was able to convince State Legislatures in Virginia and Texas to propose and later pass laws which would free children of slaves.

In 1869 he was nearly impeached after writing executive order to outlaw slavery by 1872, this killed Lee's popularity as he had a 20% popularity rating. In 1870 after getting ill he passed away. He was buried in Virginia after a military funeral.