History of Robert E. Lee in Timeline

Robert E. Lee was a prominent Confederate general during the American Civil War. He commanded the Army of Northern Virginia, the Confederacy's most powerful military force, from 1862 until its surrender in 1865. A skilled tactician, Lee is best known for his victories during the early part of the war and his eventual appointment as overall commander of the Confederate States Army toward the end of the conflict. His leadership during the war contributed significantly to the Confederacy's military operations, and he played a pivotal role in shaping the course of the conflict.

1905: Death of Fitzhugh Lee

In 1905, Fitzhugh Lee, Robert E. Lee's nephew, a Confederate general and later a United States Army general in the Spanish-American War, passed away.

1912: Song "Waiting for the Robert E. Lee" Released

The song "Waiting for the Robert E. Lee," inspired by the steamboat of the same name, was released in 1912.

1925: Lee Featured on Stone Mountain Memorial Half Dollar

In 1925, Robert E. Lee's image was featured on the Stone Mountain Memorial half dollar.

1925: Stone Mountain Memorial Half Dollar

The 1925 Stone Mountain Memorial half dollar coin was issued, featuring Robert E. Lee, to raise funds for the memorial.

1934: Douglas S. Freeman's Biography of Robert E. Lee

In 1934, Douglas S. Freeman published his biography of Robert E. Lee, where he questioned the accounts of Lee's treatment of enslaved people who had attempted to escape.

1936: First U.S. Postage Stamp Commemorating Robert E. Lee

A U.S. postage stamp commemorating Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson was issued in 1936.

1936: Freeman's Biography of Lee Published

Douglas Southall Freeman's four-volume biography of Robert E. Lee, "R. E. Lee: A Biography," was published in 1936 and won a Pulitzer Prize.

1941: M3 Lee Tank Production Begins

Production of the M3 Lee tank, named after Robert E. Lee, began in 1941.

1942: M3 Lee Tank Production Continues

Production of the M3 Lee tank continued into 1942.

November 23, 1948: Washington and Lee University Commemorative Stamp

On November 23, 1948, a three-cent postage stamp was issued to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Washington and Lee University, featuring portraits of George Washington and Robert E. Lee.

1948: Dedication of Lee and Jackson Statue in Baltimore

A double equestrian statue of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson was dedicated in Baltimore's Wyman Park in 1948.

1950: "Lee and Grant at Appomattox" Published

MacKinlay Kantor's children's novel "Lee and Grant at Appomattox" was published in 1950, portraying Lee as a hero.

1953: "Bring the Jubilee" Published

Ward Moore's alternate history novel "Bring the Jubilee," featuring Robert E. Lee as president of a victorious Confederacy, was published in 1953.

1955: Second U.S. Postage Stamp Commemorating Robert E. Lee

A second "regular-issue" U.S. postage stamp commemorating Robert E. Lee was issued in 1955.

1955: Arlington House Designated as National Memorial

In 1955, Arlington House, Lee's former home, was designated as a National Memorial to Robert E. Lee.

1958: USS Robert E. Lee Commissioned

The USS Robert E. Lee, a George Washington-class submarine, was commissioned in 1958.

1960: "If the South Had Won the Civil War" Published

MacKinlay Kantor's alternate history novel "If the South Had Won the Civil War," also featuring Lee as president of the Confederacy, was published in 1960.

May 9, 1970: Dedication of Stone Mountain Confederate Memorial

The Stone Mountain Confederate Memorial in Georgia was dedicated on May 9, 1970.

September 19, 1970: Stone Mountain Memorial Commemorative Stamp

A six-cent Stone Mountain Memorial commemorative stamp depicting Lee, Jefferson Davis, and Stonewall Jackson on horseback was issued on September 19, 1970.

1974: "The Killer Angels" Published

Michael Shaara's novel "The Killer Angels," featuring Robert E. Lee as a main character, was published in 1974.

January 30, 1975: Resolution to Restore Lee's Citizenship

On January 30, 1975, Senate Joint Resolution 23 was introduced to posthumously restore Robert E. Lee's full rights of citizenship.

1977: Connelly's "The Marble Man" Published

Thomas L. Connelly's "The Marble Man: Robert E. Lee and His Image in American Society," a critical examination of Lee's image, was published in 1977.

1979: "The Dukes of Hazzard" Premieres

The television series "The Dukes of Hazzard," featuring a car named "The General Lee," premiered in 1979.

1985: "The Dukes of Hazzard" Ends

The television series "The Dukes of Hazzard" ended in 1985.

1987: "Lincoln's Dreams" Published

Connie Willis's novel "Lincoln's Dreams," featuring a character who dreams about the Civil War from Lee's perspective, was published in 1987.

1988: "Traveller" Published

Richard Adams's novel "Traveller," telling the Civil War from the perspective of Lee's horse, was published in 1988.

1992: "The Guns of the South" Published

Harry Turtledove's alternate history novel "The Guns of the South," featuring Lee as a main character and president of a victorious Confederacy, was published in 1992.

1993: "Gettysburg" Film Released

The film adaptation of "The Killer Angels," titled "Gettysburg," was released in 1993, with Martin Sheen portraying Robert E. Lee.

June 29, 1995: Third U.S. Postage Stamp Commemorating Robert E. Lee

On June 29, 1995, a 32-cent stamp featuring Robert E. Lee with his horse Traveller in the background was issued as part of the American Civil War Issue.

1995: Thomas's Biography of Lee Published

Emory M. Thomas's biography, "Robert E. Lee: A Biography," offering a balanced perspective on Lee, was published in 1995.

1996: "Gods and Generals" Published

Jeff Shaara's novel "Gods and Generals," also featuring Robert E. Lee, was published in 1996.

2000: "The Last Full Measure" Published

Jeff Shaara's novel "The Last Full Measure," completing the Civil War trilogy and featuring Robert E. Lee, was published in 2000.

2000: Michael Fellman's Biography of Robert E. Lee

Michael Fellman published "The Making of Robert E. Lee" in 2000. He discussed Lee's views on slave discipline and corporal punishment, finding it unlikely Lee personally whipped slaves but acknowledging the common practice of such punishment at the time.

2003: "Gods and Generals" Film Released

The film adaptation of "Gods and Generals" was released in 2003, with Robert Duvall portraying Robert E. Lee.

2005: "The Dukes of Hazzard" Film Released

The film adaptation of "The Dukes of Hazzard" was released in 2005, featuring a scene referencing Robert E. Lee.

2008: Elizabeth Brown Pryor's Biography of Robert E. Lee

Elizabeth Brown Pryor's 2008 biography of Robert E. Lee asserts the veracity of accounts regarding Lee's treatment of runaway slaves, based on consistent descriptions and financial records.

February 2014: Fort Bliss Road Renamed

In February 2014, a road at Fort Bliss named after Robert E. Lee was renamed to honor Buffalo Soldiers.

2014: Michael Korda's Account of Robert E. Lee

In 2014, Michael Korda wrote about the accounts of Lee and the punishment of runaway slaves, suggesting that while Lee may not have administered the punishment himself, he may have been present.

2016: Georgia Ends Official Recognition of Lee's Birthday

In 2016, the state of Georgia stopped officially recognizing Robert E. Lee's birthday as a state holiday.

February 2017: Charlottesville Votes to Remove Lee Sculpture

In February 2017, the Charlottesville City Council voted to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee.

August 2017: Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville

The Unite the Right rally, sparked by the proposed removal of Confederate statues, took place in Charlottesville in August 2017.

December 21, 2020: Removal of Lee Statue from U.S. Capitol

Robert E. Lee's statue was removed from Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol on December 21, 2020.

2020: Removal of other Confederate Statues in Richmond

In 2020, four other Confederate statues along Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia, were removed.

2020: Virginia Eliminates Lee-Jackson Day

In 2020, the Virginia legislature eliminated Lee-Jackson Day, a holiday celebrated the Friday before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and replaced it with Election Day as a state holiday.