General Robert E. Lee was a prominent military leader during the American Civil War, serving as the commander of the Confederate Army. Born on January 19, 1807, in Virginia, he was a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Lee was known for his strategic skills and leadership in battles such as the Battle of Gettysburg and the Battle of Antietam. After the Civil War, Lee became a symbol of the South and its struggle. He later served as the president of Washington College in Lexington, Virginia, where he focused on education and reconciliation. Lee passed away on October 12, 1870.