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"Rob"
(1843 - 1914)
Home State: Virginia
Education: University of Virginia (1860-62)
Command Billet: none
Branch of Service: Artillery
Before Sharpsburg
General Robert E. Lee's sixth child and youngest son, he entered the University of Virginia in the fall of 1860. He was 18 years old when he enlisted in the First Company, Rockbridge Artillery at Camp Buchanan on 28 March 1862.
On the Campaign
Serving a gun as an artilleryman in a battery attached to S.D. Lee's battalion, he later wrote
As one of the Army of Northern Virginia, I occasionally saw the commander-in-chief ... but as a private soldier ... until the battle of Sharpsburg [on 17 September 1862] I had no opportunity of speaking to him. On that occasion our battery had been severely handled, losing many men and horses. Having three guns disabled, we were ordered to withdraw, and while moving back we passed General Lee and several of his staff, grouped on a little knoll near the road. Having no definite orders where to go, our captain, seeing the commanding general, halted us and rode over to get some instructions. Some others and myself went along to see and hear. General Lee was dismounted with some of his staff around him, a courier holding his horse. Captain Poague, commanding our battery, the Rockbridge Artillery, saluted, reported our condition, and asked for instructions. The General, listening patiently looked at us--his eyes passing over me without any sign of recognition--and then ordered Captain Poague to take the most serviceable horses and men, man the uninjured gun, send the disabled part of his command back to refit, and report to the front for duty. As Poague turned to go, I went up to speak to my father. When he found out who I was, he congratulated me on being well and unhurt. I then said:
"General, are you going to send us in again?"
"Yes, my son," he replied, with a smile; "you all must do what you can to help drive these people back."
The rest of the War
He was appointed First Lieutenant of Cavalry on 13 November 1862, later promoted to Captain, and was aide-de-camp to his brother, newly promoted Brigadier General W.H.F. "Rooney" Lee. After Gettysburg in July 1863 he was with the 13th Virginia Cavalry, and was wounded through the body on 12 May 1864 at Spotsylvania Court House, VA. He was among the cavalrymen with President Davis as far as Greensboro, NC in April 1865, then returned to Richmond, where he was paroled on 25 May 1865.
After the War
He farmed an inherited plantation in King William County, VA to about 1890, then was in the insurance business in Washington, DC. He was back in King William County by about 1910
References & notes
More on the Web
See an excellent bio sketch from the Encyclopedia Virginia.
Birth
10/27/1843; Arlington, VA
Death
10/19/1914; Upperville, VA; burial in Lee Chapel Museum, Lexington, VA
1 Driver, Jr., Robert J., The 1st and 2nd Rockbridge Artillery, Lynchburg (Va): H. E. Howard, Inc., 1987 [AotW citation 28955]