Robert E. Lee seemed destined for greatness. His father was a
Revolutionary War hero and at West Point he graduated second in his
class! In 1861, when the Southern states seceded from the Union, Lee was
offered the opportunity to command the Union forces. However, even
though he was against the war, his loyalty to his home state of Virginia
wouldn't let him fight for the North. Despite the South's ultimate
defeat, General Robert E. Lee remains one of the United States' true
military heroes.