Shortly after hearing discussion about possibly renaming 10 U.S. military bases, I decided I needed to educate myself about the history behind the naming of these bases. My plan is to use this space to share what I learn. Fort Lee was opened in 1917. It is located in Virginia, south of Richmond.
Robert E. Lee is probably the best known of all the Confederate leaders. He was born in 1807 in Virginia. He graduated from West Point in 1829.
Following graduation, he served 17 years as an officer in the Corps of Engineers. He did see action on the battlefield during the Mexican-American War. From 1852-55, he was the superintendent of West Point. In 1855, he joined the calvary. He was called on to put down John Brown's raid at Harpers Ferry in 1859.
When the Civil War, President Lincoln offered Lee command of the Union forces. However, Lee declined the offer and resigned from the U.S. arm when Virginia seceded. He accepted assignment as a general in the Confederate Army. He retained this position throughout the war.
Following the war, he returned to Virginia. There, he became the president of Washignton College. He died in 1870.
In the post-war portion of his life, Lee swore allegiance to the Union, and he indicated that he opposed the erection of statues and monuments that memorialized the events of the Civil War.
Disclaimer: I am not a professional historian. I am doing this research of the stories behind the naming of U.S. Military bases because I think the knowledge I find will be of benefit to the discourse in the United States. If you have information about any of my posts that you are willing to share I am glad to hear it. You can contact me at farmstros@yahoo.com
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