Robert E. Lee papers, 1749-1975

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Summary

Creator:
Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870
Abstract:
Robert E. Lee was a Virginia-born career military officer, Confederate general in the U.S. Civil War, and president of what is now Washington and Lee University. Family and military correspondence of Robert E. Lee (1807-1870), Confederate general-in-chief; and of his descendants; and a few letters of Francis Lightfoot Lee, Richard Henry Lee, Henry Lee, and Mary Ann Randolph (Custis) Lee. The letters deal with many phases of Robert E. Lee's life from his marriage in 1832 until his death, including family and personal affairs, especially in his letters to a cousin, Mrs. Anna M. Fitzhugh; settlement of the Custis estate; and improvements at the family house in Arlington, Virginia. Included also is one volume of 295 telegram dispatches sent by Robert E. Lee from the field to Jefferson Davis and the Confederate War Department; two scrapbooks memorializing Robert E. Lee; a small notebook in Robert E. Lee's hand, 1857-1860, containing amounts of meat purchased for the Arlington household; and a letterpress book of Robert E. Lee III, a lawyer of Washington, D.C.
Extent:
3 Linear Feet
204 Items
Language:
Material in English
Collection ID:
RL.00801

Background

Scope and content:

Family and military correspondence of Robert E. Lee (1807-1870), Confederate general-in-chief; and of his descendants; and a few letters of Francis Lightfoot Lee, Richard Henry Lee, Henry Lee, and Mary Ann Randolph (Custis) Lee. The letters deal with many phases of Robert E. Lee's life from his marriage in 1832 until his death, including family and personal affairs, especially in his letters to a cousin, Mrs. Anna M. Fitzhugh; settlement of the Custis estate; and improvements at the family house in Arlington, Virginia. During the Civil War the correspondence consists of official and family letters, the former containing much information on military activities. The postwar letters reveal details of domestic arrangements following the family's removal to Lexington, Virginia.

One volume contains 295 telegrams (collected and arranged by C.C. Jones, Jr., and published by D.S. Freeman, Lee's Dispatches, New York, 1915) sent by Lee from the field to Jefferson Davis and the Confederate War Department, many having been endorsed by James A. Seddon. These dispatches relate to troop movements, reports of the intelligence service, skirmishes, enemy activities, transportation of prisoners and wounded men, and other details of military operations. Included also are two scrapbooks memorializing Robert E. Lee, chiefly consisting of clippings and engravings; a small notebook in Robert E. Lee's hand, 1857-1860, containing amounts of meat purchased for the Arlington household; and a letterpress book of Robert E. Lee III, a lawyer of Washington, D.C.

Processing information:

Processed by Rubenstein Library staff

Encoded by Alvin Pollock and Stephen D. Miller, 1997

Materials received conservation treatment and rehousing in 2013.

Updated by Paula Jeannet, 2014

Updated by Alice Poffinberger, 2019

Physical location:
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Robert E. Lee Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.

Permalink:
https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/m1j33d