In fact, Lee was strongly opposed to the secession of the Southern states and the American Civil War. He supported the Union and hoped that the Southern states would not secede. However, when Virginia seceded, he felt compelled to follow his home state and join the Confederate Army.
Lee was a dedicated and loyal soldier, and he fought bravely for the Confederacy. He was a great military leader, and his strategies and tactics were very effective. However, he was also a product of his time and place, and he believed in the institution of slavery.
After the Civil War, Lee became president of Washington College (now Washington and Lee University) in Virginia. He worked to rebuild the college and help the South recover from the war. He also became a symbol of reconciliation and unity between the North and South.
Conclusion
Robert E. Lee was not a statesman in the traditional sense, but he was a great military leader and a symbol of reconciliation and unity between the North and South.