General Robert E. Lee's Birthday Celebrated by the Sons of Confederate Veterans

This year marks the 206^th anniversary of the birth of one of the South’s most noble courageous and admired leaders.  Robert Edward Lee was born on January 19^th, 1807.  After graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point at the top of his class and serving 32 years in the United States Army, Lee remained true to his constitutional principles and chose to defend his home state of Virginia despite being offered the command of the Union army by Abraham Lincoln.  General Lee served as a senior military adviser to President Jefferson Davis, Commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, and Commander of all Confederate forces and has been praised by military historians for his tactical military genius in leading his forces to many victories against an enemy of superior force in the War for Southern Independence.  Even greater was his compassion for the soldiers he led and his fellow countrymen.  Lee emerged from the War a hero and subsequently served as President of Washington and Lee University and was a leader and example to all during the period of Reconstruction.  On January 19^th, the Alabama Division will hold a celebration of General Robert E. Lee’s birthday at the Alabama state capital at the Confederate memorial on the north side of the building at 10am.  Please join us this morning to honor General Lee and General Stonewall Jackson (whose birthdate was January 21^st, 1824).  For further information about this event please visit the Alabama Division, Sons of Confederate website http://www.aladivscv.com.  For further information about the heritage, educational, and charitable mission of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, please visit http://www.scv.org.