Montross in Westmoreland County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Stratford Hall
Birthplace of Robert E. Lee
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, November 17, 2018
1. Stratford Hall Marker
Inscription.
Stratford Hall. Birthplace of Robert E. Lee. Robert Edward Lee was born at Stratford Hall on January 19, 1807, to Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee , a Revolutionary War hero , and Ann Hill Carter. Robert E. Lee spent the first four years of his childhood here before moving with his parents and siblings to Alexandria, Virginia. Years later, during the Civil War and after Lee's wife's home, Arlington, had been turned into a United States military cemetery, Lee wrote a letter to his daughters Agnes and Annie Lee. “I am much pleased,” he wrote on November 22, 1861, “at your description of Stratford and your visit. It is endeared to me by many recollections, and it has always been a great desire of my life to be able to purchase it. Now that we have no other home, and the one we so loved has been so foully polluted, the desire is stronger with me than ever.” Lee never purchased Stratford, however, and never owned a home., After thirty-two years of service in the U.S. Army, Lee resigned his commission on April 20, 1861, and accepted command of Virginia's army and naval forces three days later. On June 1, 1862, Confederate President Jefferson Davis gave him command of the Army of Northern Virginia. Lee became general-in-chief of Confederate forces on January 1, 1865. He surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. In October 1865, Lee became president of Washington College in Lexington, Virginia. He died there on October 12, 1870.
Robert Edward Lee was born at Stratford Hall on January 19, 1807, to Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee — a Revolutionary War hero — and Ann Hill Carter. Robert E. Lee spent the first four years of his childhood here before moving with his parents and siblings to Alexandria, Virginia. Years later, during the Civil War and after Lee's wife's home, Arlington, had been turned into a United States military cemetery, Lee wrote a letter to his daughters Agnes and Annie Lee. “I am much pleased,” he wrote on November 22, 1861, “at your description of Stratford and your visit. It is endeared to me by many recollections, and it has always been a great desire of my life to be able to purchase it. Now that we have no other home, and the one we so loved has been so foully polluted, the desire is stronger with me than ever.” Lee never purchased Stratford, however, and never owned a home.
After thirty-two years of service in the U.S. Army, Lee resigned his commission on April 20, 1861, and accepted command of Virginia's army and naval forces three days later. On June 1, 1862, Confederate President Jefferson Davis gave him command of the Army of Northern Virginia. Lee became general-in-chief of Confederate forces on January 1, 1865. He surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to Union Gen. Ulysses
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S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. In October 1865, Lee became president of Washington College in Lexington, Virginia. He died there on October 12, 1870.
Erected by Virginia Civil War Trails.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Civil War Trails series list.
Location. 38° 9.048′ N, 76° 50.394′ W. Marker is in Montross, Virginia, in Westmoreland County. Marker is on Great House Road, 0.6 miles north of Stratford Hall Road (Virginia Route 214), on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 483 Great House Road, Montross VA 22520, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, November 17, 2018
2. Stratford Hall Marker
Also see . . . Stratford Hall Plantation. Robert E. Lee Memorial Association, Inc. (Submitted on January 15, 2019.)
Photographed By William E. West, 1838
3. Robert E. Lee, 1838 by William E. West
Close-up of image on marker
Photographed By Mattie Ward, circa 1850
4. Great House, 1850s by Mattie Wood
Stratford escaped damage during the Civil War, but in 1864 Union soldiers took away supplies and slaves belonging to Stratford's then owner Mrs. Elizabeth Storke. One slave William “Bill” Payne (ca. 1836-1926) left the Federals and returned to Stratford and his family.
Close-up of image on marker
Photographed By John Neagle, circa 1830
5. Sidney Smith Lee, ca. 1830 attributed to John Neagle
Sidney Smith Lee (1802-1869), Robert E. Lee's older brother, resigned his U.S. Navy Commission on April 28, 1861, to serve in the Confederate States Navy. Diarist Mary Chestnut described Smith Lee as “handsome enough to bring up the average.”
Close-up of portrait in the Visitors Center
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, November 17, 2018
6. Stratford Hall
Credits. This page was last revised on January 15, 2019. It was originally submitted on January 12, 2019, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 286 times since then and 37 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on January 12, 2019, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.