his upstairs bedroom. Below, Mary listened as = he paced=20 thefloor above, then heard a mild thump as he fell to his knees in = prayer.Below, she also prayed (Kelly 41). Hours later he showed her two letters he had written. In one he = resignedhis commission in the United States Army. In the other, he=20 expressedpersonal thoughts to General Scott. Later, his wife would = write:=20 "Myhusband has wept tears of blood over this terrible war, but as = a man=20 ofhonor and a Virginian, he must follow the destiny of his State" = (Kelley=20 41). Only two days after his resignation from the United States = Army,=20 Leetravelled to Richmond to accept his commission as a General in = theConfederate army J. Davis-Papers). Lee's impact was felt = immediately on=20 theconfederacy. As a seasoned military strategist, he brought the = mostcomprehensive, technologically advanced knowledge of warfare to = bearagainst his own former army (Nash 257). General Lee's first campaign in what was to become West = Virginia was=20 not agreat success. Command of the Eastern Army was divided between = the hero=20 ofFort Sumpter, P.G.T. Beauragard, and Joseph Johnston who = together won=20 thefirst big battle of the East, Bull Run. Thus Joseph Johnston = was in=20 commandwhen George B. McClellan started his march on Richmond. When = Johnston=20 wentdown with wounds it was easy for Davis to replace him with = General Lee.=20 Leeimmediately took charge and attacked, trying to make up for his = numberswith audacity. He drove the Union army back about 25 miles, but = was=20 unableto destroy it in a series of continuous battles known as the = Seven=20 DaysBattle. In September of 1862, McClellan attacked Lee at the Battle of=20 Antietam.McClellan attacked Lee but failed to break his lines. Lee, = realising=20 thathe was in a dangerous position and far from his supplies, = retreated=20 andtook up a defensive position behind the Rappangonnock River in=20 northernVirginia...
