“Theodore Roosevelt, with his characteristic restraint, declared Lee 'the greatest of all the great captains that the English-speaking people have produced' (Cobb). Even though Robert E Lee was a Southern general, he was still a great general. Although General Robert E Lee was considered the most hated general of his time, he had exceptional working skills, overcame a horrible childhood and, above all, had a great moral education, which made him a great general. Robert E Lee's childhood shaped him into the man he grew up to become. Robert E Lee was the fifth child of Harry and Ann Lee (Thomas 30). Mr. Lee had only one parent present, namely Ann Lee. His father was in and out of prison for most of Robert E Lee's childhood. Robert E Lee's older brothers were also in college. His brothers weren't there, so they couldn't be his role models. Mr. Lee, unlike most children, had no repressed anger nor did he hate his father for leaving him. After Robert E Lee's father left, he never saw him again. His father died when Mr Lee was only 18 years old. Instead of joking that he will never have a real father, Robert E. Lee turned back and became his role model, or “the old man” (Thomas 95). For most children, when both parents are not present, this can lead to children acting abnormally. He didn't let his father leave him, his mother and his brothers ruin his life. Mr Lee couldn't do it anyway, because he had to look after his sick mother. Lee grew up faster than most children nowadays. Even though Mr. Lee's mother was deathly ill, his mother continued to carry on. A lesson Mr. Lee learned from his mother helped him throughout his childhood. General Lee's mother rooted her Christian values ​​in that... piece of paper... who was despised because he fought for the South. Even though he fought for the South, he was still considered an extraordinary general in the eyes of many. Robert E Lee consists of the qualities and traits to be an outstanding general. Exceptional work skills, overcoming a horrible childhood, and great moral visions combined to make Robert E. Lee the extraordinary general many view him as. Work Cited Cobb, James "How Did Robert E. Lee Become an American Icon?" Humanistic studies. July/August 2011: volume 32, Number 4.NEH.Gov. Network. 12 Feb 2014.Lee, Robert “Robert E Lee's Opinion on Slavery. Son of the South. 2014:n.pag. The civil war. Network. February 12, 2014. Sobel, Brian “Battlefield Leader: General Robert E. Lee.” General armchair. May 2007: 58-65. SIRS publishes research. Network. February 8, 2014.Thomas, Emory m. Robert E Lee New York: W∙W∙ Norton & Company, 1997. Print.