Born on January 19, 1807, Robert E. Lee started his military life out strong, graduating from West Point with a perfect score in artillery, infantry and cavalry. Later Lee went on to serve under General Winfield Scott as a tactician and a battle commander in the Mexican War. After the victory, he was recognized as a hero. Returning to war from working at his family plantation, Lee took the lower job as a cavalry outpost in Texas. That October, he was called to help end the John Brown Revolt that had occurred. Lee had great success ending the revolt within an hour and was recommended for the position of a leader of the Union Army if they were to ever go to war. His commitment to his home state, Virginia, overruled his commitment to the Army,
