Robert E. Lee
A major part of Robert E. Lee’s notoriety stems from the fact that he was a controversial Confederate general during the American Civil War. Lee was born in 1807 to a soldier who had served in the Revolutionary War, and he continues to be reviled for his stance on slavery. In this 1845 photo, he is shown alongside his son, William Henry Fitzhugh Lee.
Robert E. Lee
George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer, born in 1839, is pictured here in 1860 before he began sporting his now-iconic mustache. From failing out of the United States Military Academy to being labeled a “foolish” cavalry officer whose tactical abilities are still up for debate, his entire life was defined by failure. During the climactic Battle of Little Bighorn, where he was ultimately killed, he suffered a spectacular defeat that has become legendary. Custer’s Last Stand describes this moment in history.
George Armstrong Custer
