Robert E. Lee was born in 1807 in Virginia and commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War. He declined an offer to lead the Union Army because Virginia seceded from the Union. Though he disagreed with slavery and secession, he remained loyal to Virginia. Lee was a skilled military strategist who favored offensive strategies but defensive tactics. Some of his most notable victories include the Battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. After several defeats in 1862-1863, it became clear the Confederacy would lose the war. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in 1865, effectively ending the Civil War.