Was Robert E. Lee a democrat or republican?

Answer 1

Lee was probably a Whig for most of his life. He most definitely was NOT a Republican. The Republican Party was not formed until 1854, and ran its first candidate for president in 1856 (he lost). When Lincoln became president in 1860 he got just under 40% of the popular vote, and carried none of the southern states. This was possible because he had three opponents, a northern Democrat, a southern Democrat, and a Constitutional Union candidate, splitting the Democratic vote three ways.

The very worst thing a southerner could do after the war was to become a Republican. Such a person would be ostracized, no matter how outstanding their war record might have been. An example is Lieutenant General James Longstreet, who commanded the First Corps of Lee's Army throughout the war. Lee called Longstreet "my old war horse". After the war Longstreet turned Republican, and accepted government jobs from his old friend, President Grant. For this apostasy he was reviled in newspapers, blamed in books for losing battles and the war, and to this day there is no statue of Longstreet anywhere in the south. Longstreet lived until 1904. For a century after the war the south remained completely Democratic, the "Solid South", until the Civil Rights Movement and the success it obtained from the Democrats caused many white southerners to switch to the Republican Party.

The Whigs ran their last candidate for president in 1852. He was General in Chief (commander) of the US Army, Winfield Scott. Lee had served on Scott's staff during the Mexican War, 1846-48. The Whig Party died out after losing the 1852 election, creating the void which allowed for the newly created Republican Party to rise so swiftly to national prominence.

Answer 2

General Robert E Lee was in fact a democrat. He was for slavery and defended the south during the Civil War.

Answer 3

Yes Robert E. Lee was a Democrat, the Republicans have always been the civil rights party, but recently have lost their good name.

Answer 4

Yes