What did Robert E. Lee do before he joined the confederacy?

Answer 1

Before joining the Confederacy, Robert E. Lee had a distinguished military career in the United States Army. He graduated second in his class from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1829 and served in various capacities, including as an engineer and in the Mexican-American War. In the years leading up to the Civil War, he held the position of superintendent at West Point and was also involved in the efforts to quell John Brown's raid at Harpers Ferry. His leadership and military expertise earned him respect within the U.S. Army prior to his decision to side with the Confederacy in 1861.