Sorry, I've been off line for the last three days doing repairs due to a storm. And WOW 282 posting in just 3 days!!!!!

Anyway I am moving this to the top of the page from waaaay down below as an extension to the thread "Lee's Rank".

I have always wondered about how Lee's being offered the commanding generals position of the United States Army fits into the timeline of the Virginia secession.

April 15, 1861 president Abraham Lincoln sent via the Secretary of War a request for 75,000 militia for three months to put down rebellious combinations in seven states.

The Virginia Convention passed an Ordinance of secession on April 17th, 1861 subject to the vote of the people of Virginia. This referendum vote took place and ratified the Virginia Convention Ordinance on May 23rd, 1861 by a 132,201 to 37451 vote. A period of 6 weeks between the Convention Ordanance of Secession and the public referendum for it to became legal.

Now during that 6 week period before Virginia officially seceded, Lincoln authorized the Blockading of the Virginia ports on April 27th, 1861.

Evidently Lee was offered the position of General of the US Army on/or about April 18th, and submitted his resignation from the Army to Winfield Scott on April 20th. Command of this newly United States Army final came to rest of BREVET Major and asst inspector General Irwin McDowell. That is a long ways down on the seniority list I would think.

Lee's home in Arlington Heights was occupied by Federal forces on May 24th, 1861. In other words Lee's home was the very first casuality of the first Union invasion of the south.