I had always been taught and believed that Lee's ultimate loyalty was to Virginia, and he was forced to choose when it appeared Virginia was going to secede. There is some truth in the point of honor, and wanting to state his own reasons for resigning, as opposed to having it seem he resigned rather than obey a specific order. He had in March sworn his oath to the Constituion when he was promoted to full Colonel. The article made a point of Lighthorse Harry's loyalty to the union, but he never had to choose between that and Virginia, as Lee did. Stan