Robert E. Lee Resigns His US Commission: He'll Fight for Virginia Instead
Lee stood in his quarters, staring at two flags: the stars of the Union and the banner of Virginia. He didn't just resign; he burned his bridges with a single signature on April 20, 1861, handing over his sword to Jefferson Davis. That split tore apart families like his own—his brother-in-law Ulysses S. Grant now stood across the line from him at Appomattox. He chose blood over law, and the war began in earnest. You can't look at a family photo today without wondering who would have drawn a sword for which side.
April 20, 1861
165 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on April 20
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bataille d'Artah qui oppose les Francs de Tancrède de Hauteville (régent d'Antioche) aux Turcs du malik d'Alep Ridwân lors d'une des premières des huit Croisade…
A mother and son fought over Jerusalem, not for glory, but for who held the reins of power. For eight years, Baldwin III and Queen Melisende clashed, tearing th…
en Tordehumos (España), el rey de León, Alfonso IX, y el de Castilla, Alfonso VIII, firman el Tratado de Tordehumos.
Ein Brand zerstört am Karfreitag große Teile Magdeburgs, unter anderem den unter Kaiser Otto erbauten Magdeburger Dom und die Königspfalz.
en Sicilia, el rey Pedro III nombra a Roger de Lauria almirante de la armada aragonesa de Sicilia.
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