Robert E. Lee, Lieutenant of Engineers, Fort Monroe, VA, circa 1831
- Card type
- Printed photo
About this postcard
An oil portrait shows Robert E. Lee as a young U.S. Army lieutenant of engineers. He has dark hair and sideburns and wears a dark military coat with gold-fringed epaulettes, a star-and-wreath collar emblem, and brass buttons. The painting's surface is heavily craquelured against a dark reddish-brown background. The caption ties the portrait to Lee's early service at Fort Monroe, Virginia, from 1831 to 1834. There he worked on the moat and Water Battery, designed buildings and wharves, and supervised construction at the Rip Raps. His first child was born at the fort in 1832, during the years he was helping strengthen one of the Army's key coastal defenses.
Postcard Details
No address detected
Postcard record
| Publisher | Walter H. Miller |
|---|---|
| Series | 25249 |
| Place mentioned | Fort Monroe, VA |
| Publisher | Williamsburg, VA |
| Notes | No printed text or border visible on the front; image is a photograph of a cradled/cracked oil painting. No postmark or stamp present; divided-back chrome-era card, glossy surface, no white border. Printed back caption: "ROBERT E. LEE, LIEUTENANT OF ENGINEERS, U. S. ARMY," followed by text on his 1831–1834 service at Fort Monroe (directed work on the moat and the Water Battery, designed buildings and wharves, supervised construction on the Rip Raps; first child born there in 1832). Also printed: "Portrait by William E. West," "Color Photograph by Walter H. Miller," "Courtesy Mrs. Robert E. Lee, 3rd," publisher "Walter H. Miller, Williamsburg, Virginia," and series number 25249. Pencil dealer marks "#59" and "1-" at lower right; small printer's logo (K in diamond) at lower left. |
Cite this card
Robert E. Lee, Lieutenant of Engineers, Fort Monroe, VA, circa 1831, postcard, c. 1907. PostalPast Collection. https://postalpast.com/postcard/robert-e-lee-lieutenant-of-engineers-fort-monroe-va-circa-18. Accessed November 2, 2026.