Who was the Confederate general known for opposing secession but later leading the Confederate Army during the Civil War?

The Confederate general recognized for his initial opposition to secession yet later commanding the Confederate Army during the Civil War is Robert E. Lee. Before the war, Lee was a prominent military officer in the United States Army and expressed his loyalty to the Union. However, when Virginia seceded from the Union, he chose to remain loyal to his home state, despite his reservations about secession itself. His leadership and military strategies earned him a reputation as one of the most celebrated commanders of the Confederate forces, highlighting the complexities of loyalty and duty during this tumultuous period in American history. Lee’s decision ultimately reflects the personal conflicts many individuals faced between their allegiances to their state and to the Union as a whole.