On January 23, 1861, General Robert E. Lee wrote a letter to his son, Custis Lee, sharing his thoughts on secession and the Confederacy. Lee dealt throughout his adult life with questions about slavery, freedom, and race. As a slaveholder, he never questioned white supremacy or Black inferiority. If he questioned slavery at all, it was because it presented a burden to southern whites and not because of its impact upon the lives of southern Blacks. He blamed northern abolitionists for the controversy over slavery. Once he had identified his interests with those of the Confederacy, Lee stood ready to wage aggressive war to beat back Union battalions and weaken northern support for the war effort. These were the concerns voiced in his letter to his son.