The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-15 00:00:00

THE LATE GENERAL LEE.

The Atlantic cable, since the day of its first operation,
has not had a more melancholy duty to perform than the
transmission of the news that General Lee is dead. The
United States have lost the greatest military
commander the Republic has ever produced, and
one who may not unfavourably be compared
with the best strategists of the century. Few generals
can lay claim to a career which combines such instances of
brilliant aggressive triumphs with an obstinate dogged
defence against great odds. Nor is strategic ability his
only title to remembrance. His private virtues were con-
spicuous. He leaves an unsullied as well as
a great name. The cause in which he was
enlisted during the most famous period of his
career naturally led to his withdrawal from public life
when that cause was lost, fighting against the Union,
retirement remained his only resource when the Union
was accomplished. But death will bring him from obscu-
rity, and his position as one of the first names of the Re-
public is assured.
General Lee was born iu Virginia. His family possess
great estates in that part of the Union. His father,
General Henry Lee, was the friend of Washington, and
the family is connected by relationship with the first Presi-
dent of the Republic. Christened Robert Edmund,
young Lee received a liberal education, and was
admitted to West Point military school as a cadet.
In, July, 1829, he commenced service as second
lieutenant of engineers. After a voyage to Europe he con-
centrated his attention on the public service. In 1835 ho
accompanied, in the capacity of astronomer, the expedi-
tion charged with defining the frontiers of Ohio and
Michigan. In September 1836 he became first lieutenant,
and captain in July 1838. Several years passed without
events of much importance. During the war witl
Mexico, Captain Lee had the direction of the engineers,
and was specially attached to the army corps of General
Wool. Distinction soon came. In 1846 Lee was
brevetted Major for gallantry at Cerro Gordo ; on August
20, 1847, he took the grade of Lieutenant-Colond
for bravery at Contreras and Churubusco ; and on Sep-
tember 13, of the same year, fine conduct at Chapultapee
secured him the rank of Colonel. After the war with
Mexico his military skill remained inactive, but rusteti
not, during a lengthy term of peace. He was appointed
a member of the Board of Engineers, and in 1852 became
superintendent of the military academy at West Point.
When the Crimean War broke out, Colonel Lee was
sent to study the operations before Sebastopol,
and, strange to say, had with him as colleague
M'Clellan, whom he afterwards opposed at the head of
the Confederate Army. Ho was appointed Lieutenant-
Colonel of cavalry, and, on his return from the war in
the East, took the command of the Ist Regiment of that
arm. He was stationed with this regiment at San Antonio,
in Texas, in 1861.

The civil war broke out. Lee at once resigned his post
in the Federal Army, and offered his services to the State
of Virginia, which had just seceded from the Union, and
was, of course, most immediately threatened with inva-
sion. Henceforth, the history of Lee is that of the civil
war. To recapitulate the details of that great and most
impressive conflict would be out of the question; but
some more salient features of that portion of
the war in which Lee took part may be noted.
He received from Governor Letcher the command
of the Confederate army organising in Virginia. In the
first year of the war he accomplished nothing. He was
sent in the summer by President Davis to conduct some
military operations in the mountains of Virginia,
but the roads were so defective and the organisation of
his army so bad that nothing could be done.
Afterwards, until June 1862, General Lee was occupied
in organising and equipping the Confederate troops. On
the 26th of that month he replaced Johnson, who had
been wounded in the battle of the Seven Pines, in the
command of the army entrusted with the defence of
Richmond. On the next day, having rallied the forces of
"Stonewall " Jackson, he defeated the Federals at
Gaines' Mill. Teen. wits, t;1.- a-+,iit.i.nce of Jackson. he
vigorously pursued tne army of the Potomac until they
came upon the army of Virginia on the line of the Rappa-
hannock, under tau orders ot eaeral Pope. Four days
desperate fighting, frJni August 20th to August 23rd,
ended in the defeat of Pope. The fighting was resumed
on the 27th near Ma,ilaSSes, and on the 30th
terminated in the utter route of the Federal forces.
Lee followed them up, and entered Maryland. Here
fortune very decidedly changed. As defender Lee had
met with uninterrupted success ; as assailant he did not
shine so conspicuously. After issuing a proclamation to
the inhabitants of Maryland, which, in sooth, met • with
little success, Lee was encountered by MacClellan, who
had improvised an army at Washington, consisting
partly of new recruits, partly of the debris of
regiments scattered in the previous battles. The Federals
attacked at Halters Town on September 14th. The batthi
lasted two days, and ended in the retreat of the Con'
federates. Jackson came to the help of Lee, and the
two fought again at Sharpsburg on the 16th, and
at Antietam on the 17th of September. Both
battles were very bloody. Lee was wounded
at.Antietana. The Federals preserved the advantage, and
their antagonists had to abandon Maryland. Retired be-
hind,the Rappahannock, Lee was again victorious. He
drove Burnside back at Fredericksburg, on the 18th of
December, and fortified himself there very strongly.
After a while the Federals resumed the attack, but
Hooker, who commanded their forces, met with a melan-
choly defeat at Chancellorsville, on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of
May. General Lee, encouraged by these victories,
attempted another invasion of the Federal territory, and
again it proved unfortunate. After several partial
successes, the Confederate army was beaten in the great
battle of Gettysburg, which lasted three days, commence
ing on the Ist of July. This famous victory, gained by
General Meade, delivered the Federal territory from all
danger of invasion.

Soon all General Lee's energies were needed for the
defence of Richmond, against which the Federals directed
their forces. Commander-in-Chief of the Confederate
army in May, 1864, he commenced a long struggle
of defence against Grant, a contest as re-
markable for the gallantry of the assailed es
for the obstinacy of the assailants. May and
June were full of terrible battles. That of the Wilder-
ness lasted five days, the sth and 6th, and the 10th, 11th,
and 12th of May. Very dearly purchased, the advantage
remained with Grant. Yet such indecisive engagements
carried the Federal leader but very slowly towards
Richmond, and the heavy losses he sustained
greatly discouraged hia troops. Grant received
a check on the 3rd of June; but he
nevertheless succeeded In turning Richmond and com-
mencing the siege of Pittsburg, one of the keys of the
Confederate capital. Eight terrible days of slaughter led
to as little decisive result as the Wilderness battles. On
the 18th of June alone Grant lost 8,000 men. The opera-
tions of the Federal commander, too, were greatly im-
peded by the numerous defeats of his lieutenants. Never-
theless, he pushed, on, and sought to make himself
master, not only of the streams, but also of the railways
of importance—the railway lines playing a great part in
the strategy of this campaign, to which indeed they gave
quite a new character. Whilst Grant was attacking Pitts-
burg, Lee passed the Rappahanock and the Potomac, and
threatened Washington. But Grant remained where he
was. Having made himself master of some of the fortifi-
cations of Pittsburg, he attempted an assault on the
city on the 30th of Juno, but was repulsed with loss. In
August Grant tried a coup de main upon Richmond, but
was beaten, and retired to his positions, closely pressed by
the indefatigable Leo. More useless efforts against
Richmond were attempted by Grant and Butler
united. At length, however, the end came. On the 25th
of March, 1865, a dear victory was gained by the Fede-
rals before Pittsburg ; and three final days of desperate
fighting, on the Ist, 2nd, and 3rd of April, led to a deci-
sive result. Pittsburg and Richmond were taken, the
latter place being burned. The losses of the Confederates
were enormous, and their defeat utter. Lee fled to the
north-east. Pursued by Grant, he attempted one last
hopeless combat at Burkesville, and on the 9th of April
capitulated on honourable conditions at Oppoponax
Court-house. So ended this most desperate campaign.
There remains little more to say. By the nature of his
position, Lee was constrained to remain in the background
after the dissolution of the Southern Confederacy, and in
consequence we hear little of him during the years that
followed the termination of the war. After his surrender
he retired to Weldon, and soon afterwards made his sub-
mission to the Federal Government. It is known that ho
believed the war to be hopeless for some time before
President Davis would hear of coming to terms. During
the latter years of his life he acted as President of Wash-
ington College at Lexington, in the state of Virginia.
The reputation he obtained as a general during those
four years of war ranks exceedingly high. Whilst his
forces were comparable to those of his opponents, he almost
constantly proved victor • when he contended on dis-
advantageous terms his defence was a model of ingenuity.
Of the commanders of the present generation only Von
Moltke can be compared with him, but between the two
it is impossible to judge, for the circumstances under
which they have contended are widely dissimilar. In his re-
markable combination of able generalship and virtuous
life, General Lee more nearly resembled Moreau than any
other modern commander.