The New York herald., 1862-04-12

campaign.
As s said above, General Lee graduated with great
distinction in the year 1929 He was immediately after
brevsted as second lieutenant OF the Engineer Corps,
Since which time he has always maintained his ascenden
cy in the military service. Among the public duties as
signed him in his career, in all Of which he exhibited
taents Of the highest ordcr, are the following
. In 1886 he was astronomer for fixing the boundary
ostween % onio and Michigan FIRST lieutenant In sep
General Woos army in the Mexican war, 1S47; brevet
major for the battle Of Cerro Gordo, April brovet
lieutenant colonel for the battles Of Contreras and
Cherubusco August 184 brevet colonel for the battle
Of Chepultopec, in which no was severely wounded
'September. I64T Superintendent OF United States MILL
tary Academy az West Point 1852 lieutenant colonel or
cavalry, 1856.
or the personal appearance and physique OF General
Loo the Richmond correspondent Of the Charleston
Courier thus spoke not many months ago.
Speaking Of General Lee, he appears 10 b every inch
. gentleman and officer Personally, In many charac-
tsrstcs no second edition OF General Beauregard,
inches taller He has broad, expansive forehead which
12ees ssf in locks OF iron gray hair well developed in
s aI ssS~n
undisurbed by anything behind IT, would not be unee-
coming 70 Quaker, but, aroused looks as Il he might
air Of military rgidty but lit up with smile seems TO
contain sort Of Intelligent bsnedction; nose slightly
the Roman style OF architecture, and q mouth
which, may Judge from the nes4around it-for It
Is concealed by heavy iron gray moust.che-s full OF
are afablo courteous and refined. combining nicely
the N nhonr,e Of man of the world with the dignity Of
position that you hardly toll where the begins
and tho other ends He dresses in plain black clothes
old felt hat which, In nine times out Of is
knocked side, in this attire the last
the world who would be taken for General Lee the first
Commander in Chief Of tho Virginia army.
The wife OF General Lee, in letter not long since
written by her friend states that General Lee has
shed "toars OF blood" over this terrible civil war;
SKETCH OF THE REBEL GENERAL JOHN BANKHEAD
MAGRUDER.
In tl,nn
edition OF 1862 this officers progress is thus deHned-
Magruder, John Bankhsad Vrginia) Cadet 1926 bro.
veted second lieutenant Infantry July l. $780, in First
Ahe.y 1881 Of ssa
june 1885, breveted major for gallant and meritorous
conduct IN the battle Of Cerro Gordo April 49, ls4;
(July, 1848), commandant light battery with Pillows
division breveted lieutenant colonel for gallant and
msrtorous conduct In battle of Cheputepec September
13, 1S47 (July, 184S) in which was wounded.
General Magruder Is not much less than sixty ycars
OF age; is toerably good looking man, though some
thing the for wear, and in respects Is
ceient oHcer He has eccentricities, which, had
he 6ourisbed in any other age country, would have
madc him as famous as Beau Brummel. When he en-
tered the army he possessed of some $4,000 That
lasted him something less than FIVE years. He Is ospe.
cally gorgeous furniture and sxtravagnnt his
. cusins-by which means he has ruined very many
young officers. He is also somewhat fantastic in
respect 70 personal adornments. When he vas
, trowsers, with red stripes OF enormous width
the stripes being in their turn striped with gold The
oeers had debating society in camp and this is Of
the questions which they vexed their minds and
exercised their oratorcai powers:-"Whether John B.
Magruder's trowsers blue with red stripes or rcd
with blue stripes" Tradition does not tell the decision;
but II understood that he members OF the society
were tsken "to view the premises" In one Of the bat
tles he directed to send section Of his battery
coud lieutenant. Having given the young subaltsrn his
orders, he added-"You want a breNet, don't your"
.sOf COURSE SIR" "wel, thsn let give you lttlo
advith. When you get there don't you mind whc-
thor there's any Msxicanth or not-you fire like
the deuth. Then they'll think you're o do ii Of
a fellow. Take my advith, and you'n get your
brevet" Tho young officer deserted no "Mexcanth,"
but he followed his superiors advice got his brevct and
was afterwards in responsible position in Washington
General Magruder wounded at Chcpultopec, the
record says So he Struck by a spent ball. The
occasion furnished opportunity for sensation and
not TO be lost. Drawing forth his handkerchief. he
treated the wound gently and Of course elegantly put on
look Of hcroism, and evidently about TO call for
brandy and water-he had taken the pecaution TO m
OF his timber boxes with wins. brandy cold chicken
and tho Ike, before going the nc!d-when a corporal
stepped forward and offered him water from
. cantecn. The captain sppcd little, and
handed the appendage ha.> Sith-'1hank you.
CORPORAL make you thargeant The tphot for your
confederation" The Unit It'd states reports speak
very favoably Of bis other in Mexico. At Cos
trsras, Cherubusco Molno del Rcy, Chcputcpec, the
Gate Ct Been and the city OF Mexico, his battery
always "n position" and generally "in 'front.'" At Con-
trsras especially whore ordered the "forlorn
hope front Of yaencas convergng, heavy batteries
to invite attack and occupy and amuse the oe with his
light gins. which could do harm against the opposing
fortress while smiths and Elcy's brgades were slowly
and laboriousy gaining the Of the enemy he suffer-
ed heavy loss, his battery being crippled and shat.
torod 10 pieces his horses killed, his slain
desperately wounded and the bravo and amented
Lieutenant Preston Johnston, of Virginia. killed by q
cannon shot az his side. Defying this iron hail.
storm hc dmy held his position until the blazing fire
OF his Laant comrades told that they in tho posi-
ton they sought and longer needed his aid when he
drew OF In good order his bleeding and mutated COM
mand.
During the whole Mexican campaign General (then
Captain Magrudor was engaged in less than ninc
battles. Ills escape from serious injury was so won
dcrful 70 Provdcntal He was wounded by a
rnusket ball In tho hand: again he knocked sorse
less from his horse by grapcshot, which grazei the
back Of his neck but he recovered and moved in
the light and once lie stood by his horse, holding
tho bride in his hand, while personally directing
some movement OF his guns, when cannon shot
struck the poor animal and buried itself in
{, the quiverisg body OF Tho brute leaving him.
scf unha- ned The General entered the Mexican
rst as lieutenant and afterwards became captain
he came ou. OF the lieutenant colonel by breve
having succeeded by regular seniority, to captaincy
and being promoted major for his services at Cerro Cor
DO and lieutenant colonel for meritorious conduct a
Chepul,epec. His most gallant and porious service at
Contrsras never received any reward from the United
States government although other officers, less disiin
gshed received three brevets, and he compelled to
submit TO the modification always calling 10 brave
soldier OF seeing officers promoted over him by special
favor graduated years after him. and who had not
.nred shot in the Too proud to com.
plain, he bore the reproach in dgnihed silence.