Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-10-09
Lee and LOngstreet. l.

contains rather interesting article on "tl
Campaign in Pennsylvania and the Battle
Gettysburgh," by an English officer, who a,
comIanicd the rebel army through that can
paIgn. The writer had been a number ,
months in the South, and synpathizes strong
ly with the rebels. We extract some person
al descriptions Of Gems Lee and Iongstreet
Gen. Lee is almost without exception. tn
handsomest man of his age ever saw He
, j6 year, old, tall. broad-shouldered very we
made, well set up-a thorough soldier in appear
. ance; and his manners are most courteous an,
full Of dignity. He Is a perfect gentlemen II
, every respect imagine no man has 80 fey
enemies, or is 50 universally esteemed. Through
, out the South all agree in pronouncing him To b
, a9 near perfection a man can be. lie has nom
ofthe small vices such as smoking, drinking chew
ing or swearing and his bitterest enemy never ac
cusei him of any of the greater ones. He general
ly wears a Well-wurn, long grey Jacket a higl
black felt hat, and blue trousers tucked into hi.
Wellington boots. | never saw him carry arms
and the only marks of his military rank are tn,
three stars on his collar. lie rides a handsom,
horse which is extremely well groomed. lie
himself Is very neat in his dress and person, and
J.
looks smart and clean.
In the Old army he was always considered one
Of its best officers and At the outbreak of these
troubles he was lieutenant-colonel of the u Cav
airy. lie was a rich man, but his fine estate
was one Of the first to fall into the hands of the
enemy. | believe he has never slept in a house,
since he has commanded the Virginia army. and
he invariably declines all offers Of hospitality,
for fear the person offering It may afterwards
get into trouble for having sheltered the rebel
general. Tire relations between him and Long
street are quite touching-they are almost al
WAYS together Longstreet's corps complain Of
tins sometimes. as they say they seldom get a
chance of detached service, which falls TO the lot
of Ewell Il is impossible TO please Longstreet
more than by praising Lee. believe these two
| generals 10 be AS little ambitious and tho
roughly unself-h any men in the world. Both
! long for a successful termination Of the war, in
/ order that they may retire into ohscurity.
Stonewall jackson (untl his death the third
! in command Of their army was Just such anoth-
! er simple-mindei servant Of his country. IL Is
understood that General Lee j. religious man
| though not so demonstrative in that respect A.
| jackson; and unlike hi, late brother in arms.
I he Is a member Of the Church Of England. His
only faults. ST far As | can learn, arise from his
excessive amiahiIty.
The writer did not witness the repul>e of
the big charge of Friday, coming ON to that
part of the field Just after it was over. lie
tclls, 10, follows. how L,ngstrcct took it.
When got close up TO Gen. Lonr-treet, saw
one Of his regiments advancing through the
wool, IN good order; So, thinking was just
in time 90 zee the attack, remarked To- the
general that '' I wouldn't have missed this for
any thing Long,treet was seated at the top
Of a snake fence Al the eige Of the wood, and
looking perfectly calm and unperturhcd. lie
repei laughing. " The devil, YOU wouldn Q
I would like to have missed 1t very much; we've
attacked and been repulsed, look there
For the first time | then had % view Of the
open space between the two positions, and saw 1t
covered with Conteierates slowly and sulkiiy re-
turning towards Us m small broken parties, un-
der heavy fire OF artillery. But the fire where
we were WAS not 80 bad a. further 10 the rear,
for although the air seemed alive with shell, yet
the greater number burst behind Us.
No person could have been more calm or self
possessed than Gen. Longstreet under these try
ing circumstances aggravated as they now were
hy the movement Of the enemy. who began tG
show a strong disposition 10 advance could
now thoroughly appreciate t-c term bulldog
which I had heard applied to him hy the soldiers
lilIlfNlIlt~ effIIltTl lN AAANhf ' tNA'NA
upon him than 60 make him little more savage
The General was making the best arrange
meut> Ia his power 90 resist the threatened adj
vance. by advancing some artillery. ullyiuE the
stragglers. &c / remember seeing q general
Petugrcw, think,) come up 20 him, and
report that .'he was unable TO bring his men up
again" Ioucstreet turned upon him, and re-
piled with some sarcasm. VERY well ; never
mind then. General Just let them remain
where they are the enemy gong 10 advance,
and viii spare YOU the trouble
lie asked Tor something 20 drink ! gave him
some rum out Of my silver flask. which beg
gel he would keep in remembrance Of the osca-
sion he smiled. and, 20 ny great satisfaction.
accepted the memorial. He then went of 10
give some oriers 20 McLaws division.
Soon afterwards joined Gen. Lee, who had
In the meantime come 90 the front on becoming
aware Of the disaster. II Long>trect'- conduct
was admirable that Of ten. Lee was perfectly
sublime. lie was engaged in rallying and IN
encouraging the broken troops and was riding
about little in front Of the wood, quite alone,
the whole Of his staff being engaged in a similar
manner further TO the rear. His face, which Is
always placid and cheerful, did not show signs
Of the slightest disappointment, care, or annoy
ance and he was addressing 10 every soldier he
met "a few words Of encouragement, such as,
.'All this Will come right in the end Wei talk
it over afterwards but, in the meantime, all
good men must rally We want all good and
true men lust now, sc. Tie spoke to all the
wounded men that passed him, and the slightly
wounded he exhortel Ito bind up their hurts
and take up a musket' in thus emergency
Very few failel 10 answer his appeal, and saw
many badly wounded men take off their hats and
cheer him.
lie said to me, This has been a sad day for
". colonel sad day but we can't expect al
ways to gain victories" lie was also kind
enough to advise me to get into some sheltered
position.
| saw General Wilcox ian officer who wears
short round Jacket and battered straw hat) come
up to him. and explain, almost crying, the state
I OF his brigade General Lee Immediately shook
I hands with him and said, cheertully, Never
/ mind. general. all this has been my flult-it Is
| that have lost this fight and you must help
me out of it in the best way you can
/ In this manner | saw General Lee encourage
and reanimnte his somewhat dispirted troops,
and maguanimously take upon his own shoulders
T the whole weight Of the repulse. II WAS impos-
] ,ible TO look at him or to listen to him without
/ feeling the strongest admiration, and never saw
| any man fail him except the man in the ditch.
1t is difficult to exaggerate the critical state Of
] affairs as they appeared about this time General
Lee and his officers were evidently fully impress
ell with a sense Of the situation yet there was
much less noise, fuss, or confusion of orders
/ than at an ordinary feld-day the men, as they
were rallied in the wood, were brought up in
! detachments and lay down quietly and coolly in
/ the positions assigned to them.
/ An Old Virginia battlefield OF 1862, Is
| thus described
The inclined field. down which Crawford 5
| brigade, Of the 5th Connecticut, 2Sth Mass
achusetts. &c, charged, still bears marks of
that contest The wheat heaps are gone.
but the debris OF torn clothing and broken
equipments are scattered everywhere. The
countless scars on the tall pines in the rear
are healing with balsam hut the dead limbs
show where the missiles hit and the weedy
mounds. where the brave fell. On the rebel
side. where Cobb's brigade fought in ambush,
found the shallow graves gone, and the
I h,nes of the dead washed to the surface :;