The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-05-12
PICTURE OF THE CoNFEDERATE
GENERAIS

Inc hchmono correspondent OF the London
Times writing on the 2lst of November last, gives
the following graphic descriptions of the Con-
federate Generals, Lee, Jackson and Longstreet
| Gen. Lee is, believe, between so and 60 years
of age but wears his years well, and strikes you as
the incarnation Of health and endurance, as he
rears his erect soldier-like form from his seat by
the fre-side to greet courteously the stranger
His manner is calm and stately his presence iai-
pressiye and imposing, his dark brown eyes re-
markably direct and honest as they meet you fully
and firmly, and inspire plsnary confidence. The
shape and type of the head q little resemble
GarlbadIs, but the features are those of much
handsomer man. On the rare occasions when he
smiles, aud on the still rarer occasions when he
laughs heartily, disclosing q fne unbroken row of
"nite, arm set teeth, the confidence and sympathy
"hich ne inspires are irresistible A child thrown
! among knot of strangers would bo Inevitably
drawn to Gen. Lee first in the company, and would
run to claim bis protection. The voice is fine and
deep, but slightly monotonous in its tone
! Altogether, the most winning attribute of the
General is his unaffected chidlike guilelessness
1t is very rare that man of his age, conversant
with important events, and thrown to the surface
| of mighty commissions, retains the impress of q
simple, ingenious nature to so eminent degree.
1t is impossible to converse with him for ten
minutes without perceiving how deeply he has
meditated upon all the possible eventualities of the
considered the positions which he advances.
1t is obvious that the most entire and trusting
confidence is placed in Gen Lee by his subordi-
nate officers, whose respect and affection he seems
thoroughly to have won. The General is still
| crippled in his hands from the effects of fall,
which he sustained so long ago as the 30th of
August. At dawn of that day, he rode across
the historical stream of Bull Run, and observing
patch of herbage, he dismounted and allowed
hic horc 70 tbok Al
had carried him the whole preceding day almost
without food. The General himself sat down on
| stump. There were only a few cavalry pickets
of Confederates between Gen. Lee and the enemy
Suddenly charge of large body of Yankee
cavalry drove in the Confederate pickets and
came close up to the spot where Gen. Lee was
The General ran forward to catch his horse, and
grasping at the rein his horse sidled off, he fell
heavily forward entangled in his cloak upon both
hands, and Jared the nerves of the arms right up
to the shoulders His horse was caught by one Of
his staff, and the Yankee cavalry, not knowing
what valuable prize was close at hand fell back
without approaching more nearly. The General
rode throughout the whole of that eventful day,
the 3Oth of August, but for many days and nights
be suffered agonizing pain; and even now, on the
21st of November, he is far from having wholly
recovered the full of his hands, though not
for day or hour has he permitted himself to
be absent from duty.
a similar abnegation of self is visible in every |
thought and act of Gen. Lee. "If only l am |
permitted to finish the work / have on hand, |
would be content to live on bread and beef for the
rest of my life. Occasionally we have only beef,
occasionally only bread; but if we have both |
together, and salt is added to them, we think our
selves Sybarites. Upon this occasion, it was
necessary to stop and procure food for some of the
younger men," These some of the character
istc utterances which struck me as they came
from Gen. Lees lips. In reference to the last, il |
would seem as though the ordinary demands of
human appetite were in him subordinated and
subjected in presence of the imperious exactions
required from his brain. 10 all the varied attrib-
utes which go to make up the commander-in chief
of great army, it is certain that Gen Lee has no
superior in the Confederacy, and it may fairly be
doubted whether he has any equal
Gen. Lee has three sons in the army--the one
General under Gen. J. E. B. Stuart, the second
Colonel, the third "a lad of 18) who is a private
attached to of the batteries of Gen Jackson
corps. In reference to tie last Gen. Lee told me
a story which seemed to me, for the first and only
time during many conversations, to have elected
from the narrator faint traces of emotion Most
certainly it difficult to listen to the story with
out ones self experiencing such emotion. 1t
appears that at the most critical moment of the
battle of Sharpsburg, when Gen. Lee was ordering
up every gun to meet the heavy masses of Federal
artillery pressing the centre, ne observed a
single gun harnessed and ready for action the sole
survivor of battery which had been engaged
earlier in the day, and had been roughly handled |
by the Federals. Gen. Lee Immediately ordered
the gun to the front. AS it passed to the front,
coming close to the spot where Gen. Lee was
standing, he recognized in the postillion mounted
on the leading horses his young son. The boy
turned and smiled brightly his father, exclain-
ing, $50 see that you are sending us in again"
Tt is a pleasure to add that, although slightly
wounded, the boy lived to come safely out of the l
terrible engagement.
At distance of seven miles from Gen Lees
headquarters, near the little village of Bunkerh
were the headquarters of the hero of heroes of /
this struggle, Gen. Stonewall Jackson We had
been taught to expect a morose, reserved, distant
reception; We found the most genial, courteous
and forthcoming of companions. bright, pierre
ing, blue eye, slightly aquiline nose, thin, TALL
sinewy frame, 'made all over of pnwire, great
disregard of dress and sppearance-tbese are
the characteristics of Gen. Jackson's exterior.
There is also about him very direct and honest
look. The disappointing circumstance is, that his
voice, which is rapid in its utterance ID weak aud
Passiouately attached TO the Val
ley of Virginia, which has for so long been the
prineiual sceec of his achievements, idolized by
the inhabitants of Winchester and Of the Valley,
General Jackson has acquired such fame in that
entire neighborhood that it is sad to think what
would happen If the one life round which such
prestige clings should yield to stray bullet or to