The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1864-08-24

Of The Va. Bap. Col. Board, applied 10 him
Tor general passport. Being busy at the |
time. Ire told him TO call at the = Ballard |
House" " at a certain hour aud lie would
write II for him. Not knowing the Gene
raj brother ID. supposed that this was pro-
badly apolite way Of declining. and thought
no more about il until year afterwards
the General met him on the streets oi
Charleston, S. c., recognized him. asked
why he did not meet him at the !" Ballard
House " TO get his passport, and offered to
write Il Tor him then.
He does not like display but frequently
dresses in citizens clothes, Che usually
wears plain uniform and rides about
unattended. During one of the seven days
fighting around Richmond in the summer Of
62 he was quietly resting under tree
when surgeon rode up and said: sold
man have selected that tree for my hos
pital and you must leave" There is
room enough for both of US, Dr., until the
wounded come, .meekly responded the
General; but the surgeon was beginning to
order him of again when an aid rode up
and addressed him a. Gen. Lee. To the
surgeons profuse apologies he only re-
piled, /" There is room enough for US both,
Doctor.
lie IS OF very even temper. and has been
rarely known 10 exhibit signs Of impatience
and then ih the most quiet msnner. While
in Pennsylvania some troops. under the
eyes Of their officers, violating his order
against the destruction Of private property,
he rode over to where they were and dis
mounting from bis horse begun with his
own hands 10 put up fence that had been
thrown down-his staff followed his exam.
pie, and as soon as the soldiers saw him
they fell to work with yell and SOM had
the fence rebuilt. Alter The affair at Bris-
towe last Fall he is said 10 have been in a
bad humor for week, but gave few yisi-
BILE evidences OF il. On the return across
the Rappahannock seeing crowd Of dlrrs
gathered where The pontoon bridge was be-
| ing built he seized hold Of beam with the
remark. Il reckon shall have TO do eve
rything." II is needless 10 add that all
the idlers tuok held and the bridge was
soon built.
Ills habits are as simple as his dress.
He never makes his headquarters in a
house aud often bivauscts out with the
men. lie told me not long since that even
the tent which he used for his winter quar-
tiers, was too close for him, aud that his
health is always better when he IS roushing
in an active campaign. He is ever willing
TO share the fare Of his men and is satisfied
with what they get. While camped near
Ilamilton's Crossing, when ratiohs were
very short, he invited hls Youngest son
then private in the Rockbrldge Artillery,
10 take dinner with him. The bill Of fare
was !. beef and bread and bread and beef, I"
and young Lee asked, !" Father il this the
best you can do al headquarters Yes, :
replied the General. .it is the best We can
do al present. and am satisfied since i i
the fare of my men,. ieung Lee then
Invited his fa,he. to dine with his mess on
d certain day, and by tile aid Of friends 10
the neiehborhood they had an elegant din
ner prepared which The General pronoanc.
ed j" too luxurious for camp" On visit
TO Richmond last January, at whish time
there was great scarcity ut rations ~ \ he
army, Ne declined all invitations to dinners
and suppers ON the ground that he " could
not consent 70 be ieasting while his men
we're on half rations. And at dinner
near Orange C. II. he passed BY the loxu.
ries with which the table was loaded and
dined ON " beef and bread" remarking that
/" The fare Of his soldiers vas good enough
for him. !" In the same spirit he declined
the beautiful residence offered him for bis
family by the city council Of Richmond,
saying that "if they had funds TO use fol
the benefit Of soldiers he hoped they would
appropriate them for the benefit Of his pti-
Yates who were more needy and more de.
serving than himself. !"
i shall not attempt TO review the military
c.raar nc tha grcaf .hie(tain. since il ii