The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1865-08-12
GENERAL LEE DU RING THE PETERS
' esJ BURG BATTLE "a 4.

A correspondent of the World writes as fol-
lows: al
Soon after sunrise on the I'd Of April, the
Federal columns in heavy mass, advanced
from the outer liue of works, which they had
carried at daybreak, to attack General Lee 10
his inner intrenchments near Peters burg
When the present writer reached the. vicinity
of army headquarters, on the Cox road, west
Of the city, a Federal column was rapidly ad-
vancing to charge battery posted ins the open
fields to the right OF the house, and at that
time firing rapidly. General Lse, was in the
lawn in front of his HEADQUARTERS, 10 oking
through his glass at the column as it naov,d
at q double quick across the fields, apd ltnow~
ing the terrible Significance of the advantage
which the Federal troops had gained, l poked
at the Generai to ascertain, if possible, what
ne tnougnt OF IT. He never appeared more
calm; audit the affair'had been review, he
could not have exhibited less emotion of any
hited sword, and perfectly quiet look, he APPS
peared to be witnessing, with simple cQrios-
| ity, some military parade. ->ee 1A~"
The movement OF the Federal column be-
came more rapid, and the battery w a. soon
charged ;.sbut it succeeded in agalloping off
under heavy fire of muskeTy. The;eo lumn
then pressed on, and the Federal sartii lery
opened heavy fire on the hill, before u ,hieh
the Southern guns-thers was no I6fan:trg-
Withdrew General Lee retired slowly with
his artil cry, riding his well-knnown! iron
graY land one person, at least, in the com pany
forgot the shell and sharp .shoo sers looking at
the superb old cavalier, erect as an arrow, and
as calm as May morning. When he said to
an officer near, "This is bad business, Cols
oneL RI there was4no excitement in his voice,
or, indeed, any change whatsoever inc i.s
grave and courteous tones A slight flush
| came TO his face, however, moment after
wards. A shell from the Federal batteries,
| fired at the group, burst almost upon him,
killing a horse near by. and cutting his Bride
reins. This brought decided expression Of
eight to3the old soldiers face, and he Prob.
ably felt as he didin Culpeper when the dis
aster of Rappahannock, bridge occur red =
when he muttered, General Stewart tol,a me.
II should now like to go into charge.1as h
The demeanor of public men on great oc
| casions is legitimate matter for history. Gen.
eral Lees personal bearing upon this critic Al
occasion, when he saw himself about to be
subjected to the greatest humiliation tp the
pride Of soldier-capture- admirably
noble and sefene.1 1t was impossible not to
be struck with grandeur of his appear Al, Gee
no other phrase describes it: or to refrain
| from admiring the prime " air, with which
| the old cavalry, officer sat his horse. With
his calm and thoughtful eye, and perfeca rs-
pose of maRnt + Visible in spite of the I'd stiye
movements of his horse, frightened bj the
| firing, it was hardto baheves that hetsaw there
was no hope, and for himself would have
cared little if one ofthe bullets singing around
| had found its mark in his breast. La vi
Of General Lees soldiership, the writer,
! who is'announced as one of General Lees
staff, goes on to say:g ss., -at,srs
| If General Lee continued, OF HIS own CHI dice
| TOT occupy a position at Petersburg from
which, as events soon showed, he coul tisno
extricate his army, it will go far to 70 b him
of that renown which he had previously ,'iwon
Upon the obvious view OF the stu alton
4 General Lee, in February, issued cordsr4 ITO,