Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1867-06-22
PONTOON.


IL Mr. Swinton, The distinguished Yankee
Historian, had an Interview with Gen. K. +.
Lee, a, Lexington, q few days ago and thus
writes TO the Now York Times =
"Hayng made i sCmcw bat close stidy of the
campaigns OF General Lee, and having besides,
followed with interest his operations Oh the ac-
tual field of battle, | had long been DESTROYS of
learning by personal sight and converse what
manner Of man he is
Seated at the table was MISUNDERSTANDING
gentleman, dressed in a uniform suit of pepper
andSalt colur--a very portly, welI-preserved
gentleman OF some four and fifty, with tne
bronzrd complexion, nobl, mode He'd nose,
compact head, gray hair, ard beard OF the same
color, closely croppeI-who rose to shake
hands III a courily. erIcious manner. IL was
the man who welded TIE thunders Of ChanceI-
lorsvilIe and the Chickahominy- was PIesi-
dent Lee.
IL it would he of any
interest to your readers TO learn what are has
views touching such questions in the Virginia
campaigns of the war as | had occasion To
ask enlightenment from him, it would be im-
possible for me to mike these public, seeing II
was tic express request Of Gen. Lee that Should
refrain from doing 30. lie has mortal dread
of appearing in the papers. understand from
those who are in intimate daily converse with
him that he is strongly in favor Of the people OF
his State and Of the South coming ns't up
accepting the situation and earnestly pursuing
the work of reconstruction" Personally, he
is at present in the flush of health He fire.
quently rides out; and the clearest image !
have been abe to form OF him in the war-like
mood came to me this afternoon when, with
d oh To- nd lao thpr 10 q
out On the same gray horse that used TO bear
him in the stress of battle. He is greatly be-
loved by the people for his moGesty. gentleness,
ana goodness, aud is Pr odigious la'orlte with
ch liren
That General Lee will figure in history,
when il comes to be written with full light and
without passion or pr, jpdlce, as very able
commander, skillful methodical soldier, who
made several admirable defensive cam aigns,
fought two or three brilliant aggressive actions,
proiT*c:e ed the war or the limited theatre OF
Virginia for tour years by careful husbandty
of his resources. aud finally succumbed only to
greatly superior numbers, may, conceive, be
readily conceded That he will figure, as the
South now figures him, in the light of a first
class captain, may, believe be fairly doubted.
His character takes its shape rather from an
admirable balance Of intellectual and moral
qualities than from the possession Of any over
mastering power. Some men-very few-are
adequate; they are supreme, they embody rev.
olutions-they alone are worthy Of study.
Lee was not of such. He lacked passion, he
lacked abandon; perhaps-here | speak eau
tiously-he lacked true conviction. And yet
think may say he lacked true conviction. For
il is well known that he was an ardent lover
of the Union, and that he was, as have learned
since came here, always at heart an emanci-
patonst. He was therefore, not the type OF
nor the leader for that fierce Titan spirit that
sought in the ruin Of nation 10 erect an en-
pire on the foundation Of Slavery. Such a
spirit needed embodiment in brain and hand
swift and aggressive and namboyant as itself.
Nor, on the other hand, was be great enough to
stand forth as patriot; but he permitted him
self TO be draw into the vortex of passion that
seethed and bubbled in this section, TO be al
lured By poor blind fallacies, instead of follow
ing the inspir alton OF greatness. think he is
far from happy. And yet his fame as soldier,
though not first-class, is very sound and COM
plete, so that Eow, away from the 6e d Of war,
and buried here in quiet academic life, among
these secluded hills, il seems as though he had
passed away from earth He is all that is left to
Virginia, magma mater rirun, out of the wreck
Of asTevoluiion. Is II, then, wonderful that
,Yirginans almost adore him."
~ Alta meeting of the Board of Supervi-
sors on Tn rsday, James Logic, Esq, was re-
elected President Of the Board. and II. c. Emit
Ter reelected Clerk. The new members quali-
fed and entered upon their duties. Full pro-
ceedings of the Boald will be published IN our
ne 81 issue