The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-06-20
Z ssen raj = 1890;

DL3-St- t,N.AAS ~tSW = OhaA ~ LIfItS.s is OH
q tour of observation throughout the
South, He has paid a visit to Cen
ral Lee, and writes: ,5,
Having made q somewhat close
study of the campaigns of General
Lee, and having, besides, followed
with interest his operations on the
actual field of battle, L had LONG been
des,lrions of learning by personal
sight 4, and 3! converse what manner of
Seated at the table was hand
some-looking gentleman, dressed in
uniform suit of pepper-and-salt
color-a very portly, well-preserved
gentleman of some four and fifty.
with fine bronzed complexion. a
nobly modelled nose, compact head.
grey hair, and beard of the same
color, closely cropped-who rose to
shake hands in courtly, gracious
manner. 1t was the man who WELD
ed the thunders of charlottesville
and the Chickahominy-it was Pre-
sident Lee.
II = If it would be OF any
interest to your readers t. learn
what are his views touching such
questions III the Virginia campaigns
(ot the war; rs [ had occasion to ask
enlightment from him, it would be
impossible for me to make these
public, seing it was the express re-
quest of General Lee that I should
refrain from doing so. He has a
mortal dread of appearing in the
papers. L 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 right up, frankly ac-
cepting the situation, ard earnestly
pursuing the work Of reconstruction"
Personally, he is at present in the
flush of health. lie frequently rides
out; and the clcurest image I have
been able to form of him in the war
like mood came to me this afternoon
when, with high-top boots and
leather quantities., he rode out on
the same grey horse that used to
bear him in the stress of battle. He
is greatly beloved by the people for
his modesty, gentleness, and good
ness, and is a prodigious favorite with
| children. :;
That General Lee will figure in
history, when it comes to be writ
ten with full light, and without
passion or prejudice, rs Il very able
commander, shilful methodical sol
dler, who made several admirable
defensive campaigns, fought two or
three brilliant aggressive actions, pro-
tracted the war on the limited the
atre OF Virginia for four years by q
careful husbandry of his resources,
anu hnaiiy succumbed only to greatly
superior numbers, may, L conceive,
be readily conceded. That he will
inquire, as the South now figures him,
III tho light Of frst-class captain,
may, believe, be fairly doubted.
His character takes its shape rather
from an admirable balance of intel
lectual and moral qualities than from
the possession of any overmastering
power. Some men-a very few
are adequate; they are supreme, they
embody revolutions-they alone are
worthy OF study. Lee was not of
such. He lacked passion, he lacked
abandon; perhaps-here L speak eau
tionsly-he lacked true conuiction.
And yet L think I may say he lacked
true conviction. For it is well-known
that he was an ardent lover of the
Union; and that he was, as 1 have
learned since I came here, always at
heart an emancipationist. He was,
therefore, not the type of nor the
leader for that fierce Titan spirit that
sought in the ruin of nation to
erect an empire Oh the foundation of
slavery. Such n spirit needed embo-
dlment in brain and hand swift and
aggressive and tlamboyant as itself
Nor, on the other hand, was he great
enough to stand forth as patriot
but he permitted himself to be drawn
into the vortex Of passion that
seethed and bubbled III his section,
to be allnred by poor blind fallacies,
instead of following the inspiration
OF greatness. | think he is far from
happy And yet his fame rs n sol
dicr. though not first class, is very
sound and complete, so that now,
away from the field of war, ana
buried here in quiet academic life,
among these secluded hills, it seems
as though he had passed away
from earth. He is nll that is left to
Virginia. a!1uyn0 alUie, ri,2n2, out OF
the wreck OF IL revolution. Is IT,.
then, wonderful that Nirginians al
most adore him?
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