The Republican journal., 1870-10-20
GEN. ROBERT &. LEE.

Nv
men who prominently participated in the
war of the rebellion, has laid his hand upon
the foremost man of all the Confederate host
that so long confronted the armies of the
North. Gen. Lee is no more. He died at
Lexington, Va, on the 10Th inst, at the age
of 63
Whatever may be thought or said of the
rebellion itself, or Of the motives of those |
who engaged in it, no pen or voice has been
raised to question the purity Of character
his reason dictated and his conscience APP
proved the course he took, we cannot be per-
mttcd to doubt. He was too high minded,
too sensitive in matters of honor, and too
thoroughly imbued with the love of country,
to draw his sword in civil war, except as a
last resort to preserve in his belief, the sacred
rights of manhood Born of patriotic ances-
try, the son of Washngton's bosom friend,
the celebrated Light Horse Harry, whose
name is illustrious in the annals of the revo-
luton, it must have cost him long and bit
ter struggle before he could march against
the flag of the country which his father did
so much to establish
| Gen. Lee entered West Point at the age of
IS. After the completion of his cadet term,
when he took rank as No. 2, in an able class
of 46, he was selected by the government for
service in the corps of typographical en-
gineers, being appointed brevet second lieu
tenant. In '35 he was assistant astronomer
for the demarcation Of the boundary line be-
tween Ohio and Michigan. In 1882 he mar
ried Miss Custiss, the daughter and heiress
of George w. Parke Custiss, the adopted
son of Gen. Washington, and thus Lee be
came the proprietor Of the beautiful Airing
mac opposite Washington City In 3G he
was promoted to First Lieutenant, L. s. A..
and in '3S he was made Captain.
| When the Mexican war broke out he was
placed on General Woors staff as Chief
Engineer. He retained that post throughout
the war; being the favorite officer of General
Scott. He was brevetted Major, for gallan-
try in the battle Of Cerro Gordo and again
won a brevet rank for gallantry at Contreras
and Cherubusco. In the memorable assault
upon the heights and castle of Chapultepec,
September IS, 1917, he was wounded, and
brevetted Lieutenant Colonel. The veteran
Scott, the greatest soldier Of his time, con
stantly watched and honored Lee whom he
ties The old Generals Mexican dispatches
were full of recogntions of Lee Here is q
sample
81 am compelled to make special mention of
Captain R. E. Lee, Engineer. This officer greatly
distinguished himself at the siege of Vera Cruz :;
was again interchangeable during these operations
in "Reminiscences, as daring as labOrious, and of
the utmost value. Nor was he less conspicuous
in planning batteries, and in conducting columns
At Chapultepec, said Gen. Scott Lee was
distinguished for felicitous execution as for
science and daring" "Capt. Lee, so con
stantly distinguished also bore important
orders from me, until he tainted from a
wound and the loss of two nights sleep at
the batteries"
AT the close of the Mexican war Lee was
appointed a member Of the Board of En-
gineers. In 1852 he WINS appointed Superin-
tendent of the Military Academy Of West
Point. In 1855 he was promoted to the
Cavalry arm of the service, in the Second
Cavalry, Of which Albert Sydney johnson
was Colonel, and served in the Indian wars
on the Texas border.
| The events of the war Of the rebellion are
too recent to call for the recapituation of
Gen. Lees achievements. His military genius
shone resplcndent. With Strengthened means
and limited command, he held at bay the
immense forces of the North for more than
four years. Who for moment doubts,
could he have commanded one half the num-
bers that were arrayed against him. that the
war would have been transferred to the
North, with all its deyastations, and perhaps
reached a different result.
Having fought the war to its end, he &C
cepted the result, and laying down his sword,
with no unmanly murmurngs against the
inevitable, applied himself to the pursuit of
an honorable calling. Death found him calm
and resigned. As the clouds of prejudice
and passion float away from the events of
our great contest, and the motives Of men
are revealed more clearly, few will stand
better in the corrected Judgment of mankind
than Robert f. Lee.