Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-10-14

41AS NAtuaU1o anu
volume, now long before the public, has
BEEN recently issned in new and attractive
dress (it being the third editionyC aad has
received increased interest from thsIanod .
est biographical eiEstcA4 of1the .aAt3sSrS 1the,
Ecelebfatetl Light iHefbe Harry Il Of the
RevolatioD,l which hfs W fS dist iDgoished
son, General Robert II. Lee.p has prefxed.
In addition to the biography GeneraHLee
has added some valuable notes, and has
| also contributed sketches 81 aGen. Andrew
EPickens,~ aof 81 c.. and Gen. Anthony
Wayne Mad Anshony'') OF Pennsylvania.
The Lee fanny is ancient and highly hon
orable. From the time of William the
Conduefor, hpont A. D. 1920. when one of
the name >Tcame over to England, until
now,a there have been eminent men CON
| nected with it There is a general history
! of the Lee family running all through
those years; In Revolutionary times, Col.
Henry Lee, our author, and Richard Hen
ry Lee were the most illustrious. In our
own times, the peerless Commander of the
Confederate forces is tho most distiu guish-
ed and revered. his name being 'house-
hold word" wherever virtue is esteemed or
genius honored.
Col. Henry Lee was born in Virginia in
1756. He was educated at Nassau Hall,
Princeton, New Jersey, at which college
he was greatly distinguished. He was pre-
pairing to enter upon the study of the law,
and was on the eve Of leaving for England
to prosecute that end when the war with
Great Britain began. He served with ex-
traordinary gallantry under Washington,
and had q gold medal voted him by Con
grees whilst Major, "a distinction which
no other officer below the rank of General
received during the war; His most
splendid successes We're afterwards won in
the Southern Department, under General
Greene. Owing to ill-heaIth he retired
from the army in the Spring of 1882 and
returned to Virginia. His commander
wrote thus to the President of Congress
''I am more indebted to him than any
other for the advantages gained over the
enemy in the operations of the last cam
paign, and should be wanting in gratitude
not to acknowledge the Importance of his
services, a detail of which is his best pane.
gyric." Not long after his retiracy he was
united in marriage to Matilda, daughter
of Col. Charles Ludwell Lee, of West
moreland county, in Virginia. Soon after
the close of the war he was member of
Congress from his native State, and was
one of President Washington's most init
mate friends and earnest supporters. He
was afterwards a member of the Conven-
ton of Virginia to ratify the Federal Con-
stitution, ''and was distinguished for zeal
and eloquence in support of the measure. I"
In 1889 he was much afflicted. His ex-
cellent wife died, and few days afterwards
dear little son of ten years of age was
laid beside his mother. He had two other
children, son and daughter. The
former, who bore his name, was of
very superior parts. He died in Paris
in 1887. Col. Lee was offered high
position in the armies of France, which
he declined. On the 18th of June, 1898,
he again married, the lady being Anne
Hill Carter, daughter of Charles Carter,
of ShirEy. Va, gentleman of very large
life was as a member of the Virginia Gen
eral Assembly in the famous year of 1898
and '99. Sometime after this he was again
elected to the United States Congress-
During this term Gen. Washington died,
when Col. Lee was appointed by Congress
to express the nations sorrow at the death
of the Father of his Country. In the
performance of this duty he wrote those
immortal words which, in very happy
and sententious form, conveyed the world Is
estimate of Washington's ser1ices-"F;rst
in war, first in peace, and first in the
hearts of his countrymen."
Col. Lee was a transcendant orator, and,
as the volume under consideration abund-
antly evinces, was q man of letters. His
biographer represents his conversational
powers as of high order, Fascinating in
the extreme" and happily blending de
light with instruction." He was elected
Governor of Virginia, which Office he filled
with ability. He was appointed by Presi-
dent Washington to command the forces
} that were sent to squelch tho 'Fwhisky insur.
rection" in Pennsylvania. In the war oi
1919 he was appointed Major General
but owing to a very serious calamity which
befel him never entered the service. He
: was in the city of Baltimore, and had gone
to the house of friend, Mr.. Hanson.
Whilst there q vile political mob surround-
cd the house. Gen. Lee, ever brave and
generous, endeavored to protect tho fami-
Iy. Gen. Lingan was killed, and Gen
Lee was SO seriously injured that, after
five years of suffering, he died. He visit.
ed the West Indies, spending nearly two
years, in the hope of obtaining restoration
of health. Finally taking vessel for the
United States, he landed on Cumberland
l much suffering, expired, in his sixty-secont
year, at the house of Mrs. Shaw, daugh-
ter of his old commander. General Greene
t This took place Oh March 25th, 1873
! Seven children by his last wife survived
, him, one of whom is the great Coriederatt
Captain. Wordsworth has written ''tha
the boy is father to the man." In read
ing one of General Henry Lees letters tc
! his oldest boy by his last wifeT was inter
tod foil II V1rNf
. without comment. After mentioning tw
or three of the Oldest children, he re
. marks, "R0bert aCas dL,0dyS good." Th
following lines arc taken from a very gr~ce
ful tribute to Colonel Lee that appeare'
Il in Boston paper:
J., | ''Brave was that arm which taught Brtcu feal
And sweet that voice which charmed d nation
'' ear;
II But not the former nor the battle claim
u Alone thy homage and divide thy fame;
: For all the graceful charities that blend
70 Round social lite, the husband, father friend
Are thine: and thine q gone-Ou5 breast tha