The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1870-11-19
IN MEMORIAM.
ROBERT f. LEE.
tFrom the Halifax Nova ScOtia) Morning
Chronicle. October l4th.1

"Ah. Sir Laucel"t." he said, "thou we
0 head Of all Christian knights; and nov
, | dare say" said Sir Ector, ''thon Sir La,
y ce'ot. there thou i-st, that thou vert n.ve
matched of earthly knights hand: An
, thou vert the rourtiiest knight that eve
: : bare shield; and thon vert til
kindest man that ever strske with sword
and thou vert the goodIie-t person tia
; ever came among press of knights; 40,
thou vert the me-kest man and the gen
iliest that ever ate in hall among ladies'
and thon vert the sternest knight to th,
mortal foe that ever put spear in rest
The Morte' D'Arthur Of Sir T1oma
.kolory
| With reverence and regret we repeat to
day Sir Ector's words of sorrow for tn,
grra: Sir LanceIo:. and apply them to tn,
man who died yesterd~y-,hs nohle>
knight Of our generation. The he'o "
the A,thurian legends as he lay dead il
Joyous Gard with the record of liz,
made splendid BY great deeds, nigh, have
revived other than kindly or e"nobling
| UCCOISClIUUS W LUC = untUU IOl
the wronged king and the breaking up Of
tie goodIy fellowship Of the Round Table
could not be forgotten. but lay like shad
ows upon the dead knight. But in the
life of Robert Edmund L-e there was no
reproach Of man or woman bis deeds
We're dimmed by no wrong done or duty
unfulfiled; there WAS no stain upon his
honor and no unrighteous blood upon bi.
hands. H. was, indeed, good knight,
noble of heart and strong Of purpose. aud
both soldier and gentleman. The age
that knew him. If not the age Of chivaIry,
will yet be remarkable for having produced
in him man as chivslric rs any that
lives in history. He, to, was one, and the
greatest one, Of goodIy fellowship that
WIS broken up and .c.ttered about the
world. Some Of these Southern Knights
hare gone before him. and with him de.
parts the last remnant Of the cause for
which they fought and the strength that
so long upheld it.
Only nine years ago he was Colonel
Of cavalry in the United States army, and
Yesterday he died the greatest soldier in
the wo'lL. Four years service in the field
ut the head Of an army gained for him
this reputation, and though be WAS worsted
At the last, il was a reputation that he did
not lose with his losses. 1t is strong
praise TO give to him. but none the less
undr. .erved, for even his former enemies
must concede to him the first place in the
civil war, and We know Of no living Euro
pean General who possesses to the same
extent those attributes of soldier which
SO distinguished tho Confederate leader.
It ia true that Europe has yet Napier AMI
Mcmahon AMI Won Mc'tke. and that
America has also Sherman and Sheridan
and Longstreet, but all these men and all
their fellow soldiers lack the grandeur
which WAS inherent in Lee.
In every partcslar he possessed the re-
quisi.es Of true sollier H. was brave {;
his whole military record and his life long
scorn Of danger alike bear testimony to his
bravery. II. was wise his great successes
against great odds. ard his almost con.
slant anticipation Of the enemy's move
ments were proofs Of his wisdom. He was
skiIlfnl; his forced marches and unexpected
victories assert his skill. He was patient
and unyielding; his weary struggle against
the mi igbty armies Of the North and his
stern defence Of Richmond forever preserve
The memory of his patience and resolution.
lie was gentle and just; the soldiers who
T. -. IL ~,1,<, 81:
of the great fight remembering and cher
ishing the memory Of the man can one aud
Ill testify to bis g~ntlene>s and bis justice.
Above al he was faithful (; when be gave
up his sword there WAS no man in his own
ranks or in thoss Of the enemy that doubt
ed his faith. or believed that he had not
done all that mortal could do for the cause
for which he had made such y noble
struggle.
In the history Of those terrible four years
there i& no more prominent figure than
that Of General Lee. 1t may BE- said that
he sustained the war after failure seemed
inevitable. and when other men were
ready to give up the fight. His defence Of
Richmond in the face of such mighty
foe will forever remain one Of the greatest
events in history. His strategy. it not his
presence. influenced almost every Copf.d
crate victory. and through the nobility
and good that was in him be cheered the
hearts Of his soldiers and encouraged them
to further and greater efforts. They spoke
o: him As "OId Bob Lee" they liked to
ia K about his manners and his deeds; they
told each other stories Of sthe greatness of
hi heart. and. although their commander,
looked upon him Is their friend and fellow
soldier. Re won The love Of bis friends
and the admiration Of his enemies, and