Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-10-21
[ Especial Telegram to the Richmond Dispatch :
LEXINGTON, Va, VIA STAUYToN.
OptCbar 1870

lFPtc'"E Lee gram 10 the richmond Dispatch.
LEXINGTON, Va, VIA STANTON
October -, 1870.
This is q day of gloom and sadness Lerc
The telegraph has announced the death Of
General RoBERT Z. LEE Since Tges lay
noon 1t bad been understood thst the more
favorable 81 % pit ms which he exhibited
early in the morning bad given place to
more alarming one thun be had vet sLown.
Early this morning il WAS whispered
through the community that he YVES fast
sinking. and with b. atiar E,srta orr
people awaited tie issue.
With tie first pcais Of the telling i,-i,s
the news ran through the town, and all
classes wept together H. the word passed
from lip to lip, General LEE is dead"
In moment, and without any concert Of
action, every store, shop, or other place
of business, was closed. Even freedmen
left their work, and all mingled IN the
common grief.
The exercises at the College and Insti-
tute were suspended. and every young man
seemed to feel that he had sustained an
irreparable personal bereavement. All of
the email schools were closed, and the chill
dren wept as they realized that one of their
best friends bad gone from them.
Your correspondent has taken especial
pains to obtain from his physicians (Drs.
Barton and Madison) a full and accurate
Ii.
The remote and real cause was the long
continuance of depressing influences Incl
dent to the crushing responsibilities which
were upon him during the last year of the
war, the disastrous termination of the
struggle for the cause he so dearly loved.
ard the Affections OF his native South since
the surrender.
As he saw his little army gradually melt
away before the countless hosts opposed to
them, and compelled to yield at last to
overwhelming numbers and resources as
he witnessed the sufferings of his poor
boys, as he was accustomed to call them.
and thought of the condition of their fam
lilies and of the South as his mails have
been every day since flooded with most
piteous letters from MANNED soldiers or
from the widows and orphans Of the noble
men who followed him, he has borne
calm exterior, and struggled for the good
of his State and the South with herOsrl
surprising any which he ever displayed on
the field of battle. But the very fibres Of
his great heart have been gradually wear
ing away until they have at last broker
and the vital spark has fed. Both of his
eminent physicians concur in the opinion
that Gen. LEE has died rather from moral
than physical causes that his physical de-
v1lopment was well nigh perfect, and that
there was no merely physical reason why
he might not have lived for years to come.
The immediate cause of his death was, in
the opinion of his physicians, I" mental
and physical fatigue, including Venous con
gestlon OF the brain, which, however, new
or proceeded as far as apoplexy or paraly-
sis, but grt dualiy caused cerebral exhaus-
ton ard death"
On Wednesday, Sept. 28th, lie was more
than usually busy. After attending chapel
service. as he always did, he spent the
whole morning attending to various mat
tiers ctnDectel with the interests of the
college. AT 4 o'clock p. III. he went 10 a
meeting OF the vestry Of his church, over
which he presided. Matters of great i'm
portance to the interests of the church
were under con sideratiOn, and the meeting
WIS protracted for three hours. Return
ing homo just in time tor tea, he was sit
ting at the table with his family when be
was suddenly attacked and became appa-
renily speechIess aud incapable of motion.
The next morning ho rallied, apd rs there
were no decisive Indications Of paralysis or
apoplexy, 1t was hoped that tho at
tack would prove nothing more serious
than temporary nervous prostitution
All of the indications seemed favorable to
his recovery until last Monday. He spoke
but little, and that only in answer to ques-
tons concerning his ply steal Condition.
Bat this showed that he had recovered tho
power Of speech. His intellect seemed en-
Lirely clcnr. aud he gave most unmistaka-
BILE evidences that while he lay for the most
part III stupOr, to which the medicines
ven him no doubt largely contributed,
he was, when aroused, entirely conscious
He seemed SO much better on Saturday,
that DIR. Madison playfully said to Inn:
$ General, you must make haste and get
up from this bed tTravrler' is getting
azy, and you must make haste and give
him the exercise he needs.'" The General
liked his eyes steadily upon him and shook
bis head very emphaticaIiy, as if to indi- ,
cate that he did not expect to ride TRAY
eler again.
On Monday he became suddenly worse,
and despite the best efforts of as fine med
lcal skill as the country affords, and the
fervent prayers of anxious hearts, he ga
dually sunk until yesterday morning at Q.
o'clock, when he breathed his last.
The nature of his illness was such that
there was no opportunity for protracted
with him. and he altered no
word which can be seized on for sensation
al reports of his last hours. He was strick-
en- at the post of duty. He fell with the
harness on, and his calm, quiet death is a
fit termin alton of his noble life. We need
no " last words " of Robert E. Lee. His
deeds belong to history, while his life OF
devoted, unostentatious piety, aid his fra
and living trust in Jesus as his personal
give unmistakable evidence that
he now wears crown Of fadeless glory,
and has indeed entered upon that - Rest
that remaineth for the people of God"
General ROBERT EDMUND LEE wassb0rn
on the 10Th Of January, 1907, and was
therefore GO years, months and % days
old.
He married on the 3Oth of June, 1881.
For years Mrs. LEE has been unable to
walk, but has borne her affection with
Christian fortitude and patience which
wonderfully sustain her under her present
sore bereavement.
Only General Gusts LEE, Miss AGNES,
md Miss MILDRED have been at home
during their fathers illness. The other
members of the family were telegraphed
'or on Monday, and are expected to-day
5r the next day. 1t has been. on confer
,.,oc 70 daInnSit