The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1870-11-16
Family Science, Inquiry Industry and Literature

me, saying that this was not the line
upon which he wished my advice, the
simple question was' " Whether 1t ,Oas
right or not" He had been educ4.
ted by the United States, aud fell
wrong to accept place in the army
| of foreign power. Such was his cx
tre ne deIioacy, such was the nice
sense of honor Of the gallant gentle
man whose death we deplore. Bar
when Virginia withdrew the State
tp whom he owed his first and las
allegiance the same nice sense OF
honor led him to draw his sword aud
throw it in the scale for good or for
evil. Pardon mefor this brief defence
Of my illustrious friend.
When Virginia joined the Confedo
! ruoy, Robert Lee, the highest officer in
tue little army Of Virginia, came to
/ Redmond, and not pausing to inquire
what would DO his rank in the service
Of tho Confederacy, went to Western
Virginia uuder the belief that he
Was still an officer of the S;ate.-
He came bach, carrying the heavy
weight of defeat aud uuappre-
Glazed BY tho people whom be served
for they could not know, as knew
that if his plans and orders had been
carried out the result would have
been victory, rather than retreat.
! You did not know, for 1 would not
haSo known il, had lie not breathed
it in my ear ouly at my earnest re-
quest, aud begging that nothing be
said about il. The clamor which
then arose followed him when he went
TO South Carolina, so it became ncces-
sary on bis going to South Carolina
to write letter to the Governor Of
that State, telling him what manner
Of nah ho WIS. Yet through all this
with magnanimity rarely cquAlled
he stood in silence, without defend
ing himself or allowing others to &C.
fend HIN, for he was unwilling to Of
fend any one who was wearing sword
and striking blows for the Confcdera
cy.
Mr.. Davis then spoke of the
st.aights to which the Confodcracy
was reduced, aid of the danger to
which her Capital was exposed just
after the battle of Seven Pines, and
told how General Leo had conceived
aud executed the desperate plan to
turn their aank and rear, WHICH after
seven days Of bloody battle, was
crowned with tho protection of Rich.
mond, while the enemy was driven far
from the city. The speaker referred
also to the circumstances attending
General Ece's crossing the Potomac
and the march into Pennsylvania.
he (Mf. Davis) assumed the responsi.
bility for that movement. The enc.
my had long been concentrating his
force, and it was evident that if they
continued their steady progress, the
Confederacy would be overwhelmed.
Our only hopo vas to drive him to
the defenoo Of his own capital We
being enabled in the meantime to re-
inforco our shattered army. How
we'll Cen. Leo carried out that dam
gerous experiment need not be told.
Richmond WAS relieved, the Coufed-
eeacy was relieved; and timo was OBJ
tained, if other things had favored
to reinforce the army.
But said Mr.. Davis, l shall not at
tempt to review the military career of
our fallen Chieftain. OF the man,
how shall l speak z He was my friend
and in that word is included all that
I could say Of any man; His moral
Qualities rose to the height Of his
genius. Self deHyihg-always intent
upon the Que idea Of daty con-
trolled to an extent that many
thought him cold. HIS feelings we're
roally warm, and his heart melted
freely at the sight OF IA wounded sol.
der, OF the story Of the suffsrings of
the widow and orphan. During tho
war he was ever conscious of the ineq-
uality Of the nieans at his control; but
it was never his to complain or to utter
a doubt--it was always his to do.
When in tho last campaign he was
beleagured at Petersburg, and pain
fully aware Of tho straights to whioh
we We're reduced, lie said: "With
ny army in the mountains ofVirgin,a
cOniu carry Oh tnlS war Tor tWonty
years louger.' His mcn exhausted
and his supplies failing, ho WIS
uuahle to Garry out his plans: All
untoward event cauaed hi,n to antici;
pate the movement, aud tho Army of
Northern Virginia was overwhelmed:
But 10 the surrender lie antic;pa, ed
conditions that have not bech fulfilled
-he expected his army to be fespeo:
ted and his paroIed soldiBfs to Bs
allowed the enjtymea:s Of life aiid
property, Whether Thesis conditions
have beet filAlled, let others say:
| Hero he now sleepa In the land hS
loved so we'll, and that land is not
Virginia only. for they do injustice to
lee who believe he fought only for
Virginia. .Hs was ready to 20 anywhere,
on any servioe for the good of his
country, and bis Heart was as broad
q. n. en- kI.