The Van Buren press., 1870-04-05
NO4lI
Rsbsrt =. -.

as Robert E. Isss is ~ 20
David McCras Is furnishisg The 0iass'
gov (Scotland) Hereld with , ssfies Of
interesting sketches Of American msn and
women. He described his hrSt tntssvisw
with General Lee as follows :3easa q
"when got back to the hotsi, ] found
that Lee, who was aware OF my coming.
bad already with the oourtasy - cor
spicuous amongst class Of Americans)
sent his servant to inquire II ! had asstv-
ed, and to say that be would Ike TO -
me at the College. sisgs'.
"On going there after breakfast. 4
was taken up stairs and shown into The
room set aside for the use Of the Collage
President
"A noble looking man, dressed IN gray
military coat, who had been writing = .
table near the window, rsss - ] entoeee.
| lie ives tall, straight and soldier.likc, With
crisp hair turning white; short trinmed
beard. pointed at the chin, and DARK im-
pcrial 10 oking eyes, very keen and sserce-
ing. 1t was Robert +. Lee, the old Ceo'
federate commander ,s@ !.
As the iirst words ofgreeting passeo
between US, there was hidden sadness
IN his look, which impressed me painfdis
". lie was suffering from i'll health q
tho time but it Was not . look of plgalr
cal pain. Perhaps it was only my ove
feeling, but it seemed as ifthe shsdew 0I
the past was over him--as II you eod1d
read behind the vigilance Of BE dask eyse.
the fate Of the South and OF the myriad
who lay sleeping on tho battle fields. i,
"Whon / was eeated he began 70 W.
auire where had been In the South, and
about my Journey -smiling q ths
somewhat dolefuI account ] bad TO give
him OF my experience in the stage frea
Goshen. He said there was another sQA4
l might have taken-the one from Staun-
ton but they say whichever foaa you
take You Wish thet you hsd taken ths
ether had been twice by the Goshsn
road ON horseback. Tbs scenery was
very grand s.sl.gl = IN .aae I. pi.. i
.He began TO speak about Scotland.
and said sYor will meet with many 81
your countrymen here. The Valley o.
Virginia is peopled with scotch Irish--
people who have come from Scotland ~
way Of Ireland, They are . hne race.
They have the courage and determination
of the Scotch, with the Irish dash and u
trepidity. They make fins soldiers Y
q ife said Il was al cid twish OF HE 70
visit this country; but II would never b
realised now. Stonowall Jackson had
been in Scotland before the war. lie had
heard him speak OF 1t. 49,.
"When some reference was made 70
the odds against which the South had
fought, aand the want there was OF scsu-
rate statistics, l told him it was under,
stood he was preparing history q 'g sls =
war himsclf .s.. -.
II have had that in view ~ said i
:" but the time is not come Tor an mpss'l
tial history. IL the truth were told juat
now it would not be credited.
when the books that had already sp.
peared were spoken Of, and ] mentioned
one, the proof. sheets Of which, u va
asserted, had been submitted to General
Grant and himself for revision, he said
1T Is a mistake. l have never read
history OF the war, nor the biography OF
any man engaged in II. My own life has
been written, but have not looked into
it, lie added after a pause, DO not
wish to awaken memories Of the past
"Hc spoke highly Of Sherman's sbjll-
ties-said Sherman had always been :
good soldier.
lilo seemed much gratihed when
told him Of the estimation in which be
and Stoncwall Jackson had been held
from the first by the British people, ire.
spective altogether Of Northern and
Southern sympathies. lie said, afser .
pause, Jackson lies in tho Presbyterian
bury ground at the other extremity OF
Lexington" .a