Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-03-24
R. f.. LEE.
An interview with the Ex-COnfcder-
afe ChicftAin.

David McCrae is furnishing the Glas-
cow (Scotland) Herald with series OF
interesting sketches of American men
and women. He described his first inter-
view with General Lee as follows:
ssWhen got back to the hotel, found
that Lee. who was aware of my coming,
had already with the courtesy so con-
spicuo,ls among a class of Americans,
sent his servant to inquire il had ar
rived: and TO say that he would like to see
me at the college.
"On going there after breakfast, was
taken M stairs and shown into the room
set aside for the use of the College Presi-
dent.
ga noble looking man, dressed in gray
military coat, who had been writing at a
table near the window, rose as | entered.
He was tail, straight, and soldier-like,
with crisp hair turning white; short trim
med beard, pointed at the chin, and dark
imperial looking eyes, very keen and
searching. 1t was Robert E. Lee, the old
Confederate commander.
GAS the first words of greeting passed
between us, there was hidden sadness in
his look which impressed me painfully.
He was suffering from i'll health at the
time; but it was not a look of physical
pain. Perhaps it was only my feeling,
but it seemed as IL the shadow of the past
was over him-as if you could read behind
the vigilance of his bark eyes the fate of
the South, and of the myriad wfe lay
sleeping on the battle-felds.
s'When / was seated he began to in
quire where had been in the South, and
about my journey up-smiling at the
somewhat doleful account had to give
him of my experience in the stage from
Goshen. He said there was another road
l might have taken-the one from STAN
ton. But they say whichever road you
take, you wish by that you had taken the
other He had been twice by the Go
shen road on horseback. The scenery
was very grand.
'sHebegan to speak about Scotland, and
said: You will meet with many of your
countrymen here. The Valley of Vir-
GINA is peopled with Scotch Irish-peo-
pie who have come from Scotland by
way of Ireland. They are a fine race.
They have the courage and determination
of the Scotch, with the Irish dash and in
trepidity. They make fine soldiers
''He said it was an old wish of his to
visit this country; but it would never be
realized now. Stonewall Jackson had
been in Scotland before the war. He had
heard him speak of it.
"When some reference was made to the |
odds against which the South had fought, |
no 4hora o. cfafic 1
ties, | told him it was understood he was
history of the war himself.
II have had that in view, he SAID, |
but the time has not come for an impair |
tial history. If the truth were told just |
now it would not be credited.
''Whcn the books that had already ap- /
peared were spoken of, and | mentioned |
one, the proof sheet of which, it was as
serted, had been submitted to Gen. Grant |
and himself for revision, he said: 1T is /
mistake. have never read history of |
the war, nor the biography of any man
engaged in il. My own life has been
written, but | have not looked into it.
He added after pause, 4 do not wish TO
awaken memories of the past
''He spoke highly of Sherman's abilities
said Sherman had always been good
soldier.
Gle seemed much gratificd when told
him of the estimation in which he and
Stonewall Jackson had been held from the
first by the British people, irrespective |
altogether of Northern and Southern SYM
pathies. He said, after pause, jackson
lies in the Presbyterian burying ground at
The other extremity of Lexington.