The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1870-04-30
GENERAL LEE
"Ef the Truth were Told just
Now, it would Not be CredE-
aeGa.''

David McCrae is furnishing the 'Glas-
Cow (Scotland) Herald with a series Of
interesting sketches of American men
and women. He described his first in
terview with Cen. Lee as follows:
"When l got back to the hotel, [ found
that Lee, who was aware OF my coming,
had already with the courtesy so con-
spicuouz among class of Americans)
sent his servant to inquire if had ar
rived, and to say that he would Ike to
see me at the college.
"On going there after breakfast, l was
taken up stairs and shown into the room
set aside for the College President.
"A noble-looking man, dressed in
gray military coat, who had been writing
at a table near the window, rose as |
entered. IIe was tall, straight and SOL
dier-ike. with crisp hair turning white !;
short trimmed beard, pointed at the chin,
and dark, imperial-looking eyes,
very keen and searching. 1t was Rob-
ert e. Lee the old Confederate comman-
der.
"As the first words Of greeting
| passed between us. there was a hidden
sadness in his look which impressed me
painfully. He was suffering from ill
health at the time; but it was not a
look of physical pain. Perhaps it was
only my feeling, but it seemed MS if the
shadow of the past was over him-as
you could read behind the vigilance of
his dark eyes the fate of the South, and
of the myriad who lay sleeping on the
battle-felds.
"When was seated he began to in
quire where l had been in the South,
and obout my journey up-smiling at
the somewhat doleful account I had to
give him of my experience in the stage
from Goshen. He said there was an
other road l might have taken-the one
from Stanton. But they say which
ever road you take, you wish you had
taken the other He had been twice
by the Goshen road on horseback. The
scenery was very grand.
He began to speak about Scotland,
and said: You will meet many OF
your countrymen here. The Valley Of
Virginia is peopled with Scotch-Irish-
people who have come from Scotland
by way of Ireland. They are a fine
race. They have the courage and ddetermi.
nation of the Scotch, with the Irish dash
and in,repidity. They make fine sol
diers
1" 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
and the want there was OF accurate sta
tistics, [ told him it was understood ht
was preparing history Of the war him
self.
"' have had that in view,' he said
but the time is not come for an impartia
history. If the trnth We're told just nov
it would not be credited 81. 49,
"When the books that had alread,
appeared were spoken of, and men
toned one, the proof-sboot Of Which, i
was asserted, had been submitted t
General Grant and himself for revision
: he said: 1t is mistake. I have nev
er read history of the war, nor the bl
, ography of any man engaged in it. M.
own life has been written, but hav
not looked into it," He added after :
pause [ do not wish to awaken mem
l ories of the past
''He spoke highly of Sherman's abili
ties-said Sherman had always bee
a good soldier. ~ .... .-.a/
He seemed much gratifed when
told him Of the estimation in which h
l and Stonewail jackson had been hel
4 from the FIRST by the British people, il
!. respective altogether of Northern an
e Southern sympathies. He said, after
). pause, jackson lies in the Presbytt
+! rian burying ground at the other e,
1 tremety of Lexington,'' -sr.