The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-11-09
From the Hat.far { (Noua Scotia Morn
ing Chronicle. 'Octehfg.J4tA. p,<
In nRMORlxAII "
ROBERT E.,LEE.

"hH, OF 4uuCcsOt,A - uc bHlO, 'tnOu
vert head OF all Christian Knights and
81, sGT La.ssis sais ais'a ill., i{s,0i M sss sss
vert never matched Of earthly knights
hand: and thou w,rt the couriliest
night that ever bare shield - ~. ~
and thou vert the kindest man that ever
strake with sword aud thou .yext the
goodiast hcts1n i sat eSef cithe sm4dg
press oflknighis; and 't6Sd. sweft iHe
meekest mad aud the gentliest that ever
ate in hall among ladies'; and thou vert
the sterosst knis5sto thy uf6rtA foa
that ever putsspedr id reat."-. Thsi1l6aS
D. Arthur Of Sir Thomas 4Lalory.
With reference and regret We repeat
to-day Sir Ector's words of sorrow for
the great Sir Laucelot, aud apply hem
to the nan who died yesterday-the
noblcst knight Of our generation. The
hero of the Arihuriap legends as he lay
dead in Joyous. G usrd With shs record
of life made splendid by great deeds.
might have revived other .h.s kindly
or ennobled recollections in the, mourn
er's mind for the vroqGed king and
the breaking upof,Ke'g6odly iowshtp
Of the Round Table could not be for
gotten, but lay like shadows upon the
dead knight. But 10 the life Of r obert
Edmund. Lee there was ho rcproach>, Of
man or woman; his deedssw ere ,dimmed
by no wrong dine Or HStyf uhfnfflled !;
there was 10 Stain up6H his honor and
no uhrighteous blood upon his hands.
He, was, indeed, good knight, noble
of heart and strong ofpurpose. and both
suldier and gentleman.s Tho age
that knew him, ii no.. tho iage Of chival
ry, will yet be remarkable for having
produced in him man as chivalrc US
any that lives in history. He, too, was
one. and the-greatest one, Of q goodly
fellowship .hutswasbroken up aud scat.
tered about the world. Some Of these
Southern knights have gone before him,
and with him departs the last remnant
Of the cause for which they fought und
the strength that SO long upheld it.
Only niue years ago he was Colonel
of cavalry in the United ST tes army.
and yesterday he died tho grcatest SOL
dier in the world. Four years service
in the field at the head of au army
gained for him this reputation, aud
though he was worstcdut the last, il
was reputation thar he did not lose
with his losses. 1t is str"ng praise to
give to him. but none the less under-
served, for even his former enemies must
concede to him the first place Iu The
civil war, and we know Of u. living Eu
ropcun General who possesses to the sa,ne
extrnt those attributes ofu, soldier which
so distinguished the Confederate leader
1t is true that Eur,pe has yet Napier
aud MeMalpn aud Won Molkte. and
America has also Sherman and Sheri-
dan and Longstreet, but all these men
and all their fellow, soldiers lack the
grandeur Which was inherent in Lee
In every particular he possessed the
requisites Of o true soldier. He wa
brave; his whole military record and
his life long scorn Of danger alike bear
testimony to his bravery. He was wise;
his great success against great odds, and
his almost constant anticipation Of the
enen,y's movements were proofs of his
wisdom He was ssillful his forced
marches and unexpected victories assert,
his skill. He was patient and unyield-
ing; his weary struggle against the
mighty armies OF the North and his stern
defence Of Richmond forever preserve
the memory Of his patience and resulu-
tion. He was gentle aud just the SOL
diers who fought under him and who
came alive out oi. the great fight. remem
bcring and cherishing the memory Of
the man can one and all testify to his
gentleuess and his Justice. Above all
nc was faithful; when he gave up his
sword there was no man in his own ranks
or in those Of the enemy that doubted
his faith, or believed that he had not
done all that. ;mortal could do for the
cause OF which he Had made such noble
struggle.
In the history Of those terrible four
years there is no more prominent figure
than that Of General Lee. 1t may be
said that he sustained the war after fail
ure seemed inevitable, aud when othc,
men were ready. to give up the fight
His defence Of Richmond in tho face oil
such mighty foe will forever remain
one of the grcntest events in history
His strategy, if not his presence, influ.
enced almost every Confederate victory
and through the nobility and good tl,a,
was 10 him he checred the hearts of hi.
soldiers and encouraged them to furth-
or and greater efforts They spoke OIL
him "Old Bob Lee" they liked tt
talk about his manners and his deeds
they told each other stories of.he great
ness of his heart. and although theil
commander, always looked upon hin q.
their friend and fellow soldier. II,
won the love of his friends aud the ad
miration Of his enemies, and now tha
he is. dead he has not an enemy at all
WhethdTitbs u canse. for which b.
fought was just or otherwise, is not
question for us now we only know tha
in the fight he did not war with hi
own conscience, but like true MAJ
stood up to what tie believed to be tn
truth flo was Virginisn BY birth ant
teachings, aud the son Of Henry Lee,
general ofthc revolution. He inhcrite,
the creed as we'll as the profession o
his father. and it is n strange circum
stance that the United States troops
sent to quell the insurrcction of doh
Brown, at Harper's Ferry, were unde
Al ~