The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-06-10
An Interview With Gen. n. f.. Lee.


gov (Scotland) Herald with series of
interesting sketches of American men
and women. He described his first in
terview with General Lee as follows:
"When | got back to the hotel, l
found that Lee, who was aware of my
coming, had already with a courtesy
SO conspicuous among class of Ameri-
cans), sent a servant to inquire if had
arrived, and to say that he would like
to see me at the college.
"On going there after breakfast, /
was taken up stairs into the room set
aside for the use of the College Presi-
dent.
"a noble looking man, dressed in a
gray military coat, who had been writ
ing at table near the window, rose as
l entered. lie was tall, straight, and
soldierlike, with crisp hair turning Z
white; short trimmed 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 pain
fully. He was suffering from i'll health
at the time; but it was not look of
physical pain. Perhaps it was only my
feeling, but it seemed as if the shadow
of the past was over him-as if you
conld rea d behind the vigilance of his
dar k eyes the fate of the South, and of
the myriads who lay sleeping on the
battle fields.
"When L was seated he began to in
quire where had been in the South,
and about my journey up--smiling at
the somewhat doleful account l had to
give him of my experience in the stage
from Goshen. He said there was anoth-
er 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
t he Goshen road on horseback. The
scenery was very grand.
"He began to speak about Scotland,
and said: "You will meet with many
of y our 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
determination of the Scotch, with the
Irish dash and intrepidity They make
fine soldiers"
"He said it was an old wish of his tC
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 tC
the odds against which the South hat
fought, and the want there was of accu
rate statistics, told him it was under
sto cd he was preparing history of the
war himself.
"'I have had that in view,' he said
but the time has not come for an i'm
partial history. If the truth were told
just now it would not be Credited
"When the books that had already
| Ntlt Spohtl vi, anu
toned one, the proof-sheet Of which, il
was asserted, had been submitted t.
General Grant and himself for revision
he said 1T is a mistake. / never reaC
a history of the war, nor the biograph!
of any man engaged in it. My own lif
has been written, but L have neve
looked into itr He added after {
pause, q do not wish to awaken memo
ries of the past.
"He spoke highly of Sherman's abil
ities-said Sherman had always been
good soldier.
"He seemed much gratifed when
told him of the estimation in which III
and Stonewall Jackson had been helt
from the first by the British people, IRE
spective of Northern and Southern
sympathies. He said, after Il pause
Jackson lies in the Presbyterian bury
ing ground at the other extremity o
lexington"