Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1871-04-08

Lee After the Battle Of Gettysburg.

writes for the Gv|arY an article on Lee at
Gettysburg, from whicl, we take the follow
ing:
When night closed upon the grand scene
our army was repulSci. Silence and glooni
pervadcl our camps. We knew that tho
day had gone against Us, hut the extent OF :he
thc disaster was not known except high quar-
tcrs. The carnage Of the day WAS reported
To have been friGhtful, but our army waa not
in retreat. anil we all rurnliSrd tha: With to-
morrow's dawn would come Il renewal OF tho
struggle: and We knew that if such WAS the
case those who had not been in the hight
would have their full share in the honors
and the dangers Of the next day. All felt
and ap rcriated the mumcntous consequences
of final defeat or victory on that great field.
These considerations made to us one "f those
solemn and awful nig hts that every &C who
fought through our long war sometimes cX-
pcricnccd before grca, battle.
Few camp-frrs cnlivcncd the scene. 1t
was u warm summers night; and the weary
soldiers were lying in groups on the luXu-
RANT grass Of the meadows We occupied. dis
cussing the events of the day, nr watching
that their horses did not straggl lie of in brow
sing around. About L o'clock 4 horSeman
arrroachcd and delivered message from
! Cen. Lee that he wished to see me immrdlate-
| ". mounted at once, and accnmrAnlou ny
| Lieut.. Mcphai, of my staff. and guided by
the courier. rode about two mile towards
Gcttv>hurg. where half dozen small tents
on the roadside were pointed out rs General
Lees headquarters for the night. lie was
net there, hut | was informed that would
find him with Gen. \. p. Hill. half milo
further on. On reaching the place ndica-
ted hickcring, solitary candle, through
the open front ut L common tent, showed
where Generals Lee and Hill were seated on
camp stools. with 4 county map spread upon
their knees. and engaged in Il low and earn
est conversation. They ceased speaking as
approached, AMI after the ordinary saluta-
tions General Lee directed me to E" to his
hcaduuartcrs and wait for him. lie did not
return until about | o'clock, when nc came
riding alone at slow walk, and evidently
wrapped in profound thought.
! There WAS not even Il sentinel on duty,
and no one of his staff was about. The
moon was high in the beaver, shedding
flood Of soft, silvery light, almost as bright
as day, upon the scene. When he appeared
and saw us, he spoke, refined in his horse,
and cssnycd to li$m"nn. The r"prv to do
80 betrayed 81 much ;;!S >ital exhaustion that
stepped forward to assist him, hut before
+ reached him he had alightcd He threw
his arm across his saddle 80 rect himself, ""d
fixing his eyes upon the ground. leaned in
silence upon his equally weary h"rsc-th"
tvo forming as striking group, asa statnr.-
The moon revealed an expression Of sadness
; T had nnycr sr"n upon that fine ronntcnancc
before in am Of the vicissitudcs of the war
through which he had passed. | waited for
him to speak until the silence became pain
rul and cmharra :snM, when, to break IT, and
change tho current Of lis thoughts re-
marked in a sympathetic tone, and III allu-
sion to hi: great fat que:
"Gcncra, this has been hard day on
you.'
This attracted his attention. lie looked
up and replied mnIrltnliy:
Yes, it has bees 4 sad. sa'i day to ns,
and inmcdir,"ly r,l"rS"l :':r his thought
full mood and at:;in". + i.;;.-: unwilling
again to i,,trul" ar"n h;. ''"a'", ;"HI rrH"r-
tinn~, said no In"r". After minute or
two he suddenly traightcncd up % his full
hoirht. and. turning to me viii more anima-
ti.n, nncrrr. and excitement Of 'nal!' : than
I had eyer seen in him before. he adi"cs%"d
me in L voice trcmulpus with emotion, and
saii:
"Gcncral. never saw troops behave more