The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-01-30
Interesting Facts ia General Lees
History.

ANtSFcSttnS EacsS In SGEeral 1Ne'S
History.
The Atlanta (Ga.) Indc1 brings US re.
port of an address delivered recently in
Georgia by General Pendleton, who was
Chief of Artillery under General Lee, and
since the conclusion Of the war his pastor
and intimate friend. We give some ex-
tracts:
WHY HE DID NOT EARLIER WITHDRAW FROM
PETERSBURG,
has been asked. TO my knowledge he was
perfectly aware long before April, 1865, Of
the necessity for such withdrawal, and had
fully resolved upon it. Several months be-
fore he privately expressed this to myself,
as believe he did to others in responsible
positions. At any rate received from him
secret information to send to q designated
point far in the rear all surplus ammuni-
tion, and to make arrangements with the
artillery, as the arm most difficult Of sudden
movement, for marching at one hours no.
tice, his plan beingrapidly to move back, and
form, if possible, a junction with the south
ern Confederate army, that by quick and de-
cisive combination one or the other of the
Federal armies might be struck with effect
lal force. With this plan, however, there
was interference, which General Lee deem
cd it less evil to yield to than to disregard.
It's nature may be inferred from a signifi-
cant remark made by him to myself alone,
the night of the 1st Of April, 1866. Con-
tcmplating the then thinness Of his own
line, its vast extent, and the fceblcness of
his entire force, he said: General, if our
cause fails, its epitaph may be written.
Died of Congress and the Newspapers.
The next morning that thin line was broken
by the numerous masses that ut length ad"
yentured attack, and we had to withdraw.
THE MAsTEELY RETREAT
then began. 1t has been asked why even
then so great Il captain could not succeed
IN eluding his much less skilled adversary
The reply is found in the utterly reduced
state OF his army, and of all southern mill
tary supplies, with the superadded difficult
ties Of inclement weather and deep roads.
Amelia courthouse, on the Richmond
and Danville railroad, was duly reached !;
| but supplies that had been called for, and
were expected there, were not fCrthcom-
ing, while Il large number Of persons from
| tchInond, only few Of whom, however.
were reliable soldiers, were added to the
crowd we had to provide for and protect.
| For want Of animals and forage, large
amount Of wagons, ammunition, &c, had
| to be destroyed, and the best dispositions
the remainder our retreat. DetachmentS
of the enemy were by this time getting
close. They had to be kept off with Il por-
| ton of our force, while the main body and
trains moved on. Thus by day, fighting
mad to be maintained all along, and march
ing chiefly by night.
1t will be readily understood under what
immense disadvantage this was, at every
step, accomplished, when the vast resources
of the Fedral commander are considered,
the multitude of his troops, aud the pro-
Ciigous host ofcavalrv, comparatively fresh,
at his disposal. That General Lee succeed
cd as be did in so far toiling him, and in a
considerable degree rendering such disaster
Is that to his rear divisions 1T Sailor Scrcek,
between Amelia Springs and Farmville, Is
one of the most signal evidences OF his
matchless power as commander.
WHETHER GENERAL LEES HEART WAS IN THE
SOUTHERN CAUSE
has been called in question by some inter-
cSted in malgning that cause. Let me
mention an incident which makes the truth
clear us day:
Having reached FarmviIlc, in Prince
Edward county, on the morning OF Friday,
April 7th, our little army crossed the Ap-
pOmattoN again, ginning the northern bank,
and destroying the bridges. Battle order
was then formed and the enemy approach
ing greeted with cannon Ill position. One
bridge below, however, had not been de-
Stroyed, and Il corps of the Federal army
pressed upon Us from that direction. Civ
ing NV personal attention to the defence
there, | met your own gallant feIlow-citi-
zen, General John B. Gordon, conducting
the fight, as was his want, with dash and
yi9or 4 few words were exchanged. He
informed me Of a conference held some
hours before between himself, Gen. Rich
ard Anderson, and others, IN which it was
determined that myself, rs one intimately
associated with the Commander III Chief,
should be requested TO see HIM, 1T in ac-
cordancc with my views, and express to
him our sense otHthe desperatenesS Of the
situation, and Of the moral impropriety OF
continuing a struggle now clearly hope
less-every man killed under such circum-
stances being, as we Thought, rather muir
dered than martvred. My impression be-
inc in the main of the same general east,
agreed to see General Longstreet first,
rs next in command to General Lee. This
accordingly was done. General Long>treet
met the suggestion ut first With his :ccus-
toned imperturbable resolution, objecting
in toto TO any thought Of diocuntinulno the
contest, and adding that he believed his
corps, or what remained Of 1t, could "still
whip" as he expressed it, "three times
their number Of Yankees" Admiring his
spirit, readily acquiescea, but suggested
the Inquiry whether they could withstand
thirty times their nnmbcr, as they would
have to do. He, in the sequel, fully agreed
that General Lee ought to be communicated
with, and begged hin TO go in person and
express his own sense OF the situation, if
Tor no other reason, to relieve the noble
heart OF the great commander Of the sense
of SolitarineSs in his mighty responsibility.
t,he veteran Lieutenant General, however,
excused himself on the score of his being
slow of speech, and requested me TO repre-
sent him with the rest i'll submitting the
statement Of all this to General Lee. |
gladly make this statement to the honor OF
General Longstreet, though differing with
that officer as to his recent course as wide
us the poles.
General Lee was lying OIL the ground.
No other heard the conversation between
him and myself. lie received my COM
municalion, with the reply, ''Gracious
heavens trust it has not come to that p
And added, General, we have yet too
many bold men to think of laying down
our arms. The enemy do not fight with
spirit like orr boys still do. Besides, if |
were to say q word to the Federal COM
mander, he would regard it as such q con-
fession Of weakness as to make it the oc-
casion Of demanding unconditional sur
rendcr-a proposal to which win never
listen. 1 have resolved to die first, and
that if 1t comes to that, we shall force
through, or all fall in our places" l tell
you, friends, General Lee was the boldeSt
man in all that heroic band. The General
went on" General, this is no new queS-
ton with me. l have never believed we
could, against the gigantic combination