The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-02-11
Robert E. Lee.
ADDRESS OF GEN. J. A. EARLY,

|
On the 19tll of January, the anniversary
| OF tne olrth 0f> Gen. Lee was celebrated ut
the Washingtonand Lee University.
Inc day was very unpropitious one.
Snow. sleet and rain combined to make the
weather and walking as bad as possible
put, Notwithstanding, at the appointed
hour the chapel was we'll filed by the citi-
xensof the town and country-s.1dents, ca.
dets, and professors al Hbitum. The ladies
turned out in large numbers, facing the ele-
ments bravely. Y
Seats were reserved fer the "boy." who
wore the grey, and not q few we're there.
| General Early was introduced to the au-
| dience by Col. w. Preston johnson. He
then commenced his address. He chose
for his theme, "The Military Character of
Generai Lee" Renarking. while he would
leave to others the task Of portraying the
| private character aud Christian virtues Of
General Lee, lie would only attempt to de-
| lineRte his character as u great military
cilieftain. Then, barely abiding to Gen.
Lees boyhood, early manhood, and early
military history, he commenced at the day
when General Lee took command of the
army after the battle of Seven Pines, re-
viewed in detail the battles around Rich.
mond, the defeat of Pope, the campaign in
Mary land, the battle of Fredericksburg
(all in 'G2), the battle of charlottesville,
the campaign in Pennsylvania, the retreat
of Meade lin '63), the battles In the Will
derness, then Spots!y vania, then Hanover
Junction, then Cold Harbor, then tho final
retreat of Grant to the James, finishing the
campaign of ga, the short, and decisive,
campaign of '65, aud the final scene at APP
pomattOx.
Thus following General Lees career step
BY step, the speaker brought forth an array
of facts and figures which were incrontro-
vertible, and applied to them critical
military analysis, such as his education,
native talent, profound research, and per-
sonal experience fully qualified him for,
showing conclusively ''that no general Of
ancient or modern times had accomplished
80 much with such small armies, and
against such great odds, as did General
Lee.
He fully indicated General Lees charac-
ter from the aspersions of Yankee histo-
rians and E'fresde military critics., who
have endeavored to tletract from General
Lees character as a soldier, fitted in every
way to wage an offensive as we'll as defen-
sive war.
In attempting to find a parallel for the
peerless Leo, the speaker said that all his
tory could be searched in vain. Neither
Caesar or Alexander OF Marlborough or Ma
poleon, or even Washington himself, could
equal him. AS for Grant, said he, we may
as we'll compare the loftiest pyramids of
Egypt to pigmy as to compare 4. E. Lee
70 u. 5. Grant. The speakers caustlc
handling Of the Generals and historians of
tho "other side," was received with much
laughter, and must be heard from General
Early's own.lips to be rightly appreciated.
His reference to the fallen heroes, Sidney
johnson and Stonewall Jacks were full Of
pathos and eloquencc. 1t would be vain
to attempt even a sketch of this admirable
address without doing injustice both to the
subject and speaker. 1t was a. mastery
vindication both of our great chieftain and
the cause he defended, as we'll as adese1ved
tribute to the brave and gallant men who
fought in the "lost cause"
General Early, in conclusion, addressed
a few words to the Confederate soldiers
present, urging them to be true to the
principles for which they had fought, not
TO listen to such mon as talked TO them
about "dead ISSUE" that truth could never
die. He said if any soldier had proved a
traitor to his principles since the surrender,
that he ought to receive the mark of Cain
on his brow, and be told to 80 out from
among us forever. He urged them to use
every exertion to raise q monument to the
memory of General Lee, at Richmond,
which he had SO long and molly defended.
General Early, at the conclusion of his
address, was greeted with loud applause,
aud received congratulations of many per-
sons in the audience.-Loichn,ond Enquirer.
MISCELLANEOUS ADVERTISEMENTS.