The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-06-08

rate Nause had to fear. But at length to
bis len as the afternoon advanced, was
heard the roar of fresh guns coming into
tpleted his flank march, and was closing
with the Federal right rees.F A few min
utes more and the ssllant soldier himself
appeared on the scene and rode mp to
greet Lee, cheered' by sLopgstrees,s men,.
already Veterans enough iu. war tSyunder-
u has been said, Of this first meeting of
these great soldiers on the battle-f field
conld be In more striking contrast than the
appearance and manner Of the two. Hand
some in face and figure, finely mounted, q
graceful rider, calm-visaged, and carefully
dressed, Lee presented the beass-ideal of
the commander whose outward bearing
captivates the soldiers eye. His famous
lieutenant rode, apparently by choice, an
-ill-groomed, raw boned horse, and sat so
short-stirruped as to give his figure the
most awkward appearances. An old cadets
.sorship he had not long aimee ieff, was
drawn down over his eyes. His coat was
not only thread bare but ill-brushed; and
his words were jerked out in short abrupt
sentences, between which he sucked lem
on which vas, "a usual, his sole refresh
Ient during his days work. Yet each
him ashis true worth. "That is a heavy
fire down yondsr, said Lee, as the Federal
your men stand III p "They can stand al
most anything. They can stand that"
was the emphatic reply. !; and after a few
chief to lead on the attack. This was de-
cisive, aided as it was by fresh advance
of the troops before engaged. The Fede-
rails were turned, overmatched, and driven
from their position, and before dark the
shattered remains of Porser's force were
crossing the Chickahominy in hasty re-
treat. Lees first battle, in fact, was
striking success, and as well-earned, as
any of the more famous victories in after
days which have been 80 widely studied
and SO often extolled. No word hence
forward from his Government of any want
of confidence in his powers, or fear of his
overcaution. From that hour he became
general of the Gpnfederacy. AS to his
soldiery, his hardy bearing, free self-expos-
urc, and constant presence near their
ranks, completed the influence gained by
that power of combining their force to ad-
vantage, which they instinctively felt
without fully understanding. From man
many hearts for one, was never more rap
idly exercised. Like Napoleon, his troops
learnt to believe him equal to every emer- 1
geBcy that war could bring. Like Hanni-
bal, he could spead lightly and calmly at
the gravest moments, being then himself
least grave. Like Raglan, he preserved a
sweetness of temper that no person or cir
cumstance could ruf1e. Like Caesar, he
mixed with. the crowd of soldiery freely,
and never feared that his position would !
be forgotten. Like Butcher, his one re-
cognized fault was that whichth soldier
readily forgives-a readiness to expose his
life beyond the proper limits permitted by
mi rvap fN tina rom m N in saE
What wonder, then, if he henceforward |
commanded an army in which each man |
would have died for him :. an army from |
which his parting wrung tears more bitter !
than any the fall Of their cause could ex- |
tort: an army which followed him, after
private life without one thought of further !
resistance against the fate to which their |
adored chief yielded without a-paasmaf-ll
Is it therefore asserted that Lee as q |
commander was faultless Far from IT, !
We cay it with all humility, but without |
any doubt, that from first to last he com
mhted most grave errors; errors which |
only his other high qualities prevented |
from being fatal to his reputation. Chief
of these was his permitting the continu-
ance of the laxity of discipline which
throughout the war clogged the move
ments of the Confederates, and robbed their
most brilliant victories Of their reward. |
The fatal habit of struggling from the ranks
on the least pretext; the hardly less fatal
habit Of allowing each man to load himself
with any superfuous arms or clothes he !
chose to carry the general want of subor-
dinaton to trifliDg orders, which was the
Inheritance of their volunteer origin these
evils Lee found in full existence when he |
took command before Richmond, and he
never strove to check them. Add to this,
that though never careless of the good |
Of his soldiers, he failed altogether to en-
force on the Confederate Government
the vital necessity of bringing the sup
ply of their wants more directly under
the control of those who commended them: /
so that at the last they were absolutely
starving ip Richmond, whilst the War De-
partment there, uninspired by the proper
energy for its task, had left large supplies
on the line of railroad leading to
the carohnas.' and lastly, there must rest
ON him the grave responsibility, shared GER
" by, but not wholly falling on his favor /
lite cavalry commander, of mfsusing the lin
tied supplies of horsefesh at his disposal in
brilliant but unserviceable march
ss., SO that in the last campaign the Con
federates were left almost destitute of that