Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-05-29

troops of Grant and Mcclellan had been tried
as Lees were tried. they would have melted
like snow or died like rotten sheep. Lee won
almost every battle he fought, and against odds
of from two to one to four to one. What de-
stroyed him was Grants cold, cruel policy,
which only Yankee Napoleon or Prus
sian could have deliberately adopted of sacrl-
6cing men without STINT whom he could re-
place, to wear out an enemy who could not re-
cruit. Under different circumstances such a
process might last longer But general who
can afford to sacrifice three men to kill one
must always end by leaving his enemy without
soldiers; and therefore greatly superior mum
bers, thus used, must prevail in the long run
1t is no longer possible in wars between clrlllz-
ed nations for prowess to prevail against numcr-
ical odds of great weight. And this terrible
lesson a state like England will do well to lay
to heart. This. and this alone was the cause
of the fall of the Confcdcracyi this is the dark
and painful moral of the Virginian campaigns.
Against everything but sheer 'attriion' Lee
was victorious.
Great as he was in war-and surely no cap
tain Of any age ever accomplished greater
things against an enemy Of the same race, bet
ter armed, better provided, and outnumbcrlng
him by two or three to one on every battle
field General Lee shone greater still In dlsas-
ter. defeat, and ruin. The retreat from Rich
mond was masterpiece of moral power and
solder|y skill; the surrender was elevated hy
its circumstances and its spirit into one of the
grandest and most pathetic scenes lu history;
Lee was surrounded by tentold plumbers, all
was lost but bis men were s'auuch to the last;
and the temptation ITO ride along the lines,
and give the word and end it all was strong
Indeed. He conquered il; he did his best
Tor the meu who had loved and trusted him SO
louy; and he and his soldiers went back to
their desolate homcs the ruined citizens OF
ruined and enslavcd country. How cruelty
they were wrouged-how shamciuly every
pledge given at every stage OF the war, on
which virtually the Contederatcs had surren-
dercd has been violated-our readers know.
The Republican party clamored for violation
Of the military captulations for the blood OF
the general who had spared in war to punish
murder by repriSals and devastation by rcqol-
sitions General Graut--it is his one title To
honour put down this demand with high
baud. But he allowed the Southern people to
be wronged, oppressed, insulted, plllagcd, by
negro voters and Northern adventurers,as never
nation was oppressed and pillaged before.
Perhaps till he became President he had little
power to prevent it at all events he did not
try. Lee saw all this, and yet with break
ing heart, exerted himseli to keep his people
quiet He had lost fortune and home ID the
war, by pillage aud wanton destruction he
was prescribed E; he declined to draw Vengeance
on bis State by taking open part In her poll
tics the commander in chief Of national ar
nv condescended to the control ola college,
and to life of silence and obscurity. But all
Southern eyes we're fixed on him, and his intu
ence was used to keep them calm and patient
and to re-attach them to the Union which had
conquered and was crushing them. Even While
their wrongs and miseries were wearing out
his life he checked every utterance OF resent
ment, every expression of hope for future
dehyerance. ''We are oil Americans now. .
He would allow no toasts to the Lost Cause,
no honors to the Fallen Banuer. He bore his
burden with simple, unaffected, patient hero
ism. Other men may have approached him IN
war and in achievement; none capable OF deeds
like his ever rivaled him iu. endurance and sub.
mission under hopeless defeat. A Cato would
have fallen on his sword; a Bruins might have
conspired a Hannibal endured only ID the hope
of revenge and retrieval But Gen. Lee not
only endured, but submitted and that without
suffering his country to entertain even the wish
| to renew the struggle. He had to endure Tor
some weary years and then the release came.
The over-wrought nerves suddenly gave way;
he sank at once from perfect self-posscssion
and apparent health into collapse aud speech
essuess, and died as literally "of broken
heart" as ever did dispairing or defeated sol
dier; more truly far than most broken hearted"
victims of private grief, So he passed away
from the country he could neither save by his
sword nor restore to happiness by his counsels,
but which he had crowned with glory 10 war,
and rescued in defeat from useless struggles
and deeper misery He has left, behind him
no rival in her love, no object Of equal pride
and reverence. Nor is his fame confned to
the South. Wherever the English tongue is
spoken his name is rovered and honored.a
name to which history furnishes few equals in
military renown, none in moral grandeur; the
name Of one who realized in actual life the
dreams of ideal chivalry; so great in victory that
none ever surpassed, so much greater in defeat
that none ever approached him; the. patriot
without thought of self, the hero without
shade of afeota,ion or display; the man who
would neither despair Of his country nor con,
spire against her conquerors; ideal soldier and
perfect citizen, Christian without pretcnslon,
and gentleman without flaw. ...............