The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-01-30
The Birthday Of Lee-OratiOn of Gen. Wade
= Hampton.


Lee at Savannah was an imposing affair. The
day was observed as general holiday; Ihe
volunteer companies turned .out in full force,
and were reviewed by Generals Hampton, Ker-
shaw, Johnston, Lawton and Jackson. The
Johnston Light Infantry escorted General
Wade Hampton to the theatre, where the ora
tion was to be delivered. After the applause
consequent upon his introduction had subsidized,
General Hampton said
Once again, and for the last time. seem
placed on duty in the service of my old com
mander, and the voice that summons me here,
waking many of the proudest though saddest
emotions Of my heart, comes from the tomb OF
him who, though "dead, yet speaketb."
In reference to the history of the war he
said:
Not until the heat of passion, the mists of
prejudice and the venom of hate, which have
so deeply stained American annals during the
last decade, have subsided, can the true story
of this last great revolution be given to the
world. Then will the impartial historian be
called on to tell with what heartfelt reluctance
the South, driven to desperation, severed the
bonds, no longer fraternal, which bound her
to that Union she had so largely aided to make,
and threw off government which her wisdom
had mainly formed, and which her patriotism
and her genius had so greatly illustrated.
He then proceeded to give full and COM
plete account of General Lees illustrious ca
reer. Of the gallantry and Christian forbear-
ance and patriotism of General Lees nature,
he said:
When standing by the grave which had just
been closed over our great captain, President
Davis, while paying a noble tribute to his
memory, referred to this part of his military
career in the following language: "When Vir-
ginia Joined the Confederacy, Robert Lee, the
highest officer in the little army of Virginia,
came to Richmond, and not pausing to inquire
what would be his rank in the service OF the
Confederacy, went to Western Virginia under
the belief that he was still an officer of the
State. He came back carrying the heavy
weight of defeat, and unappreciated by the
people whom he served, for they could not
know as I know, that if his plans and orders
had been carried out, the result would have
been victory rather than defeat. You did not
know, for would not have known it, had he
not breathed it in my ear, only at my earnest
request and begging that nothing be said about
it. Yet through all this, with q
magnanimity rarely equalled, he stood in ST.
lence without defending himself or allowing
others to defend him, for he was unwilling to
offend any one who was wearing a sword and
striking blows for the Confederacy.
The great soldier who had hitherto COM
manded with such signal ability the army i'll
Virginla-General Johnston-( laundering ap-
plause)-having been severely wounded in the
battle of Seven Pines, on the 3lst OF May,
General Lee was appointed 10 succeed him.
and assumed command on the End OF June
From this time until the close of the war, the
history of General Lee is the history OF the
immortal army of Northern Virginia-that
uoblest army that ever trod this earth. To re-
cord the unparalleled achievements of that
army while directed by the genius of Lee,
would be task far too great to come within
the scope of an address such as the present.
General Hampton reviewed at length the
military achievements of General Lee and OF
his gallant soldiers, and, in conclusion. said :
It has been my object not to embarrass the
narrative by any criticism of my own, but to
let the great actions which marked that career
through its whole progress speak for them.
selves From these actions the verdict of
history will, after all, be made up, and that
verdict neither the praise of his friends nor
the ccnsure of his enemies will be able to in
Auence We place him without one doubt be-
fore that august tribunal, feeling assured that
his motives his deeds, and his virtues will be
Judged by posterity as we, his countrymen,
judge them now.
"IIis grandeur he derived from Heaven alone
For he was great ere fortune made him so!
J And wars like mists that rise against the sum-
Made him but greater seem, not greater grow"
"IIis ashes in peaceful urn shall rest
His name great example made to show; -.'''.'
How strangely high endeavors may be blessed, 81.
Where pfety and valor Jointly 60"
AT the close of General Lees military SER
vice he retired quietly to private life, and
though the record left by him as private citi-
zen is as noble as any portion OF his whole
career. it was, unfortunately for the South and
for the world, all too brief He lost no time
in vain regrets, but set himself resolutely to
fulfill the duties that were before him.
Offers of assistance poured in upon him from
all quarters, but though deeply touched by this
evidence of the love entertained for him, he
refused them all, saying, "My friends have
offered me everything except work" he felt
that it was his duty to work, and with him
"duty was the sublimest word in our language" :"
Surrounded by all that domestic affection could
give, or public veneration bestow, 1t was the
fond hope of our people that he would long be
spared to the South to teach her sons to follow
his example and emulate his virtues. But he
himself felt that the wounds his heart had re-
ceiyed were mortal When he rallied from his
first attack and we were cheered by the hope that
his precious life would be spared, friend call
and to express the hope that his health would
soon be fully restored. Shaking his head
gravely M and placing his hand upon his heart,
Re replied: "No, the trouble is here" The
trouble was, indeed, there. For the sorrows,
the affections and the wrongs of the people
whom he loved so well, were swapping, one by
one, his heartstrings, and he fell at last, dying
as truly for the South as if he had fallen in
her cause on the bloodiest field he ever won in
her defence. And thus he passed away from
the scenes of his labors and his glory to appear
at the bar of that great Judge, who alone can
and will decide whether the cause in which he
fought was right or wrong. But though he is
no longer with us, his example, his fame and
his virtues are still left to US, and he thus is
not dead.
Dut strcw his ashes to the wind
Whose sword OF voice has served mankind,
And s he dead whose glorious mind
Lifts thine on high?
To live in hearts we Leave behind