The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-10-08
RECOLLEOTIONs OF GEN. R. E. LEE.
BY FLORENCE MCCARTHY.

BY FLORENCE MCCARTHY.
When the late war broke out | was at
tending lectures at the University of
Virginia, located at Charlottesville. One
of the most vivid recollections / have of
the exciting events which took place
there is that on one of the hall doors OF
the university there was posted up an
editorial scrap taken from the Chlcago
Tribune, full Of the war spirit, and breath
inc out thrcatenings and slaughter to the
southerncrs in case they should secede.
Nothing could have fired the southern
heart more effectually than this editorial
manifesto. The students at once packed
their trunks and left by the hundred for
the camps of instruction. The institu-
ton was virtually closed, and | returned
to my home in Richmond, where one OF
the rumOrs that reached me was that
some man whom the authorities seemed
to regard as the most important person
on the face of the earth to the southern
cause, one of whom | had never in my
life heard, and whom they called Gen.
Lee, was expected to arrive in Richmond
the next day.
For several months after his arrival in
Richmond, Lee had his headquarters IN
the Federal courthouse, situated III capt.
tol square, where he employed himselfin
organizing the Virginia troops. 1t was
in passing through the square, or park,
to and from these labors, that | first and
frequently saw this remarkable person.
In the regular army, previous to the war,
Lee was regarded as the handsomest man
in the service. But, for my part, L think
this must have been an eXaggeratlOn OF
his comelincss. lie certainly was mag
nificent specimen of physical manhood,
but it always appeared to me that he was
Just a trihe too short for a perfect figure.
When | first saw him he had remark
able GAIT and carriage. He always walked
brisklv;with aspringiness that was jaunty,
and bordered on gayety; held his head
high up and shoulders back, and had
wav of thrusting one fist into the other
palm rapidly as he walked. HeaPpeared
to ne like gay, light-hearted, handsome
cavalry officer. At that time he wore a
mustache, but no whiskers, and was not,
if | remember correctly, at all gray.
While Lee was engaged at his labOrs in
the Federal courthouse, he gave ample
proof that he felt anything but gay,
whether he looked 50 or not. From the
very first he entertained the most solemn
and painful conviction as to the dura-
ton and terrible nature of the conflict.
| remember distinctly one circumstance
that led me to think him crOaker. The
war spirit ran 50 high in Richmond at
that time that a parcel OF school boys
formed company of infantry and
marched down to the courthouse to offer
themselves to Lee as soldiers. But the
general. while surprised and delighted at
their pluck, begged them to 90 back to
school, and assured them that the war
would last long enough to afford them all
the fighting they desired after they had
completed their education. For my
part" he said, d" never expect to see the
end of this war"
never had any personal acquaintance
with Lee. and never heard his voice but
once. After he took the field | saw him,
even. only a few times But there were
two occasions when got a good look at
him under very interesting circum-
stances, and the memory of it will never
be effaccd from my mind. The first of
these was when he was marching through
PENNSYLVANIA to Gettysburg. Either for
the purpose of taking drink of water,
or to await the arrival of couricrS, he
ana MS uitIlItltlljlouS Sl'll 'AlNlilouillCN
for a few minutes ut a large house on the
roadside. They did not enter the house,
and in a few minutes mounted their
horses again and rode off On the prin-
ciple that even cat may look at
king" | made Il point Of hanging around
| the party and observing Lees COuntC-
nance. If a person can imagine exactly
how a great and brave man ought to look
! Nh, l,J ,-lr,,,,,J smell, TaSn,uGibil itIas
and was approaching such a crisis in his
fortunes, he can imagine exactly how
Lee looked | never can forget the
dignity, the gravity, the unassuming
quetness, and yet the look of serene con-
| fidence, of modesty, of humility, and of
gentleness which Lees countenance wore
that dav. He and his subordinates were
! dressed very plainly and the whole party
seemed to be pervaded by the same
decent, quiet, undemonstrative spirit.
When they left this place, Lee uttered
some laconic instructions to one of his
aids, approached his horse, and placing
his hand on the pummcl rose into the
saddle slowly and as gracefully as if it
had been by magic.
All of the motions of Lees body after
he took the field seemed to me to be the
most leisurely and graceful that | ever
beheld. He never looked ut all sluggish
or absent minded, but he never seemed
to be i'm a hurry. Even when he raised
his SLOUGH hat to the ladies who waved
their handkerchief to him as he passed
through Maryland, he slowly took hold
of it by the top (thc brim was too soft
for that purpose), and raised it and put
it back ON his head, and, without inclin-
ing his head, turned a look of digniticd
obcisance to his admirers. And | must
confess that on the occasion referred to
was greatly surprised ut and disappointed
in Lees voice. had made up my mind
that it was low and sweet and musical.
And indeed, IncvCr heard him uttcrmOre
than half dozen words, and those words
were uttered in such low tone of voice
that | could not distinguish them, but
they gave me Il sudden shock; for his
voice was masculine, sharp, abrupt and
harsh, full of authority and command;
in short perfectly soldicrly.
| have mentioned this view of Lee at
length for the reason that the other great
occasion on which got fair look at him
wa when he was rctreating from Gettys-
burg, and that both accounts might be
read together rs a sort of companion
l't' thtNH- ~ the liiblllNllN WIFI i NslN
Lee on this occasion hcwas on horseback,
slowly threading his way along the
crowded road, on his way to Williams
port. 1t occurred to me ut the time that
it was great privilege, one that very
few people ever enjoy, to see a great
military chiettain at the hour Of advcr-
sity and defeat. This was on the dav
after the fighting at Gettysburg had
ended. | scanned Lees face in vain for
any symptoms of hurry, alarm. or merry
business. He wore an expression of grief
and WEAKNESS, but the closet observer
could discern nothing more. I learned
afterwards that at the time | saw him he
had been in the saddle for forty-cight
hours without rest. Hcwas accompanied
by Gen. Ewoll, the onc-lcggcd successor
OF Jackson, who appeared not only sorry
but mad, and to whom was entrusted the |
duty of covering the retreat.
| must not omit a brief account of .
another view | got of Lee, which was |
even more characteristic than these two. +!
1t was during the seven days fight around |
Richmond when Mcclellan rctreated to |
Harrison's Landing. These battles be /
gan ut Mcchanicsville, point about ten |
miles from Richmond, on which McClcl- /