Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-04-06
LEE AND JACKSON.

LEE AND JAChSON.
Mai. Gen. Sir Garnet j. W Wolseley, the VIC
to rious commander 10 the Ashantee war Ut
ls73-'74, was stationed in Canada during our
owl war. then utau C,I. We olseley, and made
AN UNDERGROUND visit to Gen: Lee just after the
battle of Gettysburg. Iu the U ulted States Mag
azine there is beiug published monthly BIO
granhical sketch of SIR Garnet Wolseley, writ
TEN by Lieut. Low, late OF the Indian Navy, who
ia the author Of "fhc Life of Sir George Pol
lock-" La The last number OF the Magazine tue
biopraph.r reaches the portloD 10 this nero 5
life when he was 10 CanaJa and made his visit
~ Lee. The rcade is enabled to obtain from
tb,s narrative some account of Wulseley 5 opin-
ions of the leading soldiers who fought on both
sdesin our war, aud the value OF their military
operations
o.. Geu. R. E. Lee-the reader is Informed
BY Lieut. L)w-Slr Garnet Wolseley had the
most exalted idea. Tness are his words 1t
is Wolsccy' S deliberate oriuloo that IN military
genius Lee has had no superior since the great
Napoleou astonished the world by his marvel
lous career Of victory; and he places Robert
Lee even above the great German GcneralS
who have So recently avenged the defeats IN
hlcted on their Country by the mighty Corsl-
cam 1t was his great admiration tor Lee, as
aspects presented 10 the South that, induced
Col. w ulseley to undertake the rather perlouj
Journey to that country.
Leaving his quarters at Moutreal quietly be
passed through New York and Baltimore to the
lower counties of Maryland where the Uorthern
terminus of the underground passage TO the
Confederacy Was secretly laid. He bad obtain
ed 10 Capada and Baltimore confidential letters
to persons 10 Maryland, who were 10 posses
son of the necessary facilities to put him on
the right track. He struggled through the
usual dangers which at that time attended the
surreptitious crossing of the military lines,
dodgiug from house to house and hiding. 10
outof.t the way places, aud narrowly escaping
one evening capture by Federal cavalry But
finally he got across the Potomac IN safety,
aud wended his way partially GU loot to klch-
mond.
ue picked up at the river a couutrymao of
his own bound ou the same adventure, aud dur
ing his subsequent stay 10 the Confederacy
they stuck together This ompanlon of his
SUBSEQUENT travels was the Hon Frank Lawey,
brother of Lord Weulock. MIR. LAwley was
going to the Coofederacy with commission
from The London Times to act as its correspon-
dent. When the two Euglishmen reached
Richmond they we're received with open arms
bv the people there They had many social at
,entons. and the Confederate Government,
through its Secretary of War MIR. Randolph,
gave them carte blanche 10 60 wherever they
pleased. After inspecting the tort'hcatIons at
Richmond and Petersburg they started by the
Virginia Central Railroad to visit the headqual-
ters Of Gen. Lee which were then about SIX
miles from Winchester
Colonel Woseley aud his companion were
received by General. Lee with that Kindness
aud stately courtesy for which ne was 80 noted.
Wolseley speaks with the utmost enthusiasm
OF the Southern commander. tie described
him as person who, wherever seen, whether
iu castle or hovel, alone or 10 crowd, would
at once attract attention as a splendid spec-
men of an Eogish gentleman, with one OF IT. the
most rarely handsome faces ever seen. The
general was living in tent like the rest Of the
men. though there was a comfortable farm
house near by. But he 80 scrupulously re-
spected the rights of private property that ne
would not cons. Mt to take possession OF 1t.
He led the two Englishmen to seat hard
by, under large tree, and there conversed
with them on the topic most interesting to
them, the past, present and future OF the war
Wolseley says that notwiths andiog the per-
sonal losses at Arlington and elsewhere, which
we're very severe, Gen. Lee never evluced
any bitterness of feeling against the North, nor
gave utterauces to siogle violent expression.
On the contrary, he alluded to many former
friends and companions on the other side 10
the kindest terms. He talked freely about the
battle of Antietam, which had just previously
been fought
The celebrated Stonewall Jackson received
Woseley and The Times correspondent with
much affability. 'He talked most affection
aely of Euglaud, aud Of his blief but enjoyable
sojourn there" Wolseley was quite overcome
by this interview with jackson. For myself.
he afterward exclaimed, impulsively, Il be-
lieve that, inspired by the presence OF such
man, should be perfectly insenslble to fatigue.
and reckon on success as a moral certainty.
Wolseley also made some remarks on the NOR
ais of the Southern soldiers. He met, while
visiting the front, patches of couValescent SOL
diers marching to join the army.
This led hun to praise the spirit of the men,
but to condemn the great want OF judgment,
evinced by the medical officers After So
journ of several days in the neighborhood of
the Shenandoah Valley, Wolseley and Lawley
retraced their steps to Richmopd, and from
thence the future conqucror Of the Ashantees
made bis way by the tortuous and dangerous
passage across the Potomac and through Mary
land to Baltimore, and so back to Canada.