The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-04-28
The Truth Of History.


y hisr-eioSt1 Y A,s<Api = 50 1901.
Editors Halssy Haainasn,
sIRs-I notice in two Of the journals
of the 23rd inst for the first time, ex
1870, memoir of Gen. William Malone by Gen.
j. Watts De Peyster, tolwlt: Jefferson Davis
was so much impressed with Mahones discip-
line that this, in connection with his previous
ly acknowledged reputation as a civil en-
gineer, induced him to assign Malone to the
supreme command of Fort Darling"
am aware of the fact, and have published
conversations of Gen. Lee with me, showing
that Mr.. Jefferson Davis did not give up the
command of the armies of the Confederate
States to Gen. Lee to do as he Lee) pleased,
until after he Davis was notified that the
Federals had come over Gen. Lees lines at
Petersburg, in 1865. But question the cor
rectness of the above extract l do know that
Gen. Lee was too courteous towards those be-
low him in rank, to allow the one above him
to be so void of courtesy to him Uee) as to
detail commanders for the many little earth
forts along his line of battle, as Fort Darling"
Such forts, so-called, were generally COM
manded by officers of the rank of Lt.-Col. or
Major, mostly of the latter rank commanding
battery.
l have repeatedly spoken, in private and
public, complimentary of Gen. Malone, as
brigade commander, and that when his brigade
was under the command of Gen. LOngstreet
there was not a better disciplined or better
managed brigade in the command. In adj
uniting that, it was all could say in his favor
asa commanding officer of a brigade in the
Confederate Army,
Another extract, to wit: "When the game
was up, Lee called in council Longstreet, so
greatly trusted, and Malone, no less worthy
of trust, if not more so-certanly wiser if
not better fighter-to ask what could be
done. Malone advised surrender"
This extract is as perfectly absurd as it is
erroneous am very sure Gen. Malone was
not in the presence of Gen. r. E. Lee, from
the time l reported to Lee, by order of Gen.
Longstreet, that Gen. Gordon could not hold
his position against Gen. Sheridan until after
Gems Lee and Grant had agreed upon terms
and the conditions were signed.
1t was not Gen. Lees custom to consult
with any who did not report directly to him,
which Gen. Malone did not.
There was no question in my mind then,
nor has there been since. At the dawn of the
day of the surrender when Gen. Lee took the
sword that the ladies of Richmond presented
to him, out of the case for the first time, and
which buttoned the straps on, and which he
buckled around him over yellow sash, had
presented to him, his mind was settled upon
surrendering to Gen Grant that day without the
loss of another life or limb if he could do SO
upon conditions suitable to has mind for the
general welfare of the conservative element Of
his army; otherwise to die with them in an
effort to cut through and continue to fight
until he should get for them what he consid
cred his braves were entitled to. And there
fore contend that Gen. Grant acted wisely
when he granted to Gen. Lee all he asked. To
have denied him would have cost the blood of
his (Grants) braves, when there was no sense in
it, 1t cannot be forgotten that Lees men
were preparing for action during the Temporal
ry armistice, as the then chief of staff (Gen.
Forsyth of Gen. Sheridan knows, and which
stopped, upon my own responsibility. by giving
the order to Gen. Field by order of Gen Long
street, whom I had reported to, as his Uong
street's) Adjutant and Inspector General.
proclaim here publically as though my
body were dashed to the stake, to speak the
truth for history that my knowledge of Gen.
K. E. Lee was such as to justify me in certify
ing that so far from his disposition to be
biased by any ones opinion, he did not consult
when not in trouble, he was more disposed
when in trouble, as at Appomattox, to snub
those ne had heretofore listened to and act upon
his own judgment, which was dictated by his
sense of duty to his God and to his fellow men.
JNO. W. FAIRFAX.