Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1883-09-21

position as given by DIR. Jones:
"The night before his letter of res
ignation was written he asked to be
alone, and while his noble wife watch
ed and prayed below he was heard
pacing the floor of the chamber above,
or pouring fourth his soul in prayer
for Divine guidance. About o'clock
in the morning he came down, calm
and composed, and said to his wife !:
"Well, Mary, the path of duty is
now plain before me. / have decided
on my course. will at once send my
resignation to Gen. Scott"
Great probability Is given to the
view that Scott urged the tender of
the field command of the Union ar
mics to Lee by the testimony which
DIR. Jones accumulates as to the vete-
rams opinion of Lees qualities as a
soldier. Alter having quoted from
Scott's reports regarding his favorite
engineer officers services at Vera
Cruz, Cerro Gordo, and the city of
Mexico, in which he declared that Lee
was "as distinguished for felicltous ex-
ecution as for science and daring. "
DIR. Jones thus proceeds:
"When, soon after Gen. Seott's re-
turn from Mexico, committee from
Richmond waited on him to tender
him public reception in the capital
of his native State, he said: You seek
TO honor the wrong man. Capt. X. f..
Lee is the Virginian who deserves the
credit of that brilliant campaign
"Gen. William Preston, OF Ken
lucky. says that Gen. Scott told him
that he regarded Lee as the greatest
living soldier in America and that
in a conversation not long before the
breaking out of the war General Scott
said with emphasis:
II tell you that if were on my
deathbed tomorrow, and the Presi-
dent of the United States should tell
me that a'great battle was to be fought
for the liberty or slavery of the coun-
try, and asked my judgement as to the
ability of commander, | would say
with my dying breath, let it be Rob-
ert +. Lee >"
But there is an autograph letter Of
Gen. Scott which gives his opinion
upon this subject over his own sigma
ture:
"Headqsattrs of The Army, Nay s,
1S57.-Hon. J. b. Floyd, Secretary OF
War.-Sir: beg to ask that one Of
the vacant second lieutenancies may
be given TO W. ii. F. Lee, son of Bre-
vet Col. II. f. Lee, at present on dut,
against the tomanches.
81 make this application mainly on
the extraordinary merits OF the father,
the very best soldier ! ever saw in the
field: but the son is himself very re-
markable youth, now about 90, of a
fine stature and constitution, good
linguist, a good mathematician, and
about to graduate at Harvard Univer-
sity. He is also honorable and amia-
ble, like his father. and dying to en-
ter the army. / do not ask the COM
mission as favor, though if l had in
fuence ! should be happy to exert it
in this case. My application is in the
name of national justice. in part pay
ment (and but small part) of the
debt due to the invaluable services of
Col. Lee. | have the honor to be.
with high respeci, your obedient ser
want,
"WINFIELD SCoTT."
We do not know that the following
gives additional strength to the facts
which the author has already present
ed, yet it has interest:
"a prominent banker Of New York,
who was very intimate with General
Scott, has given number Of incidents
illustrating Scott's high opinion of
Lee. On one occasion. short time
before the war, this gentleman asked
him in the course of confidential in
terview:
General, whom do You regard as
the greatest living SOLDIER"
Gen. Scott at once replied, "Col
Robert +. Lee is not only the greatest
soldier of America, but the greatest
soldier now living in the world. This
is my deliberate conviction from a
full knowledge of his extraordinary
abilities, and if the occasion ever aris.
es Lee will win this place in the esti.
nation of the whole world" The
General then went into detailed
sketch Of Lees services, and state.
ment of his ability as an engineer and
his capacity not only to plan cam
paigns, but also to command large ar.
mics in the field, and concluded by
saying. 81 tell you. sir. that Robert E.
Lee is the greatest soldier now living,
and if he ever gets the opportunity he
will prove himself the greatest captain
of history"
There can be no question that even
before the war broke out in 1861 Gen.
Scott held as an exalted opinion of
Robert L. Lee as one soldier ever holds
OF another.-N Y. San.
~ ~