The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-02-15

General Fitzhugh Lees lecture on the
Battle OF Charlottesville, which was to
have been delivered in January at the
Theatre for the benefit Of the Old Dominion
Guard, but postponed on account OF the
snow-storm, was delivered last night at
Mozart Hall to full house.
The officers OF the regiment, consider
able number Of distinguished citizens, and
the band occupied seats on the stage. Mrs.
Frank Leslie and daughter. who arrived in
the city Yesterday in special ear, were
special. guests and had private box. The
Old Dominion Guard in full uniform occu-
pied orchestra chairs, and back oil them was
an assemblage OF ladies and gentlemen re-
presenting the best elements OF Richmond
business and social life.
General Peyton Wise introduced General
Fitz. Lee in the following words:
Ladies and Gentle en,-Thcre be people
who deem themselves very proper, but, TO
nv mind, very mean-spirlted, VINO, when-
ever the Confederate cause is to be stated,
and especially whenever anything good is
TO be said about the Confederate soldier,
wag their heads very wisely and cry
"IIush !" In the land OF his birth; IN The
| land which he fattcned with his blood,
/ and. Christ-lille, died to save; in the land
where although, as Heaven knows. no lat
| ted cali was ever Killed for hlm) he was the
cbieiest and the best beloved, his cause IS
/ TO be ignored and his name to be lest Tor
eyermore; and, forsooth, because an
other course may offend the tne,
GSthciic taste, the pompous patriot
/ ism Of some Yankee statesman, Who
sniyels about "the best Government the
world ever saw" which he never did any
/ thing TO save. Away with all this cant
/ tell you, my friend, that the name and
! the fame OF the Confederate soldier shall be
a Joy and heritage forever. DO we need
any sympathy in this? Let US appeal from
the Yankee statesman TO the Yankee SOL
dier. [Applause.l Between ham and us
no longer yawns any bloody chasm. The
| blood OF the martyrs on both sides That
once flowed between has become the very
seed Of uniCR. And in due time, through
/ bis efforts and through ours, and through
| them alone, shall come the summer prime,
the harvest CT liberty. and OF eq'lal rights
! throughout the common country. The
question, then, is no longer, Shall we be
afraid or ashamed Of the Confederate SOL
der. but whether he will be ashamed OF US /!
Let us hope, then, that we have come
here patriotically fitted and worthy to
listen, at the feet OF q teacher. TO the great
story OF q great leader, dead for his coun-
try on the field Of battle-tO be reported to-
night to these headquarters by that DASH
ing cayalryman who added to the chlvaliy
OF Bayard the name OF Lee [applanSel;
who rode through storms OF shot and shell
Of Confederate war-himself storm-and
who has come at last, after having laid
ri oh I,o fa1 on
our rights, not inaptly, to turn plough
share at the home OF his great ancestor,
George Mason.
Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf OF n gal
liant captain and gallant company, who
are not afraid or ashamed OF the Coincide
rate soldier, but love to blazon bis name
and his deeds upon their chiefcst banners, L
introduce to you Fitz. Lee, once Confede-
rate general, still gentleman. (Great ap-
plause.l
General Lee said that at the invitation OF
this company " strike the strings OF the
harp OF auld lang syne, whose notes now
are chords OF peace, while picturing with
poor brush the camp-firos OF war. The
ruddy glow win light UP scenes familiar to
many OF YOU, because once again in imagi-
nation YOU will see the fiery hoof o; battle
/ approach it, as was said by the Sage OF
| Monticello in his famous inaugural, with
| those anxious and awful presentiments
which the greatness Of the charge and the
weakness Of my powers so Justly inspire,
and humble myself before the magnitude
Of the undertaking.
/ Then he went on and described the
events leading TO the battle, and referring
! TO the last meeting OF Lee and Jackson, said ::
! All, what an earnest talk Lee and Jackson
had on the night OF May the Ist. AZ sunset
/ they took their seats on log, on the right
or north side OF the plankroad, and little
distance i'm the woods. Colonel Marshall,
/ the well-knoWn aid-de-camp OF General
! Lee. was the only other person present,
| having been ordered to come to the spot for
/ the nurpose OF writing a letter 10 Nir. Davis,
/ TO lie dictated by General Lee. Marshall sat
! on the end OF fallen tree within three feet
Of the two Generals. and heard every word
| that passed between them, and this Is what
| he tells me Lee and Jackson talked about
on that eyentful night: Jackson spoke TO
! General Lee about what he bad seen and
heard during the advance, and commented
up0n the promptneSs with which the enemy
/ had appeared 10 abandon bis movement to-
wards Fredericksburg when opposed. and
the ease with which he had been driven
! back TO Charlottesville, and concluded by
/ expressing the opinion very decidedly, and
repeating It more than once, that the enemy
would recross the Rappahannock before
morning. He SAID, in substance, By to-
morrow morning there Will not be any Of
| them this side OF the river"
General Lee expressed the hope that Gem
eral JacksOn's expectations might he re-
allied. but said be did not look for such q
result: that he did not believe the enemy
/ would abandon his attempt so easily, and
eyprcssed his conviction that the main
! body of General lIookeTs army was IN his
front. and that the real move was TO be
made from this direction, and not from
! Fredericskhnrg. On this point there was
great difference OF opinion among our
higher officers, and General Lee was the
only one who seemed to have the absolute
conviction that the real movement OF the
Federal army was the one he was then
meeting. In this belief he never wayered
| from the first. After telling General Jack
son that he hoped his opinion might
be proved TO he CORE CT General Lee added {:
But. General, we must get ready to attack
the enemy il we should lind him here to-
morrow: and YOU must make all arrange
ments to move around his right flank"
General Lee then took up the map and
pointed out to Jackson the general direc-
ton of his route by the Furnace and Brock
roads. Some conversation took place as to
the Importance of endeavoring to conceal
the movement from the enemy, and as to
the existence of roads further to the ene-
my's right, by which General Jackson
might pass so as not to be exposed to oh:
seryation or attack. The general line OF
Jackson's route was pointed out, and the
necessity OF celerity and secrecy was en-
joined upon him.