New-York tribune., 1884-11-03

the table and went to bed as usual me next
morning at y o'clock when came in to breakfast
found the Prince and Lieutensnt u sittina
at the table, "Prnce." said .yon ana LL.,.-- L
are early this morning' aont know svsnt w@t'b lsft
tine dinner-table yetr I---was the most tac.
turn individual Of our mess. and suspect ne nad
been asleep at least seven out OF the 'onr.eGm t I'm
hours they had renamed at the table, but the
Prince kept on talking ,
Among the English officers who visited us toward
the last was Lieu enant Il. Of Wellingtons reg
inient lie was as elegant and beautiful yonti
M could be found IN the two hemispheres. ana
from hm ! learned that grumblins ia not confined
to officers of the American army. One day ne en-
tertained me an hour abusing hrs colonel MS ds-
course IN form aud substance was about as
follows. 49,,
aThe Dnkc !. n selfish old man. you know. He'd
aenJ his regiment TO the devil " he c"nl he com
Portable himself. There's no use our he,ns over
here hut herr we've been nearly whole wear.
Last winter was stationed at Qnebec. and that J"
the vilest place in the world. VT like to have tne
old fellow over there and make h'n go the ronnas
~ midnight IN Iannary--that would bring nm '"
his senses The Dukes IN his dotagr, you know.
uu he holds on AMI he will hold 81 tili death. le
had the regiment out ut the cofonat'9i'. anu ne
commanded the whole column. but I've scarcely
lnnhrd ut us Tho old fellows neck was Ro weak
that he .oulnt bald his head up so he were tall
sti leather stoch to trst his chm on, lie loukrd
hhr ~ old mummy dressed M Tho Queen ap-
eatpd angry with hih and Hunt iur hun \" c"''e '"
hrt ca,iaen lie waited While anI .h'n wnns wv
look toward hrr, ilr's ~ manneip, you Know" ana
much note ~ tho san,n htfah,
tenufai keyes has 10 hesitation Ia calling Grant
the greatest aolrf of our war, aud Tho hecond
place he assigns ta Lee OF this latter commander
he writes ~ Just aud sppreratiNo spirit
From infancy to three-score he knew no ply
scal malady, and the admirable symmetry oi i'n
person aud the manly beauty oi his cnuntohahce
were the alds 10 h. VIRTUES which secured To him
tolerance, affection and respect from all with whom
he mingled. He passed the ionr years o hs cadet
ship without "a single mark ol dcmorit, ana dulihs
my long acquaintance with him'l never heard HIM
accused OF an act of meanness, tyranny. or neglect
OF duty. Ills nature "as genial ana soclable. ana
he would lrln Tcsly IN all the sports and ainnse-
ments proper to his age. lie was exempt iron.
every form aud degree of snobbeTy. which Is IA
detcstaDle quality that appears most often among
people whose theories of government presume an
absolute equality. He was a taVor.tc with the
ladies' but he never allowed them to waste his time,
30 warp his Judgment. or to interrupt his duty TO
whatever iion he was ordered, however secluded
unhealthy it might be, lac would 20 10 II win
cheeriu'nes>. Every KIND ol duty scemel peas
urr = hm, and he never intrigued tor promotion or
reward. Ncveri hei-ss. no man could stand III MS
presence and not reco1n zc ls capacity ana ac-
know cce lii moral force. His orders. couvc ell In
mild language. were Instantly 0beyed, and ms
mot v's were universally approved. In all tue time
i'm which observed his conduct was true 10 my
own anteccdeH:s. was Northern man, and no
word dropped from my lips or was 'hed from my pen
that did not testify to my origin and pro- or ale
glance. will not deny that the presence of Lee, and
the mutiiorm CTaccs fhat clustered around Inn.
oftentimes oppressed me. tnough never envied hnn
and doubt ii he ever excited envy III any man.
All his accomplishments and allurinG virtues ap-
pearch natural IN him, and h WAS free from the
anxiety. di-trust, and awkwar,nc-s that attend q
sense ol inleri0rlty, unirlcndly discipline, and
crnsure.
The last time saw Lee was in the spring of SCI.
where he had been second III command t. General
Twigts, who surrendered to the SeceSsion,ts.
Coming to pay hi respccts to the colnnanJIng
CURED if Lieutenant General scott was disengagcd
stepped quickly forward. seized ms hand greeted
bun warmly. and SAID: bee. IT II is reported |
tt IrNIS.
lows thatV Without replying 10 my question he |
.sumcd an air Of great scrlou>ne,s,and calmly sad:
- am here ~ pay my respects 10 General scott |
Will Won be KIND ugh. Colonel. to show me 10 hls |
Dilice" opened the generals door, Lee passed m.
ind the two NITg.nians remained alone together |
II wa, usually the custom of General scott after
having had private interview with an important
prr on. to relate 10 me what had been said. On
his occasion he told nr not a word and he made
10 reference to the su icct Of hi, conversation with
,nlone Lee HIS manner thai day. when We dned
alone, wa. painfully solemn. He had an almost
dolatrons fancy for Lee, whose military genius lie
,ytimatc far above that OF any other officer Of the
NrinN. 'h one "cca,I'h allcr u" McSlcah w AR |
,eneral scott. speaking t. me OF Ice. remarked
hat. if hostlliicS should brcak Ogt between our
olntry and England. it would he cheap for the
lnlied States TO insure Lee life for V1.OOOOOO
it has frequently been surnisod that Scott at ono
Ime onered to retire from the service aud give Lee
he command of the Federal Army. In my mind
here ~ not a shadow OF q doubt that he dd ~
Turing the conference above referred to. without
nee Lee That IT was ms d"tN To comply win M
suggestion. The two gentlemen, although Their
opinions were usually harmonious. probably dsa
reed in regard to the state of thing then tx lstDg
Scott could have idea that Lee VAS gong to lead
an army of Northern mea To fgb' against the south
Dn the contrary. he desired to see linn at the head
If Union force sui" .eutlv pONcrlul TO keep th'
peace aud t. prevent evil war. which they equally
ibhurred Both those men were born IN Virginia.
,nd both loved the Union, and neither If them
could bear tho thought of uu,h hing his sword
'ga nst his native stat" The Younger man con
,dcrcd war inevitable. the older lnlnlgpd hopes
hat IT might he avoiiod Ic, beng ia full vigor
If his iulud, and conrcicntiously hound to comply
with the decision of his native state departed tu
Oil the scccdcrs. who scott, weighed down with |
.carA and 'atruitlcs and Trusting that hostilitics
niVht he avoled or confined to II few eklimslcs
remained with the North.
OF Jefferson Davis he has quite n different opin.
on declaring that he was always obstinate, selfish
md hcnrtcss;
While hc was Secretary of War he Was part ial aud
anriciouS IN the cNcicsc of hls authority, aud
howcd hostility g. Generals scott and Wool. lie
onld seldom comply witi "a Suggestion made to
lrin
/ don't know how ! can better eycmpliy Mr..
)avis's disposition. than by repcniing story
hch General scott often told. late IN lIic TO Illus
rate the word contrary.
Down in North Carolina there once lived an old
cotch farmer whose son was named Jock. One
ay an obtrusive Old sow whose time hal come was
Missing The farmer and his son went up he stream
d hunt for her. Far up they found her IN the
uShes with many little grunters near. Ilaviag
tarted them homcwari, the old man said. "Jock
on and look along down. for she's
ontrary Old hitch. and wonldn't wonder II she
Igged "A little on both SIDES the crcekP
In closing our notice OF an extremely interesting
oOk, We cannot refrain from copying tho following
roll and rather pointed correspondence between
eneral kcyes and one of his subordinate division
towards whom lie cherished a spec ial
HEADQUARTERS NAGLEE's DIvrsIoN,}
NEwBFRN, June II. 1863.
GENERAL: am most happy to advise You that
have been transferred with my brigade into the
department oi n nth Carolina
II may be equally agreeable and satisfactory to
Ou as 1t certainly ~ to myself, to bo assured that
he separation Will be a permanent one.
III. NJ. NAGLEE.
0 Ma Gen. Erasmus u. Keyes. Commanding etc. |