The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-10-30
IDOLS OF THE SOUTH.
An Interesting Sketch of two Great Gen.
erals.

An Interesting sketcl, of two Great Gen.
erals.
The difference in the manner in which
Generals R. e. Lee and T. j. Jackson
were regarded in the Confederate army
of Northern Virginia, says tho National
Republican, is one of the curious features
of the war. Both Generals were recog.
nized as men of genius, of piety, and Of
kindliness Of heart both were courteous
and dignifed in their intercourse with
others, although Jackson was very
abrupt and curt in speech and action, and
yet they were looked upon and treated By
the troops in direct contrary manner.
For General Lee the men had an implicit
trust and reverent affection that never
faltered from the time he took command
of the army until they crowded around
him in fearful silence to bid him a last
farewell on the hill near Appomatox
Court House, where the battle flags were
unfurled for the last time before being
piled upon the surrendered stacks of arms
To tell the truth, he was defied in the
thoughts Of the troops, and they never
doubted the issue of campaign under
his leadership, not even in the beginning
of the campaign of 1865, when defeat was
pressing on all other sections of the Con.
federacy, and had not "the bottom of the
bucket so suddenly fallen out" it is more
than likely that dictatorship would
have been thrust upon him as a last resort
to beat back the overwhelming numbers
of the Federals.
General Lee was fine figure when
mounted on mis- iron gray horse, Traveller,
and even when on hot and dusty march
looked always neat. His dress then was
q simple gray sack coat, with the star of
General on the turndown collar, a dark
slouch hat looped up on the left side,
gray pants and long riding boots. !!
never saw him with either sword or pistol
buckled on him. AS he rode along beside
the marching ranks, at the head OF his
staff, he always had his hat pulled down
over his brow, with his chin lifted as if
gazing intently into the distance. He
was always considerate for the health and
comfort of his men. One of the most
provoking things to regiment ofiniantry
on hot, dusty, and wearisome march
was for some mounted officer or man 10
come dashing along kicking up more
dust, or attempting to make way along
the road, which the infantry always
claimed as their right of way. Some
Generals and their staff INDUCED in this
practice, but General Lee never. He
always took to the fields. Again, it was
currently reported and believed that when
the army was in straits for rations he
utterly refused to make use of the dellca'
cies which the farmers were eager to
send to his headquarters, but ordered
them to be turned over to the field hos.
pital. When occasion offered he visited
the sick and wounded, and many poor
fellow was revived by his cheering words
and sympathy. All these things, aud
others thatmight be enumerated, endeared
him to his troops. On the march the
Generals presence among the columns
was scarcely noticed, except that the
tired limbs were braced up and the spirits
raised 70 further effort; but when he
passed along the roads leading among the
bivouacs and camps, the men invariably
crowded to the roadside and greeted him
with reverent silence that was more elo-
quent, perhaps, than the widest cheering.
He no doubt was pleased and encouraged
at this silent homage, yet he always re-
sponded by gravely lifting his hat with.
out change of countenance. The writer
never rccollects to have seen Gen. Lees
face otherwise than serious and pre-occu'
pied.
Two examples may be given to show
the estimation in which General Lee was
held and to illustrate the belief that the
success of the cause was absolutely
dependent on him. At the battle of
Antietam, late in the afternoon, General
Burnside forced passage Of the bridge
and assailed fiercel to the thin Confed-
crate line on the ridge. This was before
A. p. Hiil's division had come up from
Harper's Ferry Finally, the Holcombc
legion of South Carolinians, after fight
ing bravely, gave way in confusion, lcav.
ing dangerous gap in the lines, and the
day seemed about los! on the right. At
this critical juncture General Lee rode
up to them, and, seizing the flag, shouted:
"What my men, are you going to desert
| NUuE CUuullH III llS IlcuI vi PCIlit SOlllC
on; your General will lead youw The
legion rallied Immediately and reformed
the line, but refused to charge until Gen.
eral Lee had retired He consented, and
they gamcly plunged into the fight and
held their own until a. z. Hill came up.
Again, at Spoltsylyania Cuurt House,
when Hancock's men had swept over the
salient, capturing The entire division and
guns of General Edward Johnson, and
threatening to break the Confederate
army in two, and when the battle seemed
lost to the Confederates, General Lee,
who never hestated to expose himself at
the point Of danger, dashed up to Gen
era! j. B. Gordon's division and an.
nounced his intention to lead them per-
sonally to the rescue. When lie placed
himself in front instantly cries arose from
the ranks, 'Lee to the rear ' "Lee To
the rear!" General Gordon seized the
bride rein Of General Lee, and assuring
him that the division would not bulge il
he did not retire, Lee reluctantly rode
back, whercupon the division swept for
ward in gallant style and re established
the broken lines.
I venture to assert that no such regard
would have been shown for the safety OF
any other Confederate commander,
whether Johnson or Beauregard, or even
Jackson himself Ifthis deep veneration
was not inspired by elevation of charac
ter and by what is indefinitely styled
personal magnetism" then I am at a
loss to account for the fact in the case.
| And now as TO General Jackson. Be.
fore the war he had been plodding pro-
fessor at the Virginia Military Institute,
and had been noted for nothing except
close attention to his professional duties
strict observance of his religious lcnets,
and general diliidence and awkward
ness of manner that amounted to eccen.
tricity, and which made him at times the
butt of the lively cadets. The firm stand