Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1885-09-05
Eitzhngh Lee.

AN ex.confederate soldier now
living in New York, said this MORN
ing: "When I first knew Fitz. Lee
he was lieutenant colonel ofthe LIST
regiment of Virginia cavalry, iii
which held the position of private.
Stuart, familiararly known as 'Jeb,'
and to his intimates as Beauty
Stuart was colonel of the regiment.
After the battle of Bull Run, Stu
art wanted to ride into Washing.
ton, as he always maintained he
could have done, at the head of his
regiment. Disappointed in that,
he pushed his outposts as near to
the gates of Washington as his su
rerior officers would let him, and
from that time onward he was al
most never in the camp OF his regl-
ment. He lived OH Mason'S and
Munson'S Hills, leaving Fitz. Lee
i'll charge Of the camp; and Fitz. or
Little Fitz.' as he was called, was
quite as restless. and as much dis
posed to 1.-Two at the front as Stuart
himself was. 1t was Fits. prac-
tice to take all the men who were
able to sit up and so on a scouting
expedition in front of Stuart'S lines
leaving the camp in charge of the
hapl; inand the sore backed horses.
The chaplain, Captain Ball, was
as belligerent as either of his supe-
riorS. 1t was his practice to mount
all the sick men on the Sore-backed
horses and spend his Sundays hunt
ing for something to tight in front
Lees scouting parties.
s.Stuart was then made a briga-
der general, and Fitz Lee succeed
ed him as colonel. Thereupon Stu
art said to Capt. Ball: You are
about the worst chaplain ever
knew. but you are an uncommonly
coed fighter. I think III make you
a major on my staff, and give you
military instead of ecclesiastical
functlonS.' Fitz Lee, as soon as he
had the regiment in his own hands,
was notlopg in winning Il brigade
for himself. remember he said to
us, when he got his promotion, that
tlc First regiment of Virginia cav
airy was a brigadler general fac
tory. Nobody said he, could
command you boys for two months
without becoming a general or a
corpse He was reStlesSly active
aud vigilant to a degree rarely
ecualled. He seemed to rejoice in
a hight for his own sake, and | thiuk
he and Stuart did as much as any
body else to help Mcclellan in his
difficult task of restoring the stead
iiltSs and morals of the army of the
Potomac.
Il have one very vivid recollec-
tion of Fitz Lee. he led a party of
uSone day on scouting expedition,
ard we attacked a strong picket
pest within sight ola federal camp.
No sooner had we ridden through
Tie picket than body of federal
cavalry dashed out from the camp
to attack. My horse was killed
under me in the first assault, and
when the recall sounded l was on
foot with the scattered picket
guards all around. Then Fitz Lee,
who was the last to come out, as he
had been the first to go in, saw me
Just in time, held out his hand and
extended his foot as he galloped
by. 1 graSped his hand, placed my
foot on his, and with the strength
of donkey engine he swung me
up to his crupper and carried me
out of danger. Naturally / have
had kindly feeling for Fitz Lee
ever since that August morning. !
do not know what cast OF politician
Or statesman he is, but l do know
lie is a gallant soldier, a brave man
and thoroughly good fellow."-N.
Y. Commercial Advertiser July 80.