Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-08-04
FITZHUGH LEE.

gFrom the N. Y. Commercial Advertiser July 3d.
An ex.confederate soldier, now living in
New York. said this morning: "When
first knew Ftz. Lee he was lieutenant colo
mel of the First regiment of Virginia cav.
airy, in which I held the position of private.
Stuart, familiarly known as 'Jeb,' and to
his intimates as Beauty Stuart was the
colonel of the regiment. After the battle
of Bull Run, Stuart wanted to ride into
Washington, as he always maintained he
could have done, at the head of his regi
ment Disappointed in that, he pushed his
outposts as near to the gates of Washington
as his superior officers would let him, and
from that time onward he was almost never
in the camp of his regiment. He lived on
Mason's and Munson's Hills, leaving Fitz.
Lee in charge of the camp; and Fitz., or
Little Fitz.' as he was called, was quite
as restless and as much disposed to live at
the front as Stuart himself was. 1t was
Fitz's practice to take all the men who
were able to sit up and go on a scouting
expedition in front of Stuarts lines, leaving
the camp in charge of the chaplain and the
sore backed horses. The chaplain, Captain
Ball, was as belligerent as either OF his
1U WAS Ills pEdCplCC W l11Ouao ehAi
the sick men on the sore backed horses and
spend his Sundays hunting for something
to fight in front of Fitz. Lees scouting par
ties.
"Stuart was then made brigadier gener-
al, and Fitz Lee succeeded him as colonel.
Thereupon Stuart said to Capt. Ball. You
are about the worst chaplain | ever knew,
but you are an uncommonly good fighter.
think I'll make you major on my staff,
and give you military instead of ecclesias.
tial functions Fitz Lee, as soon as he had
the regiment in his own hands, was not long
in winning brigade for himself. remem-
ber he said to us, when he got his promo.
tion, that the First regiment of Virginia cav
airy was brigadier general factory. No
body said he, could command you boys
for two months without becoming general
or corpse He was restlessly active and
vigilant to degree rarely equalled. He
seemed to rejoice in a fight for its own sake,
and l think he and Stuart did as much as
anybody else to help Mcclellan in his diff
cult task of restoring the steadiness and
morale of the army of the Potomac.
II have one very vivid recollection of
Fitz. Lee. He led party Of us one day
on scouting expedition, and we attacked
astrong picket post within sight of fed
eral camp. No sooner had We ridden
through, the picket than a body of fed
eral cavalry dashed out from the
camp to attack us. My horse was
killed under me in the first assault, and when
the recall sounded was on foot with the
scattered picket guards all around. Then
Fitz Lee, who was the last to como out, as
he had been the first to go in, saw mejustin
time, held out his hand and extended his
foot as he galloped by. 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. Nat
urally have had kindly feeling for Fitz.
Lee ever since that August morning. | do
not what sort of politician or statesman he
is, but do know that he was gallant sol
dier. brave man and throughIy good fel-
low"
DR.. Overton, of Virginia, said: Il live in
Sussex co., Va, in what is called the black
belt district There Mr.. Wise will get large
vote. The negroes are solid for him and he
will also get majority in the cities; but
notwithstanding this, think General Fitz.
Lee will be elected. He the strongest man
that could be nominated by any party or
faction. Wise, however, is a bright, pucky
fellow, and will give him all the fight he
can" S'4Ns