The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1889-06-20
GLORIOUS EVEN IN DEFEAT.
Gen. Robert E. Lee After the Surrender
Beautiful Domestic cLife-Intetesting.
Anecdotes.
T fMargaret J. Preston, in the June
Century,


Century,
A brief period only had passed after
the surrender at Appomattox when
Offices of homes began to be pressed
upon Gen. Lee. His family was origi-
nally English, and he had many rela-
tives among titled people in the old
country, who insisted upon his coming
and sharing for time the ease and
luxury Of their homes. But he posi-
lively peclined to expatriate himself.
NO." he said, II will never forsake
my people in their extremity; what
they endure I will endure, and I am
ready to break my last crust with
And he refused to leave Vir-
Nothing ever gave him greater
IRE than to witness Personal
aous efforts to overcome the dis
|s Us of the war. To see a small
mer attempting to fence his fields
fifth green sapGngs was to him a sight
that made his eyes brighten. Many
homes were urged upon him in his ma
tive State; but as my sister, Mrs. F. r.
Coke of Cumberland, said when he &C
cepted her offer of 3 vacant plantation
adjoining her own, which was a part
of her estate, "He chose among these
homes one of the most unpretending."
With furniture from her own house,
she fitted up for him and his family a
comfortable abode at ''Derwent," Pow
hatani County, and here he gathered
together, for the first time since they
had left Arlington, his wife and chill
dren around him. "Never shall [ for
get,n she said, "his unaffected graft
tude and his gracious acceptance of
this simple home I and my sons had
prepared for him. The plantation of
Derwent was only two miles from my
own, and our great country gardens
readily met the wants of the new resi-
dents. AS saw the beautiful simplici-
ty with which these trifing supplies
were received, it seemed impossible for
me to realize that this was the man
upon whom the fate Of the South had
hung; that this was the man for whom
thousands were ready to rush to death;
that tnis was the man before whom
the hearts of all the Southern Confed-
eracy bowed in reverence. One, day,
shortly after he came to Derwent, he
sse over on Traveller (this famous
-: horse) to a neighboring country
Sge, which was also the postoffice.
6sSaeg ofsthe people, black as well
as white, to see the General was in,
tense, for thiszwas but few weeks
after his surrender. He walked quiet
" into the store and was engaged with
its proprietor in talk about the pros
neets of the crops and such like things,
when the place began to be crowded by
the country people intent upon catch
ing glimpse of the great commander.
He seemed not to observe them at first,
out turning around and noticing the
press around him he said, in an apollo
setic way: 'Ah, Mr.. Palmer, pardon
me for keeping you talking about corn
and tobacco so long, for see I am de-
taining you from your many custom
ers.' There was nothing whatever to
indicate the slightest consciousness
that the crowd had pressed to SEQ
him."
4 x
I once heard it said by Prof. White,
the professor of Greek in Washington
College, who had himself been Con-
federate officer: "The first appearance
of the General in our streets was thor
oughly characteristic. As passed up
our main street one day in the sum-
mer 1855, was suddenly confronted
by Gen. Lee, on bis fine war horse
Traveller, dressed in white lenen from
head to foot, wholly unattended, even
by his black groom. Nobody IN the
town knew he was coming. This was
as he wished it, for it was his desire TO
shun every demonstration. Here was
the man who for four years had never
moved abroad without being attended
by military staff composed of some OF
Che naostt h9:s:iant hb24:iant younger nlen OF the
South, and who never appeared any
where without being received with
enthusiastic shouts from all beholders
now with only one person to greet
him, and an old Confederate to hold
his stirrup. But as every man IN the
town had been soldier, it was not
long before the street rang with
cheers.n
Few men were more skilled in the
avoidance of everything that could
wound the feelings Of others. On the
occasion of Gen. Lees being summoned
to Washington to give testimony, an
incident occurred which illustrates
this characteristic. A connection OF
my own, who attended him as one OF
his complimentary staff, told me that
when in Washington :here were null
titudes Of persons-and among them
many of the most distinguished in the
land, North and South-seeking audi
ence with Gen. Lee; evening after
evening was occupied with these inter-
..cws. Again and again had my friend
been beset by person who had no
claim to be presented, and as often had
he been waived aside on the plea that
the number of gentlemen coming to be
introduced was so great rs to embar-
rass his PROFESSIONALS But this per-
siStant Confa6orata watched his OOOOr-