Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-30

fa,nous Second cavalry. serving ID texas.
Tina freutier service OF three or four years
was important in developing his mihtary
character. though it may seem 90 lnaus-
auate preparation in the details OF oil ON,
maud waen compared, tor instsneei WIZ WV
Welhngton's long apprenticeship N in are
But genius has many schools, and an earn-
est, observant miLd quickly grasps the les
sons Of Practice.
A dark cloud of war was now threatening
70 burst over n hitherto peaceful country;
The routine of frontier administration anu
InGian police must have seemed Dut IuIe
child's play amid the herco passions Oh
that rising tempest Of civil strife. NO man
who could think could think of anything
lint thoinpendinc danger. And Leo. the son
OF a leader of the Revolution. closely
linked by descent and association with the
men WHO won American independence ana
made the American Constitution: Lee, IN.
heritins along with the nost ardent love or
tbs Union o paramount loyalty, 10 niS
native State, now saw himself opngeu 10
make his choice and take has siao ~ an
irrepressible conflict. No more paihlu'
strlgrle evor tore the heart OF patrot.
He had served the whole country IN ga'-
lGnt army, which commanded al ms ahec-
tor. He better than most men knew tle
great resources of the North and west. ne
had ssiourRsd and labored in every part
of the land. and could appreciate the
arguments drawn from its paysical cha-
racteristics. from its great river. sySteins
and mountain ranges for an indl9soluble
unien. Ua knew northern men in their
homes: no knew the bravery OF the NORTH
ern soldiers who filed our regular regi-
ments in Mexico He was above the pre-
judices and taunt5 Of the day Wnlcn pc
Titled northern virtue and courage. lie
knew that. with slight external differences.
there was q substantial identity or tne
American race in all the States, NorJh ana
South. lie was equally a5oyo the weak
and passionate view of slavery as GOOD IN
itself. into which the fanatical aud uncon-
stitutioual agitation Of the Abolition party
had driven many strong minds IN tle
south. He regarded slavery az an eVil
which the Sonth had inherited and must
be left to mitigate and, If possible, eXtir-
pate by wise and gradual measures: lie,
If any man of that time, wes capable OF
weighing with calmness the duty OF the
hour. With him the.oHly question tneh'
az ST overy moment OF his spotiess NE,
was 10 find out which way duty pointed.
Against the urgent solicitations Of Gene:
raj Scott, in defiance OF the temptations OIL
am yitioa-for the evidence Is complete
that the command of the United States
ARMY was offered 90 HMM manifest sacri-
fee of all his pecuniary interests. he deter
mined that duty babe him side with his oe-
loved Virginia. He laid down his commis-
sion and selennly declared his purpose
mover to draw his sword save III behalf OF
his native state.
And what was that native State to whose
defence hs henceforth devoted his match
less sword2
II was a commonwealth older than the
UnIsn OF the States; it was the first ab2de
of English freedom in tho Western World
10 was the scene of the earliest organized
legislative resistance to the encfoachments
Of the mother country; 1t was the birth-
place of the immortal leader OF our Reyo-
iutionary armies ard of many OF, the aren't
tects of the Federal Constitution; II was
the central seat of chat doctrine of State
sovereignty sanctioned by the great names
OF jefferson and Madison; it was land
rich in every gift of the earth and SKY
richer sill In ITS race Of men, brave, frugal,
pious. loving honor, but fearing God; II
was q land hallOwed then by memories OF
gu almost unbrOkcn series OF patriotic Tn
unphs. but now alter the wreck and ruin
of four years OF unsuccessful war, conse-
Grated anew by deeds Of heroism and de-
yotien. whose increasing lustre will bor-
row brighter radiance from their sombre
BACKGROUND Of suffering and defeat. And
this ~ aad on this spot, with heightened
pride and undiminished love, the sons OF
That Old Dominion may still salute her IN
the patriot Romans verso
" eq're. magma prre,.s (rugUm, SaiuTnfa 7st'u''
Mama VTVnL'
This was the land that Lee defended.
Accounting tho commission of MAJOR
general OF the forces OF virginia nc
soon passed by the necessary and rapid
sway of events into the service OF
the Confederate States. Virginia had be-
come the battle-ground on which the Con-
fedsracv was 20 win or lose its independ-
spce. and Lee could only defend Virginia
as a general of the Confederate army.
During the early months of tho war he
labored increasingly and with success IN
the organization OF those armies "nlc1
stemmed and dashed back the hrst noou
OF Invasion. Here his patience, hls care
mi and minute attention to details, his
knowledge of men, and particularly o.
tnose officers OF the old army VINO
espoused the southern cause, his thorough
military preparation, and, more than all
else his conviction that the war would 10
long and desperate. made him an invaiua-
Ole counsellor OF tho Confederate EXecu-
tive. HIS cooperation with the more lor-
tunate generals chosen TO lead armies IN
thA field was Jealous and cordial, and he
did not murmur when at last IN August,
1851, his turn for active service came IN
what promised to be a thankless and IN
auspIclous duty.
The Confederate arms had been unfortu-
nate in Northwestern Virginia. Garnett
had been overwhelmed and defeated.
Loring with large relntorcements had not
pressed forward to snatch the lost ground
from an enemy weakened by great detach-
ments. So Lee was sent 10 Valley Noun
lam 10 combine all the elements OF our
strength and by n stroke of daring recover
West Virginia. The Confederate President
was convinced that he was the leader for
such a campaign-tho opinion OF the oid
army and of tho people enthusiastically
confirmed his choice.
Lee quickly mastered the problem before
him by personal reconnaissance and lald ms
plans with skill and vig0r. But the attack
on Cheat Mountain, which year later
would have been brilliant success, ended
m failure and modification. Lee was able
To show to the public but one OF the high
qualities of a great geReral-macranim
under disappointment and defeat. HIS
ola comrades OF the Mexican war knew
him: the Confederate President knew h! N
and still believed in him; but the verdict
of the general public on Robert Leo IN tho
winter of 1862 might have been summed up
in tks historians judgment OF Galba, who
INV common consent would have been
deemed tit to command had he never COM
mNnded.n
In such a school OF patience and self
control was our great leader destined to
pass the first fourteen months OF the war.
The first day Of Seven Pine" had been
fought, tao fierce temper and stern yaior
OF the Army of Northern Virginia had been
established, q brilliant success had been
won on our right by LonGstreet and ID. II.
Hill. and General Johnston about night
fall was arranging a vigorous and COM
bined attack for the morrow. AT that mo-
ment Johnston, whose body was already
covered with honorable scars, was smltten
dewn by two severe wounds and the army
was deprived OF its leader.
On the afternoon of the next day aoout
five miles below Richmond Lee assumed
command of that army called of Northern
Virginia, but fifty representing the valor
and the virtue Of every soutler State, that
army which henceforth was TO be the
inseparable partner of his fame, that
army whose heroic tolls, marches, battles
would still, if every friendly record per
ished, be emblazoned for the admiration
OF future ages in its adyersary's recital or
she blood aud treasure expended TO de-
stroy il. So we are able now TO measure
Hannibals greatness only by, the msgni-
tudo of Romes sacrifices and devotion.
At any period of the war the loss OF
"a i 4 I hi,v ha LOgn fatal