Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-19

: t;an he woull have left behind him all he
I had gained by long and brilliant service,
( and could not have in our small army
greater rank than was proaered to him IN
the larger one he had LETT IL ac-
( tive hostilities were prosecuted, his large
nronertv would be go exposed as 10
incur serious injury. II not destruction.
i His mother. Virginia, had revoked the
Grants she had voluntarily made 70 rho
Federal Government. and asserted the
State sovereignty and Independence sne
Ind won from the mother-country by the
war OF tho Revolution: aud thus. il was
regarded. the allegiance of her sons became
Wholly her own. Above the voice of his
& friends al Washington, advising and en-
treating him TO stay with them, rose the
CRY OF Virginia calling her sons to defend
her against threatened invasion. Lee
needed this cry only; alone he rode torth,
as he had crossed the Pcdrigal,. his guiding
altar being duty. and offered his sword
10 Virginia. His offer was accept
ed. and he was appointed TO the
/ chief command of the forces Of the
State. Though his reception was most
fatterinc and the confidence manifested IN
him unlimited. his conduct was conspicu-
oua for the modcstv and moderation which
had ALWAYS been CHARACTERISTIC OF him.
The South had been involved In war
without having made due preparation Tor
IL. She was without navy. without even
merchant marine commemorate WIN ner
wants during peace; without arsenals, ar
mories. foundries, manufactures or stores
on hand to supply those wants.
Lee exerted himself to the utmost
to raise and organize troops in Viz,
gina, and when the state joined
fine COnfederaoy he was invited to come 10
Montgomery and explain the condition OF
his command, but his engagements were
90 pressing that he sent his second oincer,
4 \ f,lp -
sired information.
When the capital Of the Confederacy was
removed from MONTGOMERY to Richmond
Lee. under the orders of the President,
was CHARGED with the general direction
of army affairs. In this position the same
pleasant relations which hal always eN-
isted between them continued, and Lees
indefatigablc attention TO the details OF
tho various commands was Of much benefit
10 the public service. In the mean time
disasters. confusion. and disagreement
? among the commands in western Virginia
made il necessary 10 send there an oihcer
of higher rank than anv then on duty IN
that section. The service was disagree
able, toilsome, and in no wise promising 10
give distinction 10 a commander. Passing
bv all 7 ference to others, suffice 1T 10 say
that NJ last Lee was asked to go. aud. not
counting the cost, he unhesitatingly pre-
pared 10 start BY concentrating tho
troons and bv a iudicious selection of the
position, lie compelled the enemy finally to
retreat.
/ There is an incident in this campaign
which has never been reported, save as 1t
was orally given TO me by General Lee,
with request that should take no official
notice Of II. A strong division OF the
enemy was reported to be encamped in
valley which. one of the colonies said be
had found nv reconnaissance could readily
be approached on one side. aud he pro-
posed with his regiment TO surprise and
attack. General Lee accepted his PROPOSE
ton. but told him that he himself would,
in the mean time, with several regiments.
ascend the mountain that overlooked the
valley on the other side; and at
dawn of day on morning. fixed
the Colonel was TO make his as
sault. His firing was TO be the signal
for a Joint attack from three directions.
During the night Lee made toilsome as
cent Of the mountain and was In position
nj the time agreed upon. The valley vas
covered by u dense foo. Not hearing the
signal he went by a winding path down
the side of the mountain and saw the
enemy preparing breakfast and othcrwise
so ENGAGED as 10 indicate that they were
entirely ignorant of any danger. Lee re-
turned to bis own command, told them
wat he had seen. and. though the eX-
The attacking regiment and another de-
facbmept were to engage in the As
sault, he proposed that the regi-
ments then with him should surprise the
camp. which he believed, under the err
cumstances, might successfully be done.
+ The colonies went TO consult their men
and returned to inform him that they were
so cold. wet. and hungry as to be unnt TOR
the enterprise. The Jog We, then lifting,
and 1t was necessary to attack Immed ately
or towithdraw before being discovered by
the much larger force III the valley. Lee
therefore withdrew his small command
and safely conducted them TO his encamp-
ment.
The colonel who was to give the signal
for the Joint attack. misapprehe lding the
purpose. reported that when he arrived
upon the ground I've found the encanp-
ment protected by heavy abattls, which
prevented him from making sudden
charge, as he had expected, not under
standing that If he had fired has guns at
any distance he would have secured the
io,nt attack of the other detachments, and
probably BROUGHT about an entire victory.
Lee generously forebore to eXonerate him;
self when the newspapers i'll Richmond
criticised him severely, one denying MN
any other consideration except that which
he enjoyed as the Presidents pet"
II was an embarrassment t. the Execu-
tive to be deprived Of the advice OF Gen
e~al Lee, hut il WAS deemed nece-s airy again
10 detach him 20 look after affairs on the
q coast of Carolina and Georgia, ana so
violent had been the unm rlted attacks
upon him by the Richmond press that 1t
was thought proper TO give him letter TO
the Governor of South Carolina, stating
what manner of man had been sent TO HIM.
There his skill as an engineer was mani
tested in the defences he constructed and
1 ~ ! 81 afrtF ~
resumed his functions Of general super
visor of military affairs.
In the spring of 1852 Bishop Meade lay
DANGEROUSLY III. This venerable eccles'as-
tic had taught General Lee his catechisln
when boy. and when he was announced
TO the Bishop the latter asked TO have HIM
shown in Immediately. Tie answered Lees
inquiry as to how he felt by saving:
Nearly gone, but | wished to see YOU
once more" and then in feeble voice
added: God bless You, Robert, and 1T
Won for yOur high and responsible duties,
The great soldier stood reyerently by the
bed of his early preceptor IN Christianity,
but the sanity patriot saw beyond the
hero the pious boy TO whom he bad Taught
the caiechism; first he gave ms diving
/ blessing 10 Robert, and then, struggling
against exhaustion, invoked Heaven guild
ance for the General.
After the battle of Seven Pines Lee was
assigned TO the command of the army of
Virginia. Thus TAR his duties had been OF
kind to confer a great benefit, but TO be
unseen and unappreciated by the public.
Now he had an opportunity for the en-
| plovmeut of his remarkable power Of gen
I tralzation while attending to the minuteSt
details. The public saw manifestation of
the first, but could not estimate the ex-
tent to which the great results achieved
were due TO the exact order, system
etic economy, and regularity begotten of
his personal attention to the proper adj
justment of even the smallest part Of that
mighty machine. q well-organized, dlsci-
plined army. His early instructor, ID a
published letter. seemed TO regard the
! bows labor of finishing drawing on slate
ns an excess of care. Was Il sof No doubt,
SO far as the particular task was concern
ed: but this seeding is to be Judged by
the fruit the tree bore. That little draw
ing on the slate was the prototype of the
exact Investigations which crowned with
success his iabors as civil and military
engineer as well as commander OF
armies. May it not have been, not only
by endowment but also from these
early efforts. that his mind be,
came SO rounded, systematic, and