Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-01-29
ROBERT E LEE.
BY JEFFERSON DAVIS.
North America Review |

North America Review
Robert Ed ward Lee, gentleman, scholar
gallant soldier. great genera, and true
Christian. was born in Westmore'and coun
ty, Va, on January 10 1907. he was ths
youngeet son of General Henry Lee, who
was familiarly known as Light Horse
Harry" in the traditions Of the war of the
Revolution, and who possessed the marked
confidence and personal regard of Genera
Washington.
RE- Lee entered the United s a'es Mill
tary Academy in the summer Of 1925, after
which my acquaintance with him commerc
ed He waa as [ remember him, larger
and looked more mature than the average
"pleb." bnt less go than Mason, who was
destined to be the head of his class. His
soldierly bearing and excellent conduct
caused him in due succession to rise tn ongh
the several grades and .o be the adjutans II
the corps of cadets when he graduated. It
ia stated that he bad not then demerit'
mark standing against him, which is quite
creditable if all "reports" against him had
been cancelled because they were rot for
wanton or intentional de'ii quency. Though
numerically rated second in his class his
proficiency was such that be was assigned
to the engineer corps, which for many years
he adorned both as military and civil en-
gineer.
He was of the highest type of manly
beauty, yet seemingly unconscious of IT,,
and 80 respectful and upassumipg as tn
make him a general favorte before bis
great powers had an opportunity for mani
festation. His mind led him to analytic
rather than perceptive methods of obtaining
results.
From the date of his graduation in 1929
until 1916 he was engaged in various pro-
f, ssional duties, and had by regular promo
,ion attained to the grade of captain of en-
gipeers. As snch he was assigned TO duty
with the command of Brigade General
Wool in the campaign to chihuahua.
T ence the command proceeded to make a
junction with G. neral z Taylor in front n'
Buena Vista. Here Captain Lee was EN-
ploy ed in the construction of the defensive
work, when General Scott came, armed
with discretionary orders, and took Lee fo'
service in the column which Scott was u
command, with much else that General
Taylor could i'll sffnrd to spare. Subsequent
events proved that the loss to General Tay
lnr's army was more than compensated BY
| the gain to the general cause.
Avoiding any enroachnent upon the
domain of history in eutering upon de
scr, ption of campaigns and battles, canho
forbear from referring to a particular in
stance of Lees gallantry and devotion Il
duty. Before the battle of CoDtreras, Gen
eral Scott's troops had become separated b!
the field Of Pedrigal, and it was ndeessar,
to communicate Instructions to those on tn
other side Of this barrier of rocks and lava
General scott says in his report that ne bat
1 obo do
communicate Instructions; thev had all re
turned without getting through, 'but tb
gallant aud indef .tigable Captain Lee, O
the engineers, who has been constantly will
,be operating 70. ces. is just in from Shields
Smith. Csdwallader." etc, Subst quentl
General Scntt while giving testimony befor
a court of inquiry said: .'C4ptaiu Lee, en-
gineers, came TO ma from Contreras with
message from Brigadier. General Smith,
think, about the same time (m,dnight), b
having passed over the d fficult ground b.
daylight found it just poss' BILE to return t
St, Augustine in the dark-the greatest fe.
of ph, sical and moral courae e eIformed b.
any ind dual. in my knowledge, peDdin
the campaign"
This field of Pedrigal as described wa
impassablA ou horseback and crossed wit
much d ff1culty by infantry in daylight
After CONSULTATION with the generals pea
to Cuntr eras, it being decided that an at
tack must be made a. daylight, Csptai
Lee through storm and darkness, under
.ook, on foot ard alore, to recrOss the Ped
rigal, SO as to give General Scott the motto
wh ch would insure the cooperation of hi
divided forces in the morDiug's attack
This feat was well entitled to the commen
dation that General Scott bestowed upon it
but the highest praise belongs to Lees in
citing and sustaining motive, duty. T.
bear to the commanding general the need
| full information, he dared and suffered TO
that which is the crowning glory of man
he offered himself for the welfare of Others
| He went to Mexico with the rank of cap
tain of engineers, and by gallantry aDt
meritorious conduct rose to the rank o
Colonel in the army, commission by brevet
Ate, his return he resumed his duties a.
an officer of the engineer corps. While EN-
ployed in the construction of Fort Carroll
near Baltimore, an event occurred wh'cf
| illustrates his nice sentiment of hOr or
| Son members of the Cuban Junta callet
upon him and offered him the command o
an expedition to overthrow the Spanish con
troll of the island. A very large sum o
money wss to be paid immed lately upol
bis acceptance of their proposition, and
large sum thencsforward WAS to be pai'
monthly. Lee Come to Washington TO con
verse with me upon the subjec'. After
brief discussion Of the MILITARY pr biem b
said it wss not that he bad come to corsul
me about: the question be w's considering
was whether, while an officer in the Unlte
States army aud because of any reputation
hn might have acquired as such, he coul
accent a rrop. a., ion for foreign servrC