Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-01-29

red States were at peace. The conclusion
vas his decision to decline any further cor
| respondeuce with the Junta.
Iu 1859 Colonel Lee was made superin
tendent Of the UnitedStates Military Acad
emy, position for which he seemed to b,
peculiarly fitted as we'll by his attainment
Is by his fondness for young people, hi
fine personal appearance, and impressive
manners. When year or two thereafter
| visited the academy, and was surprised t.
see to many gray hairs on bis head, he con
fessed that the oade'e did exceedingly worr!
aim and then it was perceptible that hi.
sympathy with young people was rather
~ impairment than a qualification for th'
snperipfendency.
In 1866 four rev regiments we're added
TO the srmy-two of cavalry and two of in
fantry. Captain Lee, of the engineers
brevet-cplonel of the army, was offered tbt
the position of lieutenant colonel of the Sec
ord regiment of cavslry, which he accept
ed. He was bold. graceful horseman, ant
he SOM of Light Horse Harry now seemed
70 be 10 his proper element; but the chief d
engineers endeavored to persuade him tha
it was descent to go from the enginse
corps 5Eto the cavalry. Soon after the regi
mnnt was organized and assigned to duty il
Texas the colonel, Albert Sidney johnson
vas selected to command an expedition tt
Utah, and the command Of the regiment ant
he protection of the frontier of Trxa,
against ludian marauders devolved upor
Colonel Lee. There, as in every position
he had occupied. diligence, sound judg
,ment, and sold;erly endowment made his
service successful. In 1850. being on leavs
nf absence in Virginia. he was made avaia
BILE for the suppression of the John Brown
raid. As soon as relieved from chat spec al
assignment be returned tn his comm and in
Texas. and on April %, 1861, resigned from
the United States army.
Then was his devotion to principle sub.
iected to crucial test, the severity OF
which can only be fully realized by West
Pointer" whose life has been spent in the
army. That it was to sever the friendships
IF youth. to break up the habits of inter
course, of manners, and of thought. Others
may comprehend and estimate; but the
sentimen, most profound in the heart of the
war worn cadet, and which made the change
most painful TO Lee, he has partially ex-
pressed in the letters he wrote at the time
to his be owed sister and to his venerated
friend and commander, General Winfield
Scott.
P,rtisan malignants have not failed to
misrepresent the conduct of Lee even tn
the extent of charging him with treason and
desertinp; and unable to appreciate his
sacrifice to the allegiance due to Virginia,
they bave blindly ascribed his action to self
ish ambition. 1t has been enormously as
serted that he was educated at the expense
arf md -
has been made then to deduce special OBJ
legation to adhere to it.
Th. cadets of the United States Military
Academy are appoItioned among the States
iu proportion to- he number of representa-
sives they severalls have in the Congress-;
that is one for each congressional dlstrict,
with ten additional for tie country at large.
The annual appropriations for the support
of the army and navy il clude the commits
stoned, warrant, and non commissioned of
ficers, privates, seamen, etc, eic The
cadets and midshipmen are warrant officers.
and while at the academies are receiving
elementary instruction in and for the public
service. At whose expense are they taught
and supported? Surely at that of the peo-
pie, they who pay the taxes and imposts to
supply the Treasury with means to meet
as we'll to pay generals and
admirals as cadets and midshipmep. The
cadets obligation for his place and support
was tn the State, by virtue of whose dis
share he was appointed, and
- hose contributions supplied the Uoited
States Treasure; through the State, as a
member of the Union, allegiance was due
to it, and most useiully and nobly did Lee
nav the debt both at home and abroad.
No proposition could be more absurd than
that ne was prompted by selfish ambition
to Join the Confederacy, With a small part
If his know ledge of the relative amount of
material of war possessed by the North and
South, any one must have seen chat the
chances of war were against US; but if
thrice armed Justice should enable the
South to maiutain her ipdepe 1deuce, as our
fathers had doe, notwithstanding the un
eonal contest, what sefish advantage could
It bring Lee? If, as some among US yet ex-
pected, many hoped, and all wished, there
should be peaceful separation, he would
have left behind him all he had gained by
long aud brilliant service, and could not
have in our small army greater ranK than
was proffered 20 him in the larger one be
had left. If active hostilit,es were prosecut-
ed. bis large property would be 40 exposed
to incur serious injury, ifnot destruction.
Hi. motber, Virginia, had revoked the
grants she b id voluntarily made to the Fed
eral government, and asserted the State
and independence she had wou
from the mother country by the var of the
Revolution; and thus, it WAS regarded, the
allegiance of her sous became ~holIy her
own. Above the vaice of his frie eads at
Washington, advising and entreating him
to stay uith them, rose the cry of Virginia
calling her sons to defend her against threat
ened invasion. Lee beeded this cry only;
alone he rode forth, as he had crossed the
Pedrigal. his guiding star being duty, and
offered his sword to Virginia. HIS offer
was accepted, aud he was appointed to the
chef com maud of the forces of the State.
Though his reception was most h,UteriDg
and the confidence manifested in him un.
limited, his conduct was conspicuous for the
modesty and moderation which had always
been characteristic Of him.
The South had been involved iu wal
without having made due preparation f,r it.
She was without a navy, without even a
merch ant marine commensurate with hei
W ants during peace; without arsenals, ar
mo, les, fnundries manufactures, OF storet
,n hand to supply those wants. Lee exert
ed himself TO the utmost to raise aud or
oapize troops in Virginia. and when the
State Joined the Confederacy be was invited
to come to Montgomery and explain the
condition of his command; but his engage
meuts were 40 pressing that he sent his sec
ond officer, Gen E. Johnston, to furnish
the desired information.
When the capital of the Confaderacy was
removed from Montgomery TO Richmond
Lee. under the orders Of rhe President was
charged ~,th the general direction Of army
affairs. In this positio 'he same pleasant
relations which had always existed between
them continued, ard Lees irdefatigabie as
iention to the de'ails of the various com
mands was of much benefit to the public
service. In the mean time disasters, con
fusion, and disagreement among the CON
mands 10 western Virginia made it necessary
to send there an officer # higher raLk than
any then on duty IN that section. The r
vice was disagreeable, toilsome, and 10 NJ
wise promising to give distinction to com
mander. Passing by all reference to Others,
suffice it to say that at last Lee was asked
to go, and, not counting the cost, he uuhes-