The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-29
RICHMoND,s GREAT FEsr4EAb.
Ois "ar Heuories Revived Tor . Day
The Monument aud the Man.

| NAN1SEIHH
| The Monument aud the Man.
WASHINGTON, May 2s-Thursday the Goth O
May, will probably be the greatest holida,
IN hiohmonds history. No name In the Soutl
IS more potent TO awaken enthusiasm thar
that oil Ice. and since also this is tho twenty
NTH year after the downfall OF the Confeder
Acy "reminiscences OF old campaigning day.
hre natural. Confederate Veterans have beer
&atherinE in Richmond from oil parts OF thu
North and South. Old battle flags are brought
out ior curious inspecton-the one with circle
vi stars on blue field aud three broad bars o.
req, white, and red another. the familiar red
anu plue oi the st. Andrews Cross War stories
arc retold and dispatches reprinted. Bands
play Dixie" or the Bonnie Blue Flag" and
some OF the newspapers republish the lyrics of
| raul H. Hayne, Father Ryan and J. r. Randall
| All thls Is natural accompaniment OF the
| special ceremonies designed to honor one we'll
| worthy OF the memorial prepared for him. The
Lee monument Association was formed within
| u lortnlght after the death OF Nirginias great
| soidler. and various subsidiary bodies were at
length merged with 1t In n new organization.
Mercie, the French sculptor, was selected to
furnish a figure OF Lee "a a general officer.
mounted on Traveller. The corner stone Of
The PEDESTAL was laid in October. 1887. with
imposing ceremonies; and when early during
tue present month the statue arrived in Rich
monu anu was unpacked. the enthusiasm Of
inc thronRs that laid hold OF tho ropes and
urew IL through the streets showed what may
De expected at the unwilling.
anu Whatever the success OF the artists con-
ceptlon or the homage Of tho mutitudcs in
iichmohd' they arc not likely to 20 beyond
what ID due to Lee as q soldier There can be
no question Of his military skill He came.
indeed. OF a race of soldiers and was the son Of
Gen. Henry Lee of Revolutionary fame. per-
haps the death Of his father when he was only
~ years old. and tho almost constant illness of
MS mother. TO whom he was devoted. gave him
something OF the sedateness and maturity of
character FOR which he was remarkable oven in
youth. at any rate when in 1929. be graduated
from the Military Academy Mt West Point Sec
ond In his class, to his honors in scholarship
he added that OF freedom from demerit marks
oil any Kind for neglect Of duty or breach of the
academic regulations.
Lee greatly distinguished himself in the war
with Mexico. receiving the brevets of Major
Northumberland. and Colonel for callantry
ut Cerro Gordo, Contreras, Churubusco. and
Chaputepec. in which latter battle lie was
WOUNDED. Aiterward. as Superintendent of
the Military Academy and later as Lieutenant
colonel OF the Second Cavalry, on duty in de-
1eating old John Browns attack upon Harpers
Ferry In 1859. he became widely known. Great
improvements we're made by him in the course
OF study at West Point during the three yenrs
he had charge oft.
lhree days after Virginia adopted an ordi-
nance ol secession he resigned his commission
In the army and Joined her fortunes. His service
lor nearly year. in West Virginia and South
Carolina, attracted little notice. but in March,
iSG2' he was assigned to duty in the
general conduct OF military affairs under
MIR. Davis; and when the severe wound
ing OF Gen. J. +. Johnston ut Fair |
OaKs brought Lee TO tho command of the |
army oil Northern Virginia, he began q brilliant
series Of operations. First on the peninsula |
he engaged Mcclellan in the Seven Days bat
les, which left the latter at Harrison's landing
and Richmond practically FREQ from perl Next |
10 defeated Pope ut Manassas. Then he in
AIDED Maryland, but was compelled to retreat
liter the battles Of South Mountain and Aptie
'am. which latter, although tactically drawn.
must, in view OF its sequences, be set down as
! victory for Mcclellan. In December
II that year he defeated Burnside at
fredericksburg. and the following May he de-
Gated Hooker at Charlottesville. These sue
esses encouraged him 10 attempt nvadiue the
'orth, but he was reuulS5d by Meade at
gettysburg. and then recrossed the Poto-
nae. His campaign in 1864 against Giant
pened with the desperate but indecsive bat
10 OF the Wilderness. Grant, moving by the
ank then attacked him successfully at Spott-
ylvania and Cold Hurbor but failed to dis
1dge him. Accordingly, moving again by the
ank. Grant crossed the James and began the
lege OF Lees works at Petersburg. Not until
ne spring Of 1865 was the reduction OF Peters,
urg and OF Richmond ACCOMPLISHED although
hen once effected it was quickly followed by
10 surrender of the Army OF Northern Viz
inia at AppomattoX.
That Lee made some mistakes az q soldier
ay be conceded His direct attack upon
emetery Ridge on the third day OF Gettysburg |
stead OF resortinR to MANI uyre has been s
'nsdered as faulty by some critics. He some
mes allowed large discretion to suoorddates q
hen his own Judgment wac better than theirs c
g did not always follow up a victory relent-
ssly, especially IL he had already exacted
UGH OF his men. He delayed too long the at +,
mpt to escape from Richmond, although this b
said to have been due to the urgency of the
'nfederate Government. Probably. in any a
SO. his own sound judgment would have f'
en against permitting the war to be pro- ii
nged into a dwindling and hopeless
lerila conflict. IT, also, his military career :.
ded in disaster and in the downfall Of his .,
use. the same may be said OF more than
e Of the worlds great captains. That he will A
main In history as one Of Americas great II
ldiers. that the length of time during which h
was able to prolonR the Confederate strug-
, is proof Of his military prowess. the victors &C
we'll rs the vanquished in the great strug- ~,
} between those who are now friends once IN
ore. must freely acknowledge.