The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-05-30


stonewall Jackson said, his men sometime
failed to carry position but never to hol'
one.
The most determined courage and a earn
age,aptalllug ftoin lie concentration. serve
only to mark the heroisii ~ the Northern
soldier. But the prize of victory femaltiet
with Lee. AT one blow the Federal in,asioI
was paTalyized. and for months and month
| The great Northern host lay torpid in III
mud and snow Of yirginian winter
The rep0se Of that winter strengthens,
the Federal army, but weakened Lees, fo
he had been obliged 10 detach Longstreet
with two divisions, 10 Southeastern Nirgi
| mia. Hence the last days Of April. 1853
found Lee confronting Hooker's army o
| l3I, 900 men with only 1900 COnfcderates
II ! mention these respective numbers -
! often IL is berouse they constitute the IN
desiTnctlble basis Of Lees military fame
Nou viii search i'm vain in history for
parallel 10 such uniform, excessive
and prolonged disparity in numbers
such amazing interioriiy In all the
material and appliances Of var. crowned by
such a succession Of brilliant. though dearly
! bought victories. II these considerations
in themselves establish Lees fame, they ais,
vindicate il from the only criticism to which
it mas been subjected. They justify and eX
plain the comparatively indecisiye charac-
ter Of those victories. When the odds arC
four 20 five, three 10 five. three 10 seven
when every man has fought, and there ART
no reserves, the victories Of the weaker
army must Of their very nature fail TO lie.
stroy an advefsary.o f the same proud race
OF equal, if Of different valor.
The events we now approach present Lee
in every phase OF the consummate comm an
der. Can you imagine an attitude OF
grander frmness than that in which we see
him on HOOkcr's crossing the Rappahan-
mock! There was letter from him to the
Confederate War Secretary, written at that
moment, which showed him IN this mood OF
heroic calm. waiting for the development of
the cnemy's purpose, determined to fight.
but giving no hint Of that tremendous lion
spring at Charlottesville, which was to
pluck ont the very heart Of the Federal in
vasion.
The plan Of that great battle-as happens
with many masterwOrks-wa struck ont
at a single blow in brief conference with
Jackson on the evening Of the lst Of May.
IN eyewitness has depicted the scene-tile
solemn forest, the rude biyOuac, the grave
and courteous commander heir OF all the
knightiy graces Of the cavaliers, the silent,
stern lieutenant. with the faith and the
fire Of Cromwell, the Drief interchange Of
question and answer. the swiftly following
order for the Increment of the morrow.
The facts Of the cnemy's position and the
surrounding topography had just been as
certained. The genius Of the commander,
Justly weighing the character Of his adver-
saTy. the nature Of the country and the
priceless GIFT in his own hands Of such a
thunderbOlt Of war, such a titanic force as
jackson. instantly devised that immortal
a. t..l, 4
ceilOrsViile on the same roll of deathless
fame with Blenheim, with Leuthon, with
AusterlitZ and Jena. The battle Of Chan
ccllorsyille will rank with the model bat
ties Of history.
II displayed Lee in every character Of
military greatness. Nothing could exceed
the sublime intrepidity with which, leaving
Early tO dispute the heights of Fredericks-
burg against SedgWick's imposing force,
he himself led five weak divisions 10 con-
front llOOker's mighty host. Lee meant TO
fight, but not in the dark. He meant first
to look his adversary in the eye.
He meant 10 see himself how Ia aim his
blow. Where shall we lind a match for the
yigOr. the swiftness. the audaclty Of that
flank march assigned TO Jackson, for the
fierce and determined front attack led by
zee himself. There is nothing equal to it
save only Frederick's immortal stroke of
darng on the Austrian flank at Lcuthen.
But the second day brings out the strong
est and grandest lines OF the Confederate
heroic character. jackson
ha. been striker down. Lees right arm has
been torn from him; but the unc0nquer-
able fimness Of his nature. resisting every
suggestion of weakness. and that Unborn
love Of fight, without which no general can
Ice great. blazing out and kindling all
it touched. he forces ON the fierce
attack along the whole line, TIL IN
a wild tumult OF battle the Federal
army waivers, gives ground, melis away.
The advance. ii pushed. viii drive the ene-
my in confusion TO the river. And Lee is
preparing for a combined assault. But IA
new element now bursts into the action.
News j. brought from ten miles away that
the COnfederatcs have been driven from
the heights of fredericksburg towards
Richmond. and Sedgwick is marching on
Lees rear. Lees CELEBRITY and ilrmness are
equal 10 the crisis.
lie promptly hurls four brigades from
under his own hand at the head Of >edg-
wick's column and with bold c0untenance
hens in iIOOkcr's army of nearly thrice his
own numbers. II it were not the sterncst
tragedy. il might be cOmedy-thls feat Of
$1,000 men shutting up $1,000.
But Hooker has been beaten. the decisive
point is not there, as the eye Of genius can
intuitiyely see. IL IS with >edgwick SIX
miles away. and realizing in his practice
the golden maxim OF the schools, Lee Is
quickly at that point in SUFFICIENT, if not
superior force.
Sedgwick is crushed on the third day and
driven across the river. Lee now concen-
trates all his force to fall upon Hooker with
a final and OyerW helming blow. The fifth
day breaks. and 10 The Federal Army
has vanished. not a man Of them save the
dead. the wounded and the prisoners re-
naming on the Richmond side ofthe Kappa
hammock.
What was left undone by Lee, that
genius. c0nstancy and daring. could effect.
Will any man say that the Confederate
army should have followed IFS defeated but
colossal adversary across the river! ms
would have been 10 invite disaster.
The substantial and astounding fruits Of
victory were won in the collapse for that
season of the Federal invasion, in thy mas
terly initiative. which Lee was now able to
seize. i'm the submissive and tell-tale docll-
ty with which Hooker thcnceiorth followed
every motion Of the magic wand Of the Con-
federate commander.
Themar to the Potomac and the cap
lures BY the way renewed the glorles OF '62.
For few short weeks Virginia was freed
from the tramp of armies.
But as before. the invasion begun with
an Intoxicating Outburst of martial nope,
was doomed to end in drawn and doubt
ful battle.
After bloody struggle on the heights OF
Gettysburg, the two armies stood the great
er part Of two long summer days delantly
looking into each others ewes. Neither was
willing TO attack its adversary. However
deeply Lee may have felt the failure
of his daring stroke, he took upon
himself all the reprOach and all the respon-
sibility of the result. No word of criticism
or censure passed his lips. But, confident
of the devotion and steadiness of his army.
he promptly turned TO the duty Of the hour.
What an example Of serenity, Of imperturb-
able frmnessl We owe 10 Gettysburg not
only the most thrilling spectacle Of the I'M
surpassed yalOr Of the Confederate soldier,
but a matchless exhibition ofc0mposure and
magnanimily in the Confederate comman-
der.
The aggressive campaign failed, but
neither the army nor it, general was
shaken. We find them during the re-
mainder Of '63 facing their old FOE with I'M
diminished spirit. And soon Ice gives proof
Of equal firmncss, enterprise and generosity
i'm detaching lOngstrect's corps to strike "a
decisive blow eigh, hundred mics away by
the side Of Bragg AZ 'hickamaGga. The
annals Of war do not exhibit more un-
selfish act.
How shall 7 briefly describe the added
e. IN