Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-06-04
"REMINISCENCES OF GAN. LEE.
INTERESTING INCIDENTS IN rAH LIFE OF

INTERESTING INCIDENTS IN TAE LIFE OF
THE GREAT SOUTHERN SOLDIER.
Col. VIM. Preston Johnston contributes
| to the June number of Belford'l Magazine
the following interesting "reminiscences of
Gen. Robert E. Lee:"
The editor of Belford's Magazine has ask.
ed me to write my "reminiscences of Gen.
Lee. should be very glad to throw any
| light upon his admirable character, but l
| am conscious of my own inability for the
proper performance of this Office. With all
| my reverence for Gen. Lee. and with fair
opportunities to be the chronicler of much
that was interesting about him, lack the
peculiar temperament which has made Bos-
we'll perennially entertaining. When was
| with Gen. Lee was not SO much concerned
about what he did and said, and how it was
done and said, as was to form a correct
| conception of his broad, powerful and lu-
| minous intellect and his majestic ch aracter.
I was occupied in the study OF that great
soul and character for my own sake, rather
than in collecting and remembering partic-
ular words or actions to make picture for
the delight of others. l believed that the
| task eff writing his life and recording his
thoughts was in hands far mo1e compete MT
| from that duty. Hence 1 retained few
memoranda to which can uow recur, and
must trust my memory alone for some in.
cidents which may seem trifling to the read
er. To the estimate l make Of his charac-
| teristics l attach more weight, for to them
I gave fuller and closer attention.
| The first time ever cav Gen. Robert E,
Lee was in the year 1856. My father, AL
bert Sidney Johnston, haG been appointed
colonel of the Second Cavalry, then Just or.
ganized, and General Lee had received the
appointment of lieutenant-colonel. The
command was intended to be "a crack regi-
ment, "and the officers were selected by the
President, Mr.. Pierce, or rather by the Sec
retary of War, Gen. Jefferson Davis, on
his views of supposed merit and experience
instead of by the ordinary rule of seniority,
aud hence the appointments were in every
case promotions. Col. Lees previous ex.
perience had been as an officer in the en-
gineer corps.
My father, learning that Col. Lee would
pass through Louisville, KY, where I then
| resided, wrote requesting me to pay my re-
| spects to him. l think their acquaintance
was slight, though quite friendly. Remote
| from courts and camps, had then scarcely
| even heard of Col. Lee, but called at the
|
in the large parlor. He was alone, and
when l entered was awaiting me standing.
I remember quite wildly Colonel Lee's ap-
pearance when first behold him, and the
profound impression he made upon me. He
was standing 10 dignifed, yet easy post.
ure, and at the first moment that saw him
the thought flashed through my mind, "It
was thus that Washington looked" At
| that time l was not aware of the close ties
connecting Colonel Lee with the Washing
ton family, but SO strikingly was be like
the ideal had of Washington. whom I then
regarded and still regard as the greatest
man who ever lived, that I have never
since divested myself of the notion that Lee
must, in youth, have formed his own public
and private character and nodded his con.
duct as nearly as possible upon that grand
model.
Gen. Lee received me very graciously,
| but there was nothing that occurred in my
visit of ceremony to fix our conversation in
my mind. remember, however, that