West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1890-11-27
THE HERO OF THE SOUTH.
FROM The Athcnscum.


gilsh Language. DO your duty in
all things, you cannot do more"
These-were the words which de-
termrned this man in all his actions,
and governed all his motives.
They were words of man whom
future generations will nano the
greatest military genius of the nine
teenth century. That man was
Rob't Il. Lee.
The history of Gen. Lee is a strik-
ing example of what conscientious
man will do, when under a pressure
duty.
At the beginning OF the late war
though only Lieut.. Col. of Cav
elry he was offered the command
of all the armies of the United
States. What prize for mans
most ambitious desires To what
dazzling heights might he not
hope to climb, when thus he be-
held fortune, fame, glory and hon
ors all within his grasp
What course did this young
officer pursue in the face of such
ghttcring rewards? Did he do
what ninetY-nine men out Of every
hundred would have done - grab
them with eagerness All, no
impelled by a sense of what he con
ceiyed to be his duty, he rejected
all and joined his fortunes with
those of his native state in the hour
of her sorest need.
Gen. lee having thus cast his
fortunes with the South, ere long
become the recognized leader Of her
armies.
From the day on which he as
sumcd command of the army OF
Northcn Virginia, till that day
when we behold him at Appomattox,
where he surrendered himself and
army 10 the forces of Gen. Grant
(thc final scene in that bloody
drama which hal lasted for four
long years. he elected the applause
and admiration of the whole civil
lizcd wcrid.
Hi tine annals OF warfare record
nosai4S a.,rc remarkable than the
success with Which for years Gon.
Leo ropcllcd tho armies Of the
North. When we consider that his
antagonists were such men as Grant.
5lcFman. Hooker, Hancock, Shcr.
i,iaa and score Of others. the
mere mcu.ioa If whose names, is
sufficient 10 kindlc the fires of am.
bitloa in The hearts of men 1t
seems wonderful indeed that Lee
could have been successful in even
q single battle yet for more than
years he ballied their most slIlIful
plans, and gallantly fought IN the
face Of the most desperate odds.
Behold him in the six days battle
around Richmond, where thous-
ands of brave men fell to rise no
more; in the battles Of Antietam,
Fredericksburg. Gettysburg and
The second battle Of Manassas; in
the terrible battle Of the Wilderness,
where it has beon said that he killed
more men than he had under his
own command; and finally in that
wonderful contes: at Chancellors
vile.
Who that could have seen him
the night before this battle, as he
lay asleep on the bare ground with
only his military cloak to cover him,
would have dreamed Of the mighty
deeds he would perform on the NOR
row.
How peaceful the sleep Of the
weary Hero upon that already blood
stained field
How quietly beats that noble
heartl
The earth shakes with the tramp
Of the gathering hosts; but be hears
it not. The night wind burdcned
with tho groans Of the wounded
sweeps over him; but he is iudrf.
crent alikc.to the dying and the dead
lie seems as ft for q soldiers bloody
grave az any Of the torn and black
cned forms with which the tempest
Of war has strcwn the trampled
plain And set that unconscious
and powcrless sleeper awoke from
his seeming death, as the dead
shall rise whom the last trumpet
sounds
Aoqin fho Hrrs ~ ,.,.-.,... atf