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

n
J. physical and MORAL courage performed by
a any individual in fis knowledge peiidinl
the campaign" History will record, ~
- scott himself nObly admitted. that Lee wac
! ScQtrs right arm in Mexico
/. may not dwell ON the round Of cngin
e ecring duties, which lee discharged with
e eNactncss and fidelity during the year, fol-
D lowing the Mexican war. OF more Interest
r - his first actual command Of troops on his
appointment as Lieutenant colonel Of the
famous Second cavalry serving in Texas
This frontier service Of three or four years
was important in developing his military
character, though it may seem an made.
quate preparation in the details Of com.
{ Wand wheh compared, for instance, with
81 ellingion's long apprenticeship in India.
But genius has many schools. and an
earnest. obserant mind quickly grasIs the
, lessons OF practice.
a dark cloud OF war was now threat
enng 10 burst over hitherto peace
; tui country. The routine Of frontier
administration and Indian police must
hafe seemed hut idle child's play amid the
Nercc passions Of that rising tempest of
( civil STRIFE. No man who could think could
think Of anything but the impending dan
ger. Aad Lee. the son Of a leader of the
Revolution, closely linked by descent and
association with the men who won Ameri-
can Independence and made the Ameri-
can Constitution. Lee. inheri.inQ along with
The most ardent love of the Union para
mount LOYALTY to his native state, now saw
himself obliged to make his choice and take
bis side in an irrepressible conflict.
No more painful struggle ever tore the
heart OF Il patriot He had served the
whole country in gallant army, which
commanded all his affection. he better
than most men knew the great resources Of
the North and West. lie had sOiOurned
and labOred in every part of the land, and
could appreciate the arguments drawn
from its physical characteristics. from it,
great river systems and mountain ranges
for an indissOlube Union.
He knew Northern men i'm their homes:
be knew the bravery of the Northern sol
diers who filed our regular regiments in
Mexico. He was above the preiudices and
taunts Of the dav which belittled Northern
virtue and courage. lie knew that, with
slight external differences, there was a sub
| stantlal identity OF the American race in all
the states. North and South. Hewas equal
/ ~ above the weak and passionate view OF
/ slavery AZ good in itself. into which the IA
natical and unconstitutional agitation Of
the abolition party had driven many strong
minds in the south.
! he regarded slavery as an evil: which the
South had inherited and must be left 10 nit
| igatc. and, il possible, eXtirpatc by wise
! and gradual measures. lie. If any man of
/ that time. was capable Of weighing with
calmnoss the duty Of the hour. With him.
! the only question then, as at every moment
of his spotess life, was to find out which
way duty pointed.
Against the urgent solicitations Of Cen
! eral scott, in defiance OF the temptations of
ambiiiOn.iOr the evidence is complete that
The command Of the United states Army
/ was offered to HMM manifest sacrifice Of
/ all his peCuniary Interests. hc determined
| fiat duty babe him side with his beloved
Virginia. lie laid down his commission,
and soemnly declared his purpose never to
draw his sword save in behalf Of his native
state. And what was that native
state, 10 whose defence he hencei0rth de-
voted his matchless sword?
1t was "a Commonwealth, older than the
Union Of tine States; it was the first abode
of English freedom in the Western World;
it was the scene Of the earliest organized
Legislative resistance 10 the encrOachmeni-
of the mother country. IT was the birth
place of the immortal leader of our rcNolu-
tionary armies. and OF many of the archi-
! tccts Of the Federal Constitution IL was the
central seat OF that doctrine of state ~0ycr-
eighty sanctioned by the greatDlmcs Of JEFF
er-On and Madison; il was land rich In
every gift of the earth and sky~-richcT still in
ID, race Oi men, brave, frugal, plOuS. loving
honor. but fearing God; il was a land hal
lowed, then. by memories of an almost nm
broken series Ct patriotic triumphs. hlu
now, after the wreck and ruin OF four years
of unsuccessful war, cOnsecratcd anew by
deeds Of heroism and devotion, whose in
creasing lustre will borrow a brighter radi-
ance from their ,Ombre background CT sui-
iering and defeat.
And this day and on this spot, with height
crcd pride and undimlnlshed love. the sons
of that Old Dominion may still salute her
in the patriot Romans verse:
salve. magma parcns nugum, satuinia Tel
lus.
Mag1a Viruml
This was the land that Lee defended.
Accepting the commission OF maiOr-gen-
eral of the forces of Virginia, he soon
passed, 10y the necessary and rapid sway OF
events. into the service of the Confederate
states. Virginia had become the battle
ground, on which the COnfedortcy was 10
win or lose It's independence, aud Lee could |
only defend Virginia as "a general oi the
Confederate army.
During the early months of the war ne
abOlcd increasingly, and with success, IN
the organization of those armies, which !
stemmed and dashed back tle first flood Of
invasion. Here his patience, his careful
ana minute attention TO details. his knOWl- /
edge OF men. and particularly Of those OIL |
GERS Of the old army who cspOused the I
Southern cause, his Thorough military prep /
aralion. and, more than all else, his conyic- |
tiOn that the war would be long and des- |
peratc, made him an invaluable counsellor |
Of The Coniederatiye executive.
His cooperation with the more Fortunate |
generals, chosen TO lead armies IN the held, /
was Jealous and cordial, and he did not
murmur when at last in August 'Ol. his
fNs
promised to be a thankcss and nauspicious |
duty.
The Confederate arms had hp.n unfOrtu |
nate in Northwestern Virginia. tarnCtt /
had been overwhelmed and defeated. L0f- |
Ing, with large achievements, had not
pressed forward TO snatch the lost ground |
from an enemy weakened 10y great detach-
ments. 80 Lee was sent % valley Noun |
tain TO combine all the elements ol our
strength. and by n stroke Of daring recover /
West Virginia. The Confederate President |
was convinced that he was the leader for
such campaign-the opinion Of the old |
army and of the people enthusiastically |
confirmed his choice.
Lee quickly mastered the problem before |
him by personal Reconnaissance, and lad |
his plans with skill and yigour. But the
attack on Cheat Mountain, which a year
later would have been brilliant success,
ended IN idllnfc ana mOriihcdiioh' L'c
was able TO show to the public but one OF
the high qualities Of a great gencral-magna-
nimity under disappointment and defeat. /
His old comrades OF the Mexican war knew
him, the Confederate President knew him |
and still believed in MIN; but the verdict OF
the general public on Robert Lee in the |
winter of 1862 might have been summed up |
in the historians judgment Of Galba, who
"by common consent would have been
deemed fit to command. had he never COM
mandcd.'
Ia such a school Of patience and |
selfcOntrOl was our great leader destined !
to pass the first fourteen months OF the war. !
The first day Of "Seycn Pines" had been
fought the fierce temper and stern Nalour
OF the Army of Northern Virginia had been
established. brilliant success had been
won Oh our right by LOngstreet and ID. II:
Hill, and General Johnston about mghtfall
wa. arranging vigorous and combined
attack for the morrow. Al that moment
Johnston. whose body was already covered !
with honorable sears, was smltten down by
two severe wounds, and the army was de-
priyed Of its leader.
ON the afternoon Ofthe next day, about iIve
miles below Richmond, Lee assumed com