Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-20

rying the heavy load of defeat and unap-
| preciated by he people whom he had
| served, for they Culd not know that had
| his plans and orders been carried out the
result would have been victory rather than
retreat. You did not know it, for l would
not have known had he not reported it,
with the request, however that 1t should
not be made public. The clamor which
| then arose followed him when he went to
| South Carolina, so that il became necessa-
| ~ to write letter to the Governor of that
| State telling him what manner of man he
was"
READY TO GO ANYWHERE.
! MIR. Davis spoke Of the straits to which
I the Confederacy was reduced. and review
ed her sad and glorious history through
the advance into Pennsylvania, the battle
of Gettysburg, the final surrender. He then
proceeded:
"Here he now sleeps IN the land he loved,
and that land is not Virginia only, for they
do injustice To Lee who believe he fought
only for Virginia. He was ready TO go any
where, on any service for the good of his
country, and his heart was as broad as the
fifteen States struggling for the principles
that our forefathers fought Tor In the ReVo-
luton of 1776.
"This day we unite our words of sorrow
with those of the good and great through
ont Christendom, for his fame has gone
over the water-his deeds will be remem-
bered, aud when the monument we build
shall have crumbled into dust his virtues
will live, a high model for the imitation Of
generations yet unborn"
Mr.. DavIs's Later Estimate.
from an article written by Mr.. Davis for the
North American Reyiewl
- In the early days of June, 1862,
General Mcclellan threatened the capital
Richmond) with an army numerically
which Lee had been assigned. A day or
two after he had joined the, army l
was riding 10 the front and saw a
number Of horses hitched in front
of a house, and among them recog-
niZed General Lees, Upon dismounting
and going in found some general officers
engaged in consultation with hlm as 20
how McClellan's advance could be checked,
and one of them commenced to explain
the disparity of force and with pencil and
paper TO show how the enemy could throw
out his boyaus and by successive parallels
make his approach irresistible. Stop,
stop" said Lee, If you 60 TO ciphering
we are whipped beforehand" He ordered
the construction of earthworks. put guns
in position for defensive line on the
south side of the Chickahominy, and then
commenced the strategic movement which
was the inception OF the seven days oat;
driving the enemy 10 the cover OF his gum
boats IN the James river.
HIS HUMoR.
He was always careful not to wound the
sensibilities of any one, and sometimes
with an exterior Jest or compliment would
give what, il properly appreciated, was
instruction for the better performance os
some duty--for example, If he thought
general officer was not visiting his COM
mand as early and often as was desirable,
he might admire his horse and suggest that
the animal would be improved by more ex-
ercise.
He was not of the grave. formal nature
that he seemed TO some who only knew him
when sad realities cast dark shadows upon
him; bat even thep the humor natural 70
him would occasionally break out. For in
stance. General Lee called at my office for
a ride TO the defence of Richmond, then
under construction. He was mounted on
stallion which some kind friend had recent
ly sent him. As l mounted my morse ms
was restiye and kicked at mine. We rode on
quietly together, though Lee was watchful
10 keep his horse in order. Passing by on
encampment we saw near tent two stall
lions tied at q safe distance from one ar-
other. "There.n said he, is O man worse
of than am" When asked to explain,
hesaid: Don't you see, he has two stall
lions? have but one"
coEs-BRHAp oRUsTs.
His habits had always been rigidly tenn
perate, and his fare in camp was OF the
simplest. / remember on one battlefield
riding past where he and his staff were
taking their luncheon. He invited me TO
share II, and when | dismounted for the
purpose il proved TO have consisted only OF
bacon and corn-bread. The bacon had all
been eaton, and there were only some
orusts of corn-bread left. which, however.
having been saturated with the bacon
grayy' were Ia those hsrd times altogether
aceeptabie, as General Leo was assured, IL
order 10 silence his regrets.
TIE cRARox or TREASON.
After the close Of the war, while 1 was IN
prison and Lee was on parole, we were both
indicted on charge OF treason; put, IN
hot haste 10 get ia their work. the fndicf-
Inspt was drawn with the fatal omission OF
an overt act. Gcnersl Grant interposed
In ths case of General Lee on the ground
that hs had taken his parole epd that ~