Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-25

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mounted ana received General Lee as J,
he had been his brother. He passed
through the lines 81 officers ard the army,
who all paid him the highest miutaIy
honors. 10 headquarters. where MIs.
Washington was, and here he was enter
tanned with an elegant dinner, ana tne
music playing the whole time. a room
was assigned him back Of Mrs. Wasning-
toms sitting-room. a.
Memorial Washington gave him the
command of the right wing OF the army
but before he took charge of IL be request
ed leave 10 go to Congress at forkto~n'
which was readily granted ~
Before he went had an interview WIN
him. He expressed himself under tne
greatest obligations TO me, but wished e1-
ceedingly TO know IL / had made his COM
municstion to Congress, and what wa
their opinion of it. / assured him nsu
not. He said he was going to Congress lor
that purpose, as he was now more tna9
ever convinced that nothing else could
save us-that be found the army in worse
situation than he expected, and that zen
eral Washington was not ut 10 commano
sergeant's guard. bNi
INTERVIEW BETWEEN LIE AND HOWE.
any jealousy of him WAS greatly con-
frmed, and / began to interrogate MIN
about his reception at Philadelphia, ana
Immediately brought about the question
whether be had seen General Howe. ne
told me that he had been closeted Win
him the evening but one before ne ielt
the city. / urged him to tell me the
substance of the conversation that
passed between them. He told me tnat
General Howe began to talk upon tne
claim of independence by the AMER,
cans, and he thought il one of the most
absurd and hopeless expectations tnat
could enter into the mind OF sensloie
men, and as for you, Lee says he. what
in the devil could get into you TO be SO
crazy, who ought TO know betterF Lee
answered that he thought il O very wise
measure, and that if it had not been done
the Americans would have been wlth-
out excuse. The General replied. why,
what end can 1t answer DO you tn INN.
there is the most distant probability
of their succeeding? To which General
Lee replied: They were perfectly right.
In case of treaty what have they to give
up, for what they may insist on receiving;
had they made no claim TO independence,
%, sir, said the General, : il that IS all
they mean by it, it may be proper enough;
but / supposed they aimed at insisting on
separation from the mother country.
But in this view it may be well enough
FOOLISH MOVE.
HE went to Congress and applied for
committee 10 meet and confer with MN;
The President, Mr.. Laurens, was directed
10 this service, TO whom General Lee COM
municated his plan, which disguised MIR.
Laurens so greatly that he would not even
report it to Congress. This lessened the
General so greatly in the eyes OF Congress
that they never paid much respect 10 nun
afterwards.
"He returned TO the army and took COM
mand of the right wing. He Immediately
began to cabal against General Washing
ton and 10 quarrel with the Marquis La
fayette. He assured me himself that Gen
eral Washington was running the whole
cause; that he was looking forward TO the
British evacuating Philadelphia and going
TO New York, and. of course, strengthen
ing his left, while his right was totally I'M
guarded, but Lee said that the enemy
would pass over TO Chester and come sud;
denly on their right wing. and we should
be wholly overthrown. He said he had
urged this in council. but that be had been
overruled, and, therefore. was no longer
accountable.
AN UNLUCKY DAY.
"When the British army actually passed
through Jersey and General Washington,
by his great precaution, had advanced two
brigades towards the Delaware and there
fore overlook the British at Freehold,
General Lee was greatly mortified and at
first refused to take the command OF the
advanced party and it was given to the
MARQUIS Lafayette, but on finding that the
advanced army was reinforced and raised
10 very respectable command he insisted
on the command, and to keep peace 1t was
given to him.
General Clinton near Freehold Courthouse
and skirmish took place. His behavior
this morning discovered his state of mind,
which might have been increased from the
peculiarly of his situation and his exalted
ideas of the proves of British troops. In
the midst of the engagement he rode up to
a lieutenant-colonel of my acquaintant-
ance, who had single field-piece firing,
and called to him: Colonel, have you
seen anything improper IN my. con-
duct this morning?' The Colonel, who
had been conscious of something wrong In
the General all the morning, yet not ehoos-
ing TO acknowledge it, answered: No, by
no means We'll, them said the General,
do you remember thatp' Such an extra
ordinary question from a commander-in-
chief of division under such extraordi-
nary circumstances is full proof that he
must have felt something unusual in him
self. The issue was that he was beat, and
had not General Washington come up in q
lucky moment and turned the fortune of
the day, it might have been fatal to Ameri-
ca"
THE AUTHOR.
The author of this remarkable manu-
script. Elias Boudinot, LII. D., was BORN IN
Philadelphia on the Cd of Nav, A. ID. 1740.
He studied law and was admitted to the
bar Of New Jersey. Early in the Revolu-
tionary war he was appointed by Congress
IfNf.. ha
following circumstances, which he relates
in his diary:
I'm the spring of TIT General Washing
ton wrote me to accept of commission as
commissary-g general of prisoners in the
army of America. / waited upon him and
politely declined the task, urging the
wants of the prisoners and having no.
thing TO supply them. He very kindly
objected TO the conduct of gentlemen OF
the country refusing to join him in his
arduous struggle; that he had nothing
in view but the salvation of his country.
but it was impossible for him TO accom-
plish it alone; that if men of character
and influence would not come for
ward and join him in his exertions
all would be lost. Affected by this adj
dress, and supposing that L could be Of
service to the prisoners, and at the same
time have an eye on the military power
and prevent Its entertainments on the
civic authorities, consented 70 accept the
commission on the Generals assurance
that should be supplied by the secret
committee of Congress with hard money
for the relief of prisoners and that Ishould
only be subject to his orders in the con-
duct of my department"
In the year l777 Mr.. Boudinot was elect
ed q member of Congress and in the year
1881 he was elected president of that
body. Upon the return of peace he was
elected by Washington to fill the Office of