Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-02-15
GENERAL R. E. LEE.
ANECDOTES or THE GREAT con-
repeRATE MILITARY cAlEFTAlN.
u,. Great Consideration for the Properly
of othcrs--Cars OF His own "'n
omcers Thirsty and Hungry
r. c. Mead, in Now YOrs LsdssEI

e C.
IN. of the chief characteristics OF Cen
,.I robert e. Lee was his extreme pon,e-
ross IN his officers and men, as well as 70
svery one. both of high and low degree.
7 was much impressed with TINS the hiss
.;,ne met him. II was on cold winters
Jov IN 1868 that / happened to be ct
sn,aII station on the then Virginia Central
railroad. was dressed in very snaooy
suit of clothes, with dilapldated sioucn
bot drawn close over my eyes to keep OUT
the pelting RAIN, IL .n+o;r ra-
49, ~ va "a he stepped off, that General
y i'l oa ryas ON board and that would nnd
I'm I'm "A the far end of the rear coach, Win
10 oficers. Wishing to speak WIN did
l,r a matter of business. about wnlcn we
I'd I ,,,revio1lsly had some correspondence
1ws had never metz, / ct once entereu
the designated coach. As soon
The General saw me enter, 10
and his officers arose await
Az NV approach. I introduced my
elf sn and General Lee, with that graceful
majestic courtesy so peculiar 70 nm,
s,reeted me as cordially as il he had known
&c always or ] had been some distln-
-,,iehed uersonage. His face wore CAIN,
serious look; his utterance was SLOW ous
arm and decided. and his hne mlIltaTy
form and bearing struck me very i ;e baS
seen a rrost man, though he had not tnen
reached tho height OF his fame, -
INC rouowino incident Will serve 10
sbn1v b,s Great consideration for the pro
neTtv of others, as well as his care OF MS
own men:
THE FENCE WAS REPAIRED.
nrrino the winter of 1862 General Lee
vvaa walking through the camp IN company
with Tom Traynham, his CHIEF OF courleIs'
when the General observed tnat DI usn-
fence surrounding some poor FARMER SS, s1n,
den had been nearly destroyed. AuihiAs
| 10 Mr.. Traynham, be said;
"Mr. TraYnham 2"
ayes, General"
"When we came here was that fence
s0 .To cor.r.,n
" VII is the other part, Mr.. Trayn-
ham2' u,
"Bv whom, sir ?" inqulr ed General Lee'
| in the same quiet tone.
nv ell, General some of it OF your
"That was wrong, Mr.. Traynham, Did
Won not know that, as sergeant OF the cou-
riers. vou should not allow such depreda-
| tions around headquarters
81 did not know 1 had that authority
| General"
We'll. Won must have it repaired, sir;
suggest that tomorrow of o'clock. after
| the regular details are made out, that you
take all except those details and have the
| fence repaired"
yes. sir.n replied Traynham.
"Tell them l said so,n said the General
as his courier started of.
| The next morning Traynham gave notice
4 ~ . 1aAa
I ready at o to repair the fence. At the spe-
| cited hour all came promptly except one
man. who felt the work beneath his dignl--
Nv. Travnham notified him that if he did
| not come in five minutes he would be re-
| norted to General Lee, which had the de-
! sired effect. All went to work with VIII,
but binding snow-storm set IN, and Cen
| eral Lee, who was watching the mon, see
ing under what difficulties they were
| working. sent a messenger to say had they
not better stop until the snow held up.
Rut they replied: Tell the General we
| will soon finish" and finish they did,
leaving the fence stronger and better than
before. much 10 the qualification OF Gene
raj Lee. After that the fences near head
quarters did not disappear 30 rapidly.
HIS FATHERS HORSE.
Atanotber time, when there had been
much cold weather and snow, the men had
made some protection for their norseS'
| Mr.. Travnham had fixed simply brush
shelter for his, and 1t was not quite so good
as the Others. General Lee observed TINS
as he was walking out, and suddenly stop
ping, said:
Mr.. Traynham2"
Sir
"Whose horse is that?"
mime, General"
your own or your fathers 2"
INV father gave it to me, sir"
~ thought you would take better care OF
your fathers horse" said the General
quietly, as he started on.
Mr.. Traynham soon provided better
protection for his horse.
General Lee was always kind, courteous,
| and gentle, but never failed to show by his
tone that he was to be recognized rs the
general commanding. AS an instance OF
this. the following amusing incident Is
given:
QUIET BUT SEVERE REPRIMANDs.
Ono day Of battle all were hurried out
before they had time to breakfast. AS the
battle warmed up the bullets began TO
whistle and the shells screeched all around
the General and his couriers; one OF the
couriers suddenly discovered that he was
40 thirsty that he must go and get some
water; another said he must have some
breakfast. as he was weak from hunger;
and both quietly disappeared. In little
while General Lee looked around. and
noting their absence, said to Traynham:
"Mr. Traynham, where are MIR. s. and
Mr.. b"
"Air. S. said he must 90 and get some
voter and Mr.. b said he was weak
from hunger and must go and get some
General Lee quietly rode on and said no
| moro Near noon there was lull In the
battle. and the General retired to quiet
place to breakfast. When his breakfast
was brought up by the servant the General
picked out good portion OF the best or IT,
| and placing IN on piate' caiIeu MI Alayh
ham and said:
! "bIr. Traynham, / wish you would take
, this to Mr.. B. and say l hope his hunger
! will be appeased."
The next morning when all the cour1ers
had assembled General Lee called up 1r
$ and told him he wa sorry he hac
/ suffered so much from thirst on the day
r before; that he would please report tC
; | Colonel TAYLOR and find orders to return
to his command. And to Mr.. B he saic
. | he was sorry he suffered so much from
!, | HUNGER and he would please report Z
( Colonel TAYLOR, where he would find order
/ also to return to his command. 1t is need
? less to say that both gentlemen were mucl
D | ashamed, and one of them begged in tear
4 | so earnestly Ildb 10 Nho lAOMOo W
: with the General and ever afterward mad
o a good soldier.
he COULD ENJOY JOKE.
/ The following will show somewhat tn
| dry humor of General Lee, who, thougl
t always wearing a grave countenance, ye
u could enjoy a Joke:
Q At time when the opposing armies wer
: living on the banks of the Rappahannoc
4 (Which was greatly swollen by excessiv
rain). the one on the south bank, the othe
Immediately opposite on the north bank
g General Jackson was expected to come a
r in the rear of the enemy, and General lie
was very anxious to communicate with hin
Mr.. Traynham had just come off froI
a heavy duty; he was tired and worn on
Y and had hoped to get little rest, but a
{ order came from General Lee for him.
t "Mr. Traynham," said the General, !"
Q know YOU have had heavy duty; but / wis
o TO send dispatch to General Jackson, an