Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1892-11-30
DAUNTLESS To THE END.
Mosby Gives His Opinion Of Lee
Interesting "Reminiscences.

DAUNTLESS To THE END.
Mosby Gives His Opinion of Lee
Interesting "reminiscences.
General John S. Mosby has writ
ten an interesting letter, in which he
tells of several interviews with Cen
eral Robert E. Lee. When l was
private, he says, I met General Lee
but once. Shortly after the battles
around Richmond, when he defeated
Mcclellan, I was captured by raid
ing party of Northern cavalry and
taken to Washington, where l was
kept ten days in the old Capitol prison
and then exchanged.
During my Imprisonment kept my
eyes open and obtained some valuable
information. A soon as we landed at
the point of exchange on the James
river, I started to walk twelve miles
under an August sun to carry the
information Of the movement to Gene
raj Lee. I knew it would result in
corresponding movement on our part.
I shall never forget the awe and op-
preston I felt when I came into the
presence of the great commander. His
benevolent look and kind manner soon
put me at ease. He Immediately
started courier with the news to
Stonewall Jackson The result was
Jackson's victory at Cedar mountain,
where he defeated Pope before rein
forcements from Burnside reached
him.
STORY OF LEMONS.
After exhausting my budget of in
formation, General Lee asked me how
1 was captured. I told him that was
at Beaver Dam station waiting for the
train, when regiment of Northern
cavalry [Harris's Light gobbled me
up. He asked: "Couldn't you run
away?" I answered: ayes, but not
so fast as horse"
I brought with me from Fort Mon
roe haversack full of lemons. Such
a luxury as lemonade was then un-
known in Richmond. AS rose to
leave took out half q dozen lemons
and laid them OH the table. He said
in the gentlest way that I had better
give them to the sick and wounded in
the hospitals that he didn't need
them. But I went away and left
them. I have no doubt that some
wounded soldier got them.
was q common soldier in my shirt
sleeves, covered with dust, without
any political influence behind me and
no prospect of promotion. My feet
were sore and blistered from the long
walk through the sun, yet felt that
the privilege of the few minutes inter-
view with the great general, who then
filled the world with his fame, was
ample compensation for all the tolls
and dangers of war that had under
gone. 1t was certainly distiction to
which l had not permitted myself to
aspire.
AFTER GETTYSBURG.
We did not meet again until after
Gettysburg, in his tent on the Rapidan.
In the meantime l had become an Off
Ger and he knew me by reputation.
1 doubt, however, whether he ever
knew that the soldier who gave him
the lemons was the same person whom
he saw then.
Although the weight of the South
ern Confederacy then rested on his
shoulders he did not seem to be op-
pressed by it or discouraged by de-
feat. His spirit was as bold as it was
on the day that he drove Mcclellan
out of his entrenchments before Rich
moud. My command was then in en-
bryo, yet he seemed to take as much
interest in our petty forages as in the
operation of an army corps. A thor
ough soldier by training, familiar with
war in it's theory and details, yet there
was no man in the Southern army less
martinez and fonder of adventure
than General Robert f. Lee.
In February, 1865, 1 went to see
him at his headquarters, near Peters
burg. His army was then reduced to
q skeleton, but his spirit was as COM
bative as ever. Although he knew
that the end was near, his manner and
conversation did not indicate it. He
was just as bold and aggressive in tenn
per as on the day that he routed Pope
at Bull Run. Looking over in the di-
rection of Grants lines, he said: ave
could whip those people now if we
could only get at them," referring to
their being underground.
WORN AND HAGGARD.
In the spring of 1870, few months
before his death, was at the Exchange
hotel, in Richmond, when General Lee
arrived there from Lexington. He
had been advised to take trip south
for the benefit of his health. He look
en- worn and haggard, and it was hard
to realize that he was the fierce war
rior that had so often welded the
thunderbolts of battle. 1 went to his
room and had long talk. had met
him in public after the war, but this
is the only time we were alone. The
war still threw its shadows around
us, and while we talked Of the pres
ent and the future, we were thinking
of the past. I felt oppressed, almost
overwhelmed, by the great memories
which his presence recalled. He was
no longer my commander, yet his
word even then would have been law
to me.
Soon after leaving his room l met
General Pickett. Itold Pickett that l
had just left General Lee, and that he
looked like dying man. There had
been an estrangement between them.
Pickett said that he would call and
pay his respects to General Lee if |
would 60 with him, but that he did
not want to be alone with him. So |
returned with Pickett. The interview
lasted only few minutes. The con-
versation was formal, with no refer
ence to the cause of their difference.
do not think they ever met again.
In few months the great soldier
Joined the shadowy host that had
crossed the river before him. "Fate
denied him victory, but blessed him
with q glorious Immortality"
A CHILD'S FAITH.
The sweetest thing on earth is the
faith of little child. Who of us has