Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-01-28


t1s,t, General Lse," at tie berqaet Of &.
Lse Camp, Confederate Veterans, on Tee.
day night, tbs 10 h in tant, said
Comrades of the Confederate army:
Ths day that We are assembled here 10
celebrate ia one that you and should ever
love, cherish and treasure 10 cur hearts end
memoree. The 19 b of January 81 years
ego ushered into life one Of the greatest, no.
bles. and grandest OF men, onr beloved and
glorious old commander, Robert E. Lee,
whose victorious standard we followed
through the most terrific snd gieaIt &C n
test 10 the hit tory Of the world.
We, the old and faithful veteraps who fol.
lov Q I his leadership and who sti Hove, revere
end cling to his cherished memory are grad
ually and surely passing away, and, one By
one, as ert ann leaves, are fast failing by
the wayeide, and the time will soon come
phen our comrades falling out of he ranks
by the unerring hand of death can only be
numbered by hundreds, then By dcsene. and
at last there will ccme time when be I two
or three OF our brave old comrades will be
lett to answer with feeble, bit still firm and
unietering voice to the roll-call and TO tell
the proud story OF the gre,t struggle and to
sing the urdylng praises OF our grand old
commander, ever cherished, beloved and
treasured In glorious memory, and when toe
last call shall come and the final summons is
served the dying hesrt will 1T II swell With
honorable pride In the character end deeds
CT Robert E. Lee. Il has been my fortune,
privilege and pleasure to have kscwn this
great and remarkable man, and to have
been thrown into his company Oh numer-
ous occasions, to have gyasped him by the
hand ard looked him In the face, to have
halG repeated conversations vita him, to
have been the recipient Of his kindly and
fatherly advice as Confederate surgeon, to
have saeD him depressed by the weight OF
ssversity and then In the zenith OF Ills suo.
cess and splendid fame, when his towering
gen!us blezad forth and illumlned the
oieilized world, and to have seen his great
heart TIRED by emotions OF sympathy for
tie suffering and the dying, and he was al.
weYs the sane great. good end nob!e man.
The splendid character OF Lee, Eis chiv-
a.ous and great deeds, hls unfeu tering IL
deity, bis rndaunted courage Gnd h's lofty
gen!us have enshrined him In the hearts and
menoriss OF the southern people to the re-
motes5 generations. No time, no crcuro-
stance, 20 hurusn power car ever eface bis
gloyioua memory from oIr hearts.
However much may have been eaid
IN praise a6d admiration of the char
ecter end dseds OF Robert e. Lee.
however cur hearts may have poured
forth their love and admiration, I can
ssY here, In all Truth ard sincerity, that the
fell need OF praise hos net yet bsen awarded
hin. That the towering genius ofthe man, his
vast foresight, his comprehensive iLtsllect,
his almost lneShsust able powers OF resource
have even at tlis late period net been fairly
comprehended or appropriated. Lst ua
prsi.e him for brief space end take O
cursory review Of hia history ard achieve.
ments.
The doctor then gave "a interesting de-
acrlption OF the military genius displayed by
t le ilu5trlous subj cot Of his discourse In the
msny campeigas eCd battles waged by the
great chieitGin 10 the interests CT the con.
| iederscy.
The genius of Lee, be COL t'Dued, created
the grand Army of Northern Virginia, de.
s:ined 20 rise to iwperishable ,enown. He
! brea, he'd the spirit of his splendid genius
into is heart. He gave it the example OF
bis uadsun,ed courage. OF his superb man.
bocd and ezsited cbara. tar, and reared 1t
up from 10 beginning as q wise parent
would beloved ofF,pring. He made It the
strongest, the most powerful and chilval-
rous army In the world, that In seven pitch
| ed bt les swept the vast army OF McClel-
Ian from the land.
The spsake- then described the planning
and execution of The seven dsys' campsign
at Richmond.
But, said the speaker In conclusion, II the
character end genius of Lee were grand IN
war, bis principles OF heart and bis bearing
in peaos were equally noble. II the people
of the South were proud Of hle achievements
Ia battle hey can be equally proud OF his
manllnes,. his pure and untarnished Chris
tian character his love of his people, the
immortal example he has left to bis ooun'
trymen of great, good and noble man, an
unsullied reputation and his humble, true
and sincere Christian resignation. My
friends, these are great and glorious herit'
ages left to us By one OF the greatest oimen
OF priceless worth, to be treasured up In our
hesrts aud memories for all time to come
Thees ore rich and inessimable blessings
which no ,ine can ternish AID no human
power csn impair. The splendid name and
fsms. the beautiful aud chivslrous character
OF Lee, sgsinst which the fouless and most
s,spderons tongue has never dered to whis'
ner sinpls word, are treasured iegacles lef
the people OF the Scutb, as rich and splen
did Ga the romantic snd glorious fame ofthe
noble Bayard Of old. No country. 10 age
has ever given birth to more noble, mort
glorious characters than those Of Robert e
Lse and S:cnewall Jackson, and they vii
90 down to future history ss among tht
nobiest apd most iiust,ious examples o
their race, challenging the respect. the es
.eaaa snd even admiration OF their enemies
EoR oyER FIFTY PEARS