South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1893-01-13

hind me and no prospect of promo
ton. Ny feet we're sore and blis-
tered from tte lorg wax thro.gh
tho hot sun. Jet felt that the
privilege OF the few minutes inter-
view with the great General. who
then tiled tho world with his fame.
was ample compensation for all tho
tolls aad dangers OF war that had
undergone. IL was certainly riis-
tinction to which I had not permit
ted myself to aspire.
eve did not meet again until az
ter Gettysburg, in his tent on the
Rapidan. |. In the MEAN time lad
become an officer, and he knew me
by reputation. fssdoubt, however.
whether he. ever knew that the SOL
der who gave him the lemons was
the ssmc p rson whom no saw then.
Although he..weight.of the South
srn Confederacy then rested on his
shoulders, he did not seem to be,
oppressed by it or discouraged by
defeat. His spirit was as bold as
1t was on the. day that he drove
Mcclellan out OF his entrenchments
before Richmond. Ny command
was then in embryo, yet he seemed
to take as much interest in our pet
ty forages as in the operation Of
our army corps. A thorough SOL
der by training, familiar with war
IN Its theory and details, yet there
was no man in. the Southern army.
less q martinez and Efonder of add
venture than Gen.: Robert T.. Leo.
Gin February, 1866. went to
see him at his headquarters, near
Fetersbnrg. His army was then
reduced to a skeleton, but his spirit
was as combatiye as ever. Although
no knew that the end was near, his
manner and conversation did not
Indicate 1t. He was just az bold
aud as aggressive in temper as on.
the day that he routed Pope at
Bull Ran. Looking over in tho
direction Of Grants lines, he said
I've could whip those people now
il We conld only get at them" re-.
ferrlngto their being under ground.
Gin the spring OF 1870, a fsw
months before his death, was at
the Exchange Hotel, in Richmond.
when General Lee arrived thcre
from Lexington. He had been ad-
Sised to take trip South for the
benefit of his health. He looked
worn and haggard, and it was herd.
to realize that he was the 6aroa
warrior. that had SO often wie,dc,b
the thunderbolts OF battle. Iwsat
to his room and ws had long taIs
had met HIM in public after the
war, bnt this is the only timl W.
weres ever alone. The war still
throw its shadows around us, and
while We talked Of the present and
the future we were thinking Of the,
past. 1 felt oppressed, almost ox.
erwhelmed,. by the great memo les
which his prese1ce recalled. He
was no longer nay commander, vet
hIs word even then would have been
law to me.
"Soon after leaving his room /
met General Pickett. tsld Pick
EFT that had just left General Lee.
and that he looked ike q dupg
man. There bad been an sstran9e-
ment between them. Pickett said
that he would call and pay his re-
spects to General Lee if [ would 90
with him, but that he didrot want
to DO alone with him. So 1 resura-
ed with Pickett The interview.
lasted bat q few minutes. phe
conversation was formal, with no
reference to the cause OF their dit
ference. do not think they evor
met again. Ia a few months thu
great soldier Joined the shadow
host that had creased the river bs.
fore him. Fate denied him vic
tory, Int blessed him With q g'or.
ions Immortality"
---------- ----s-------
The young men and young NO.