Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-01-14
WHERE DOCTORS DIFFER.
Dr. 7. Il. kingsbury Replies TO Dr. J. ".
Jones Regarding General Fender.

''''~''- 49, ~ -"
Dr. 7. Il. kingsbury Replies TO Dr. J. ~.
Jones Regarding General Fender.
Wilmington O.. c. Mcssenger)
Rev. J. William Jones D. D.. we'll
known Virginia Baptist. strong friend
Of the South, a true man. and an author
OF one or more books bearing on the great
war publishes an interesting communica-
ton in the Richmond Dispatch. dated
university Of Virginia. January 9. 1884"
The whole article Is of interest. but the
part on which we are concerned is what
be says Of Major-General ". ID. Pcnder
lie quotes what General G. c. Wharton
said Of General Lees opinion of General
Ponder. and that with him ne could have
won Gettysburg. General Lee said:
General Hib. l think General Pender
was the most promising Of all our young
officers" General Hill assented. and
added: Ills death was a great loss 10 the
army. an irreparable loss to me-
General Wharton says General Lee said
al this in a conversation held with him
self and General A. T.. Hill not long after
the battle OF Gettysburg
Or Jones then says this
"The editor Of the Messenger further
quotes Major James II. FoOte as saying
that General Lee told him when he in
Quirod II II was true that Pendcr waa
dead: Yes, il is true There was a soldier
who never held his proper rank. lie
ought TO have been one Of my corps com
mdndcrs.'
WERE MISTAKEN.
Or. Jones does not say that General
Wharton and Major FoOte falsely report
conversations with General Lee. but he
evidently IS willing to think they were
mistaken. ana says. lit Is really very
difficult TO rcUeat verbal i'm a conversation
that occurred over thirty years ago, and
l must be pardoncd for saying that some
Of these statements are very much unlike
General Lees usual style Of talking
Dr. Jones goes even further in his scep-
tlcism and tries 10 overthrow the promo
billty Of Major Foote's statement lie
says:
He was very reticent I'm expressing
his opinions Of the merits OF his oihcerS
and comparing them with others even
when asked by the War Department or
the President to DO 60. and it seems a
little singular that he should nave said
10 Major Footc in July that General Pen
der ought TO have been one Of his corps
commanders' when, on the 23d pf May
preceding Ewell and A. L. Hill had bccn'
on the recommendation Of General Lee,
male lieutenant generals and on the
9th ~ May General Pender had been pro-
NOTED from briRadier 70 major general.
II General Lee thought that Ponder ought
20 have been put in command OF one or
his corps It is strange that he did not
recommend him FOR this position instead
II A. p. Hill or Ewell'
There IL nothing remarkable In the r.
t..T ion of 80
General Pender's worth IA a soldier. Or.
Jones can 500 this in the very Kind.
even very Mandatory notice Of General
Pender's death which he quotes from his
official report Of the great battle Of
Gettysburg We have published II more
than once In the past but IL Is too
precious and convincing OF Lees high es-
innate TO bc overlooked now:
HIS LOSS FELT.
THE loss Of Major-General Pender is
severely felt by the army and the cOun-
try lie served with this army from the
beginning OF the war. and took distin-
Cushcd part IN all OF its engagements.
Wounded on several occasions. he never
left his command in action until he re-
ceivel the injury that resulted in his
death. His promise and usefulness "a an
officer were only cqualled by the purity
and excellence Of his private life."
pr. Jones Is still more scepucal. lIe
says:
Put my gallant friend General Whar-
ton, must pardon me for thinking that
his memory is AT fault. when. after the
lapse Of over thirty years, he quotes Gene
raj Lee as saying to \. T. Hill Pender's
corps commander; and himself w
would have succeeded had Fender lived
The chiValrous Pcndcr was mortally
wounded In the second days fight at
Gettysburg and died some days later
in Winchester. but 1t is difficult to see
how his presence on the field the next
day could have altered the results"
And vet he tells that he heard Gene
raj Lee say that IF | had bad Stonewall
jackson at Gettysburg | would have won
the battle" Next TO Jackson Lee praised
Pendcr highest of all the soldiers who
fell IN battle. General Wharton ought 70
know what he heard Probably Lee
thought that with either Jackson or Pen
der he would have whipped at Gettysburg.
We do not much doubt that with either
Of these very competent soldiers in com
mand Of LonGStreets corr9 on the third
day the results would have been different.
General Longs life Of Lee satisfies us
that such belief is we'll founded
NOTHING IMPROBABLE.
We see nothing improbable IN Major
Foote's statement. lie is man Of
scholastic education twas Professor In
Wake Forest College). Is a man Of truth.
and member OF DT. JOness own church
lie was alone with GcueTnl Lee at his
tent. sitting on Camp-stools. General lie
Was IN profound depression. AID when
asked of the death Of Fender it was
by no means unnatural that REALIZING
more than ever before the great worth
Of the North Carolinan who took dis
tinguished part Ia all Of the engag ments
OF General Lees army" as he testifles 10.
and whose promise and usefulness as an
officer We're only eguallcG by the purity
ana exc Hence OF his private lire" that IN
such an hour of solemnity, and recalling
the splendid virtues Of the fallen nero
that from his deep soul should have come
the statement as given by Major Foote
our friend The Major stiu lives. He gave
us the incident soon after the war. when
It WAS fresh In his mind. Is for our
selves We are not Ia the habit Of for
getting such interesting things.
in 1851. sitting IN The porch OF Mr.
Wallace the thea Nestor of the Peters
burg bar. the venerable lawyer himself
a BaptisU It'd Roy. Or. Pr!tchard, OF
Charlotte. and this scribe that General A.
i. HI! said t. him IN the same porch In
reply 70 an Inquiry as TO who was the best
officer ~ his grade I'm the Army Of North
ern Virginia that General Pender was
That General Pender was a soldier OF
extraordinary merit is known TO all who
have followed his career from West Point
20 Gettysburg. That he would have made
very successful. mastery corps COM
mander North Carclinl4ns believe how
ever sceptical Virginians may be. General
Lee knew men, and he knew the captains
Under him. flc had very high estimate
OF Pender. DR.. Jones says that this is
'unquestionably" so.
Commodore Maury, of Virginia. clarum
ct venerable nomen, had such high
opinion OF another North Carolinian. Gene
J. Johnston Pettigrew, that he said in
case OF Lees death he should succeed
him In command
The Poets.
When the poets sing 10 u.s.
What Is IL they bring 20 rs?
Hope In sorrow. JOY and strength:
Manuscripts six yards In length!
Atlanta Constitution.