Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-02-01

| SolQlcrS III all the horrors OF disease III
! i worse forms with no hope of re-
licf. In every cottage visited by US il
presented tic same scenes Of want,
disease, suffering and destitution.
Those ineilably sad scenes enough TO
wiring the leart of the most callous, i'm
pressed, most profoundly, the heart OF
G,ner.l Lee, and, with tears yelling
up in his eyes, he said that he had
n-ver witnessed such scene of suf-
ferring before. To see tears of SYM
pathy in the eyes of great military
chieftain for human suffering is not a
frequent sight. relate this little in
cident, not as an evidence of weakness,
but, to his credit and honor be it
spoken, in evidence of the greatness
and nobility OF a heart as brave and
gallant as ever throbbed in human
breast.
1t was on this sad occasion while slow
ly walking through the various cottages
followed by Captain Taylor, myself and
the assis ant surgeon In charge we found
on bare floors without bed, a chair
a camp stool or a water pail, hundreds
of sick Confederate soldiers III all the
agonies of dangerous illness, many OF
them reduced 10 the condition of skele
tons, many in hopeless delirium, others
sinking fast in the coldness of death
General Lee, in all the goodness
and fulness of his great heart, ap-
preached each in turn, these poor suf-
fering creatures. took each by the hand,
asked kindly after his condition, spoke
kind and consoling words to all, cheer
ing the rational, and even bringing
back in the delirious faint recollections
Of happier and better memories. His
very presence, his kindly smile and
words exerted amost happy ettectupon
all.
A great soldier, distinguished mill
tary captain in the midst of his suffer
ing and the dying cheering them with
words of kindliness and consolation,
was scene never witnessed before or
since. 1t was deeply touching and
interesting to watch the impression and
effect made by his noble presence, his
cheering words and kindly smile upon
these poor suffering creatures. The ra-
tional and the wan-looking convalesent
felt cheered and devoted by the presence
and attention of the commanc lin
chief, while his presence and kindly
words of greeting brought back to the
delirious, whose minds were wandering
in far distant regions for the time, faint
rays of reason and memory, and when
these poor delirious creatures were told
in whose presence they were it always
seemed to restore for time lost rea-
son. After leaving this sad scene ask
ed General Lee if it were possible to
procure more and better nourishment,
more ample supplies of medicine and
bedding and other hospital supplies for
our sick. He turned to mcand rather
gravely replied, Doctor, we must
make something out of nothing; that
is all that | can say to you at present,
but can say this much that it behooves
our people and our government to
comprehend the fact that we have a
tremendous and In all likelihood a
protracted conflict on our hands, and
understanding this fact it is full time
we were preparing to meet it,
When did an Alexander, q C;riar,
a Marlborough, Napolon, Yelling
ton Grant ever shed tears in
commisseration for poor suffering sol
dier? Such things are unheard of in
the lives of these famous men. These
great and ambitious warriors, with
hearts steeled against the nCbler, the
better, the finer, the more humane SEN
timents Of the human heart, regarded
the soldier only in the light OF a
machine. Lee, the greatest captain of the
age, not only great as a warrior, but
true as christian, was actuated in all
that he did by unfaltering christian
principles. He loved his race, he loved
his soldier and regarded him as a fellow
man, as human being, entitled to all
the rights, the priviledges and the treat
ment that his Creator designed him for
When we hear and know these un-
written things, Of which history takes
no account Of the great and chivalrous
Lee our hearts are filled with
greater and deeper admiration for the
greatness of his character.
These words which have spoken to
you of the sorrow and trials Of our great
and beloved commander may serve to
give you pain and to arouse your SYM
pathy for one of the noblest men on
earth in the depth of his troubles, but
| feel that a knowledge of these
things has enabled me to understand
more perfectly than l could ever have
done otherwise the true greatness OF
his character, the graudness OF
his principles, the purity of his
motives, his unfaltering patriotism
and the splended cbivalrous courage of
his heart, and feel that you, having
known these facts, can also the more
thoroughly appreciate the true great
ness and nobility of one of the greatest
of men. ! am glad that it fell to my
lot to see and know this great and re-
markable man in his early trials and
adversities, and I esteem myself fortu-
nate to have seen the splendid heroism
with which he bore them, and the
manly courage and confidence that
sustained him; and again to have seen
him in all the glory of splendid victory
and triumph and ut last crowned with
the love, the alteration, and unbounded
confidence Of his people, and the admir-
| alton of the world l feel that if did
not know these things and if you did
not know them we could not fairly and
fully comprehend or appreciate the
greatness OF his character, the profound
wisdom of his nature and the wonder
ful achievements he accomplished.
And hereafter when we think of our
| oreat commander of his SDlendid hero