Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-01-20
GENERAL R. E. LEE.
The Personal Character Of Tho Great
Southern Chieitain.
HAVELOCK OF THB COHHEDERACI.
Goodness and Mercy Of God-His
Private and Family Letters.
written for the Dispatch.)

/ (WIlttCu tuS DlSpatCh1
Tho character Of General Robert II.
Lee "a a public servant Of the United
| States or OF the Confederate Government
| has long been fertile theme OF his
torians and reminiscent writer's; but OF
his character as a man. father. husband,
! and Christian gentleman less has been
known than OF many other persons less
prominent in the affairs Of the world.
| In a volume recently issued there Is
given q clearer insight into the personal
| character of the Havelock OF the Con-
federacy than in any work yet pub
lished. The author. General Fftzhugh
Lee. nephew and cavalry commander Of
| General Lee. Is emncntly qualified 10
write so entertainingly and authoritlvely
| of his subject. While n less skiiful or
less competent writer may be able TO
| invest the narrative with n greater charm
Of rhetoric. and perhaps less OF truth or
candor. the unaffected style OF this latest
| historian OF the eminent Nirginian Is both
! pleasing and convincing.
The author has had access to sources
| OF information unavailable to others.
| What great general thinks and feels
WHcu elateu py NlCtOiy, ulStBIoiutcu W
| defeat, or almost despairing of the event.
| ual success OF the cause he Is leading
must find reflection In the letters he
| writes TO those nearest and dearest TO
| him. In the letters TO Mrs. Lee, 10 the
| friends OF his family. and other intimate
friends and associates. General Lee
opened his great. magnaminous. but ten
| der heart as TO none other. From such
"a source the author has largely drawn
his materials for the purpose. he states.
| of supplying "the great desire to have
| something from Robert l.. Lees pen."
| who "is thus made. for the first time.
to give his impressions and opinions on
| most OF the great events with which
| he was SO closely connected"
DEvOUT MEN.
1t IL a singular, IL not anomalous, fact
| OF history that many OF the worlds
| greatest warriors have been devout and
| pious men. From infancy General Ice
was reared in Tho nurture and admoni-
ton OF the Lord" and through all the
varying fortunes Of his career he MAIN
tanned an abiding faith In the goodness
and mercy of God. IF he was always
good, as his father wrote of him, his
mother labored TO keep him so. 800
With the fostering care OF such a mother
the son must go straight, for she had
planted him in the soil OF truth. morality,
and religion. so that his boyhood was
marked by everything that produces no
bilty OF character in manhood"
Whether rewarded with success, or con-
fronted with grave doubts, perpiexties or
fears. the faith Of this Christian soldier.
Ike the true soldier of Christ, was always
firm. When on the heights of Cerro Cor
do. where as engineer officer he had con-
tri5uted SO much 10 the success Of Gene
raj Scott. and where he first beheld the
horrid realities of war, Lee wrote that
he had "endeavored to give thanks TO
our Heavenly Father for all his mercies.
for his preservation through all dangers.
and for ali the blessings He has be-
slowed, for l know fail short OF my OBJ
legations" At the close of the Mexican
war he returned 80 his family at Arlng-
ton Crowned with honors and covered
with brevets for gallant conduct" OF
this meeting he wrote to his brother.
Sydney Lee. Of the United States navy.
Il have much cause of thankfulness and
gratitude TO that good God who has once
more united us.
DEEMED 1T ESSENTIAL.
In all undertakings. great or small,
he deemed il an all essential preparation
TO commit himself to the wisdom and
| mercy of GOD. When Virginia called
him to the leadership of Its armed forces
in 1851 General Lee closed his brief ad-
| dress OF acceptance with these words:
Trusting in Almighty God. an approving
| conscience. and the aid of my fellow
| citizens. i devote myself 10 the services
| Of my native State, in whose behalf alone
Will | ever again draw my sword -
Whether overwhelmed with the worij
| of organizing the army in early 1851. or
| later in that year, when on the bleak
mountain tops OF West Virginia conduct
! ing that unsuccessful campaign against
| Mcclellan and Rosecrans, and made the
| subject OF many carping criticisms, no
word OF complaint escaped his lips and
no acerbity Of manner was exhibited By
| this patient. long-suferlng man. His
| faith in God was as Astounding az when in
| July of 1862 he forced Mcclellan to re-
| trace his steps down the Peninsula. The
| capital OF the Confederacy was thus re-
! lieved from threatened investment. and
| the 'overrated" leader of the West Vir-
| ginia campaign became the hero Of the
| hour. OF this event Lee wrote to Mrs.
| Lee these simple, modest lines: Il am
| filed with gratitude to our Heavenly
| Father for all the mercies lie has ex-
tended to US. Our success has not been
as great or as complete as we could have
! desired: but God knows what is best
| for u.s."
HIS WILL BE DONE.
After the sanguiary contest at Antietam
| and the consequent failure Of the first
| Maryland invasion, General Lee received
ir telligence of the death of his youngest
daughter and most favorte child. To
| Mrs. Lee he wrote: But God In this. as
in all things has mingled mercy with the
blow in selecting the one best prepared
70 10 otl slt,z
\ me in saying. His will be DONE"
The unsuccessful resistance OF Burn
sides attack at Fredericksburg stimu-
lated the belief In the South that Lee
| would lead his cause to a certain and
victorious end. Expressions Of conf
dence in his ability were Widespread.
Lee learned Of 1t. and against It entered
this mild protest to Mrs. Lee: II tremble
| for my country when i hear of the con-
hdence expressed in me. know too
we'll my weakness. and that our only
hope is in God" When the shattered
remnant Of Pcketts magnificent division
| returned TO their lines after having made
the "grandest charge" of history across
the field OF Gettysburg Lee. with that
wonderful magnanimity which he so
| fully possessed. took all the responsibility
on his own broad shoulders. 1T is all
my fault he exclaimed" While wait
| ing on the banks OF the Potomac after
| the battle Of Gettysburg for the raging
| waters to subside, Lee learned of the
| capture by the Union forces of his son.
| General w. II. +. Lee. With that same
sublime resignation with which he had
accepted the sterner DEGREES Of fate. he
| asked Mrs. Lee to bear this additional
| affection with fortitude, and not repine
| at the will Of God. It will eventuata
| in some good we know not of now"
HIS ASSUMED RESPONSIBILITY.
| Anxious as he was TO place the Poto-
! mac between his army and that OF Meade.
| he waited patiently for low water. Had
| not the river Unexpectedly risen," ne
wrote. "al would have been well with
US; but God in his all-wise providence
w..led otherwise"
AS the retreat toward Richmond pro-
| gressed the condition OF the army day
by day became more desparing. Food,
clothing, and forage became scarce, ana
| the men grew weak and sick from expo
| cure and hard service. Vicksburg had
| fallen. and with the twin disaster at
| Gettysburg. the cause OF southern arms.
which had already reached nood-tide, now
'begun to eb5 from the mountains o;
| Pennsylvania until lost In the hills Of
| Appomattox." Lee was seized with the
conviction that he was responsible for