Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-01-13


protection OF his gunboats. and the first
siege OF Richmond was raised.
In referring 20 this The Richmond
Dispatch OF July 18th said:
The rise which this officer has sud
denly taken in the public confidence Is
without precclcnt. At the commence
mont Of the war he enjoyed the highest
reputation Of any officer on the continent
',rhc operations OF General Lee in the
short campaign which is Just over were
certainly those OF master. No captain
mat ever lived could have planned OF
Executed better campaign. 1t was per
feet in all it's parts. and will be set down
hereafter as among the models which
The military student will be required 10
study
once having taken the field General
Iee was never In Richmond again during
the war for any length OF time. and saw
very little OF his family. Such visits as
be made here were for the purpose Of
hurried consultation with the President
and the departments.
From Appomnttox General Lee came
10 Richmond and after residing here a
few months removed with HIS family 10
Cartersvillc. Cumberland county, where
he remained until he accepted the presi-
tflAfN tl " hEsfalilAifi hlifbf, ubN W d0h-
iuston and Lee University. Lexington. Va.
HIS most notable visit to Richmond there
after WAS when he was summoned 10
testify in the proceedings against Presi-
dent Davis
MEMORIAL MEETING.
General Lee died October r. 1870. and
memorial meetings were soon thereafter
held at various points in the South. The
Richmond meeting was held I'm the First
Presbyterian church. November the ID.
and nj IL tho Lee Monument Association,
which resulted In the erection Of the
Lee equestrian status here. was organ
tied
There was an immense crowd present.
including many distinguished cx-Confed-
crates from all over the country. and
President Davis presided From the Dis
patCh's account Of the proceedings is
given the following report OF the address
made by Mr.. Davis upon taking the chair;
REMARKS OF PRESIDENT DAVIS.
Mr Davis spoke at length. and with his
accustomed thrilling, moving oloquence.
Re addressed hIs hearers as SOLDIERS and
| sailors Of the Confederacy. comrades. and
friends" Assembled" he said. "on this
| sad occasion, with hearts oppressed with
tho grief that follows the loss OF him
battlefield. pleasing though melancholy
spectacle IS presented. Hitherto. and in all
times. men have been hOnOrcd when sue
Ccssful. but here is the case of one who.
amid disaster. went down 10 his grave.
and those who were his companions in
misfortune have assembled to honor his
memory. 1t is as much an honor to you
who give. as To him who receives: for
above the vulgar test Of merit. you show
yourselves competent TO discriminate be-
tween him VINO enjoys and him who de-
serves success.
Robert l.. Lee was ny associate ana
friend iu the Military .~,odcmy. and we
were friends until the hour OF his death.
We were associates and friends when he
vas a soldier and | a consressman: and
! associates and friends when he led the
armies of the Confeleracy and ! presided
in its Cabinet. We passed through many
sad scenes together. but | cannot rcmem-
Der that there was ever ausht but per-
feet harmony between us. II ever there
was difference Of opinion, it was dissi-
pated by discussion. and harmony was the
result. | repeat we never disagreed. ana
! may add that | never In my life saw
in him the slightest tendency to self
seeking. II was not his to make n record,
il was not his t. shift blame TO other
shoul2crs: but it was his, with an eye
fixed on the welfare Of his country. never
Catering. TO follow the line Of duty 10
the end. His was the heart that bravei
every difficulty, his was the mind that
wrought victory out Of defeat
HE NEVER FALTERED.
"IIe has been charged with want Of
dash | wish TO say that i never knew
Ice TO falter 10 attempt anything ever
man could dare. An attempt has also
,af.s sra.l
character. because he left the army Of
the United states to join in the struggle
for the liberty of his State. Without
trcnchine at all upon politics, / deem II
my duty to say one word in reference TO
th.s charge Nirginian born. descended
from a family illustriCus in NiTsnia's s
armies. given by Virginia TO the service
of the United states. he represented her
in the Military Academy, at West Point.
lie was not educated by the fedcral
Government, bat by Virginia; for she
paid her full share for the support OF
mat institution, and was entitled to de-
mand in return the services Of her sons.
Entering The army OF the United states,
ha rrpresent,d Virginia there, also; ana
noblv, ON many Il hard-iOught field Lee
was conspicuous. battling for ms native
state as mach as for the Union. lie
came from Mexico crowned with honofs'
covered by brevcts. and recognized, young
/ as he was, as one Of the ablest OF ms
cOuntry'a soldiers. And. TO prove ihaI
he WAS estimated then as such, let me
tel You that when Ice was captain
~ engineers. stationed in Baltimore, the
cuban ,Duta in Ncw York selected him
! 70 b.. their leader in the strussie for the
irdeueudcucc OF their native country.
They were anxious to secure his services,
and offered him every temptation 'hat
| ambition could desire. lie thought the
matter over. ana. | remember, came 10
MashIngton to consult me as TO what ne
/ should do. ana when | began 10 discuss
! the complications which might arise from
/ HIS acceptance # the trust, ne Gfily Ic-
/ hukei me. saying that this was not 'he
/ nn. upon which he wished my adVlce-
! -. ejn,D,e question was whether il was
! rfsnt or not. lie had been educated ~
/ ~. United states, and felt 1t wrong to ac-
! cont a place in the army OF a fofelSu
! ro,yer Such was his extreme Cehcacy'
! sccn was the nice sense or honor OF 'I'c
| Gallant gentleman whose doath we ue-
! moro put when Virginia withdrew, the
/ state 10 whom he owed lis first anu !'Nt
! allegiance. the same nice sense OF ho'oI
| lel him to draw his sword an" ',,o"
| IL In the scale for good or for cVli. iar-
don me for this brief defence or hy
| ulustrious friend.
THE BRIGHTEST JEWEL
| "Whcn Virginia Joined the Confeieracy'
| no,.r. I<o. the highest officer in the
! N,ue army Of Virginia, came 10 K4ch-
! monl. euI not pdus!ns - inquire what
! would h, his rank In the service or the
I Coafelerlcy. went 10 western virginia
| unicr the belief tha' he was SIM an
! officer II the State H. came back, car
rv.rg tie heavy weight Of defeat ana
/ unlppreciatei by the people whom ne
-ryrl. for they could not know. as l
| knew. that II his plans ana orders hai
been carried ou; The result would nave
p..n victory rather than retreat You
an u,t know. for l would not have
known IT. had ne not bre3thel Il IN my
or op.v AT my earnest request ana beg
ing that nothing be said about 1t. The
cl,inor which then arose followed nm
when he went TO South Carolina, so 'htt
8. became necessary on his going to South
C'tr.liua to write letter 70 the Governor
of that State. telling him what manner
Of man hc was Yet, through an lhiS'
w..h a magnlnm!,y rarely equallei, he
stood In silence without defending NM
self or allowing others 10 deiend hih'
for ne was unwilling u Offend any one
Uho was wearing sword and striking