Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-08

Hfs Praise Of the Southern Com
mander and His Campaigns.

Savannah NeWs.)
General Robert Z. Lee" was the sub
1ect of the second lecture of the Savan-
nah Lyceum course delivered last night
at the Guards Hall by Rev. Dr. F.. Ben
jsniin Andrews. president OF Brown Uni
versity. Of Providence, r. l.
DR.. Andrews was In active service In
the Federal army in the war out no
southerner could have paid more elo-
quent or devoted tribute to the greatest
Of all Confederate generals.
The speaker began with statement OF
the circumstances surrounding the great
Confederate general. and also spoke OF
Stonewall Jackson. and others who were
with General Lee In the struggle. jack
son he spoke OF as wonderful lighter.
and one whose abilities In this regard bis
foes were not aware Of. as General John
Pope and his men soon found out.
He spoke Of the fact that General F1tz-
hugh Leo said General Robert q. Lee
made n mistake In crossing to Maryland
after the battle OF Chantilly.
Dr. Andrews said he would not venture
an opinion against General Fltzhugh Lee,
but he thought General Lee was wise In
fighting the battle OF Antietam after he
had crossed. He said he did not give Gen
eral Lee much credit for the battle OF
fredericksburg. because he had to aid
him the shrewdness OF his engineer In
fixing the fighting line, the courageous
ness of all his men. and the stupidity OF
General Burnsides.
He gave a most interesting account OF
the gr at fighter, General HooAers at
tempt to cut OF Lees communication
with Richmond, which plan General Lee Lee
Il -i,~o6 nj throwing
Union forces into const rnat.on Re
blamed Hooker for not dashing TO the
front, instead Of retreatirg, wnen ne
found Jackson on his extreme right.
President Lincoln's reference to Hook
er's intemperance was well brought IN.
When General Hooker was sent west
Presld mt Lincoln said 20 him: You VIII
have to pass through keI (, cky, ara 1
want to warn you against going through
Bourbon county"
Charlottesville, he said, brought Gene
raj lie. grcater fame than any Oh uis
previous battles. He said he could not 80
into the story of the battle of Gettys-
burg. but would refer to few or the
criticisms that hays been made against
General Lee on account or tnat hgnt;
Under the circumstances, he said Genera
Lee could hardly hove taken c metery
Hi on the first day Of the hght. Even
had the option of making the attack ott
hardly had the men to do II with. lie dlo
not blame Generals Lee and Longstrset
and he did not believe that Longstreet
ever int ntionally disobeyed orders, or
took unnecessary time In reaching inc
battlefield where the fight was IN pro.
gress. He was satisfied also that Lee did
the best he could wnen he sent no larger
force than 1890 or 1900 men to the front
attack. IS General Lee al no poss pc
way of telling what forces he had to con-
tend with. He spoke OF General Les al
ways using offensive strategy. as, for in
stance marching into the enemy's cou
try. but defensive tactics ,hat Is. waitlis
for his opporfnts TO r.lch out 10 make
an attack. before striking. though he did
not walt TO receive the blow before giving
anything In return.
A strictly military criticism made was
that General Lee fought at Gettysburg on
too long line, while the enemy was con-
centrated in q shorter curve.
In that, he SAID. Lee couldn't be charged
with having made a mistake. The same
'actics were pursued by Won Motke when
the Austrans went down under the on
Taught of the Prussian army.
DR.. Andrews then spoke OF General
Grants entrance into the campaign, ana
how General Lees army held out IN
and until they were outnumbered seven
10 one. and Richmond was finally taken
He spoke OF Lee as being as exalted ana
colossal as a man as he was as a gere..
rail- He was pure of speech. habits. and
words. never profane or irreverent, a mas
terful general but never vane, man
who idolzed his family. and always want
d IL with him, a man whose character
was as simple as that OF a child, ara
who walked with God while he marched
With his army. He spoke OF Napoleon as
having accomplished his greatest feats rs
a young general, while Lee vas as great
a general wnen Is or 20 years Older
He closed with q reference to the con-
trib1tion General Lee m1de 70 IN e.
stftutional development OF the. united
States by which the Constitution -
modified with reference to the autonomy
Of the single Safe, so as TO estaplsh its
right OF government within itseu, anu
the northern States. he said, are :
Jealous of this independence ana right
OF self-government as any or the southern
States ever were.
DR. Andrews is the eighth president or
Brown University, ard was born al Hihs-
dale. N. H., January 10. 1874. he servLa $
a private, a non-commissioned oincer.
and. finally. rs second lieutenant IN The
First Connecticut heavy artillery during
the war He has been a prominent educd-
cor all his life, being connected with va
ripus colleges and universities. ana was
chosen president of Brown University IN
1889 Since mis- election the work or the
college has broadened in many ways.
and a number Of new snd important fea-
lures have been added.
pr Andrews was greeted by large
audience and was listen7d to attentiFey
during his entire discourse. He was in
produced by MIR Lee Roy Myers in the
absence OF the pread mt and yice-presi-
dent Of the lyceum.