The National tribune., 1896-06-04
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns
FrTzHuGH LEES CAPTURE,
Held as Hostage for Two Union omcers
Sentenced TO Death,

Sentenced TO Death,
ENRON NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In your
editorial notice in your issue of April 10 OF
the appointmeut OF Fnzhugh Lee TO the
Consul. Generalship 10 Havana, you state
that he was taken prisoner while lying
wounded at home and held as hostage Tor
Capts Flynn and Sawyer, whom the rebels
had sentenced to death.
There were two rebel cavalry Generals
named Fitzhugh Lee, The one appointed
Consul-General is William Fitzhugh Lee,
nephew. and the other was William ii. Fliz-
hugh Lee NOW dead son OF Gen. X. Il.
Lee. 1t was the latter who was taken prls-
oner and held els hostage for Capts. Flynn
and Sawyer
He was wounded at Brandy Station, Va,
and was taken at the residence of Gen.
Wickham, his father-in-law, June &c, 1865,
by order OF S. j. Spear, Colonel of the Itch
Pa Cav, commanding q raiding coluGn
composed of the 11th Pa Cav, detachment
of the 18th Ill. Cav, aud company OF the
-th Mass. Cav, known as the California
Hundred."
i here append an article from the Rich
mond Dispatch:
when Gen. Fitz Lee was wounded at
Brandy Station he WAS taken TO hickory
Hill, the home of the Wickhams, In Hanover
County, where his mother and wife and chill
dren aud sisters we're staying He was ac-
companied 10y Surgeon and has brother and
Aid-de-Camp, Capt. II. +. Lee, Jr- About
that time there we're several United States
officers under sentence of death in Libby
Prison in retaliation for executions OF Con-
ederates 10 the West by Rosecrans. The
Federal authorities conceived the plan OF
capturing Gen Lee ard holding ham as
hostage Eor the safety of these officers. Ac-
cord ngIy 81 Col Spear, xho had been SET
geant i'm Ge@ Lees ODD regiment IN the
United States Army, the Cd, was sent wOth
fying column of two or more regiments OF
cavalry asd "a battery of Qtght artillery from
the White House in New Kent, to Hickory
Hill to make the capture. There were no
pickets between the White House and Hick-
-ory Hbll, and the first intlnation Gen. Lee
and Iris friends had OF danger was the gal
hoping Of horses up the slope TO the house.
Capt. III. u. Lee escaped 10 the shrubbery IN
Me yard where he remained concealed for
"a hours. The General, though desperately
wounded, WAS taken from his bed and car
ried ITO Fortress Monroe He never saw his
wife and children again, as all three'died
during his imprisonment.
I'm the meantime one of the most gallant
and desperate fightsrin the annals Of the war
took place about annie below Hickory Hill.
"A company OF North Carolinians, about 35
in number, were guarding The bridge over
the South Anna. They were projected by
the river and fair breastwork, and could
have made a safe retreat; but they stood
their ground and literally died in their
tracks For four hours they held their po-
sition, but finally ford WAS disclosed 10 the
h., sd hav NJ
tackled in the rear and every man was either
KILLED or wounded
"Nhen,Gen. Rooney, rs he was generally
called, reached Fortress Monroe, he was pot
IN solitary confinement. Gen. Gusts Lee
was then on Mr. Dayis's staff, and held the
rank of Bripadier, the same as that of his
woundt and imprisoned brother. He went
20 Fortress Monroe under a special flag of
truce and met representatives of the United
States War Department, upon whom he
urged that he he allowed 10 take has
brothefs place He told them that be was
confident Mr. Lincoln did not wish to cause
unnecessary agony to the innocent and nom
-combatants, meaning his brothers wife and
children; that all that was wanted was a
hostage of the same rank as that of Gen. w
III. IT, Lee, and that HE brother was married
and be was not.
The offer was declined with the state
sDent that was war and its burdens had
60 fall where the chances and fortunes Of
war placed them, but that it was not
Thought there would be any necessity for
the execution of the wounded General
This proved correct, as at la,er period
Gen. Lee was regularly exchanged, rose 20
ore command of division of cavalry, and
fought at Appomattox.
On two points all of Gen. w II. r. Lees
old troopers are unanimous and these are
that he was q gentleman under all circum-
stances and was always where he ought TO