Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-01

had already made great sacrifice. 1t was
not long before the white House" In us
exposed condition upon the Pamunky' ana
well In the lines OF the United states
army. was considered unsafe, and the
little party started for Richmond. They
were made prisoners Of war at Hanover
Courthouse. and detained there for one
week. Before Mrs. Lee left the White
House" she tackled upon the front door
card bearing the request that Union
soldiers would not desecrate the home OF
George Washington's wife.
Mrs. Lees experience as prisoner was
very dismal. She heard the widest WI
mors Of the fall OF Richmond, of the over
whelming army which would then pursue
tie retreating sOutherners. OF the peril
and hardshps to which her dear ones
were exposed. When she became frantic
from the miserable reports which Were
brought 10 her, she sent for General Nc
Clelland, and asked him to send her TO
Richmond. In consequence OF this inter
view her carriage was ordered, the col
ored driver dismissed, and Union sol
dler mounted the boot and drove the la
dies to the Confederate lines under a nag
of truce. Then a Confederate soldier took
his place and drove Mrs. Lee into Rich
mond, TO No. 7O7 east Franklin ftreet.
The moment she entered the door she be-
came one Of THE Mess; she was pre-
pared TO share a soldiers life she was not
afraid Of hardship; she was ready for
danger.
HER LIFE IN RICHMOND.
When Mrs. Lee became one OF THE
Mess" she was a handsome woman. with
red-brown eyes and abundant graylsh
hair; her chief characteristic amid the
grandeur Of Arlington. at the gay water
ing places, or in Richmond during the
crucial period Of her life, was simple
sincerity Of heart and manner. She did
not care bit for dress or show. and was
IN this respect a sharp contrast 10 her
husband. who was always attired in the
most fastidious aud elegant manner.
Apropos it may not be amiss to say
that the General leased Mrs. Lee whom
ever he got q chance. Mrs. Lee" he
generally called her. or Miss Mary" 1t
was one or mis- peculiarities 10 prefix the
names OF his near cousins with Miss"
and often those OF his own daughters.
Mrs. Lee" he would say. why don't
you wear your dresses longer? l look at
the pretty girls in town, and they all
wear long dresses. II you don't lengthen
yours, / shall have TO walk with the
pretty girls"
At Arlington Mrs. Lees manner was
ready 70 show the Washington and Gus
tbs relies, and displayed Mrs. Wash
ingtons dresses with charming little
stories. and detailed the traditions Of the
place, even 10 strangers. without affec
tation or assumption. When she arrived
IN Richmond her spirit was filed with
resignation and hoDefulness. She was
tolerab'y well, and ready for what came.
Harcships did not come at first; the
house was plainly furnished, but quite
comfortable: Richmond was filed with
refugees and soldiers; there was no lack
Of food; the girls were quite excited over
their homespun dresses; now and then
there were revelry and fun; the soldiers
were actually counting and getting mar
ried. There was no gayety at THE
Ness at any period Of the war. Every
member Of the household was too
thoroughly inbued with the gravity OF
the situation, and each one was plan
ming 10 do something for the soldiers
Mrs. Lees health was bad. Annie died.
Rooney was made prisoner and held
as a hostage. and under such trials where
was the heart for anything but sober in
dustry?
"NO. 707' became a common meeting
place. People came to talk Of victory
or sorrow: they could stay here If they
had nowhere else 10 go; they gathered
here to work; the disheartened came for
comfort from the tender, loving wife OF
the commander-in-chief. whose nature
was sympathetic who was intelligent,
agreeable, and brave. Mourning mo-
theirs came TO her in their agony, wives
of heroes brought her their Joy over
recent success; friends came without
ceremony, and partook OF what they
could get. Indeed. 20 free was "The
Mess" from any touch OF style or cere-
mony that a young southern friend called
there one day, and was surprised and
amused to find a suffering butler gotten
up in a sort OF livery. wearing Confede-
rate gray clothes, and red stripes on his
trousers; and the combination OF fine
clothes and poor speech was very conf
cal.
Soon after Mrs. Lee came 10 Richmond
n merciless rheumatism bound her 10 her
chair. In the back room. opening on a
veranda Swallowed by ailanthus trees, her
days were spent. But her spirit quailed
not before physical infrmity; her quick
mind planned, in emergency various in
dustres for the soldiers comfort. as well
as homely devices for the welfafs OF
1.-THE Mess" She gathered together the
young girls and infused into them n work
ing interest. They began to knit and
to sew, TO scrape lint, and to make band
ages. The Ordnance Department fur
nisied Mrs Lee with knitting-needIes
by the gross, and she had yarn scouts
working for her all over the country.
How well / remember" a prominent
woman said 70 me few days ago. run
ming up TO Mrs. Lees room to get some
yarn for my mother 10 knit into socks
1 got the gray yarn myself from under
her bed. She told me where il was. but
she could not move TO get it."
A CHEERFUL SUFFERER.
The serious conclaves at THE Mess"
dld not prevent children from running
in and out. The General and his wife
loved to have them around. One little
girl used TO ride the Generals horse
from the stable to his door; then she
would run up to his office and have
chat and Jog on his knee. One morning
she said General, l certainly do want
q lock OF your hairw You shall have it,"
he replied, and he put his head In her
lap while she clipped off a lock just above
his neck.
Every child regarded General Lee as the
embodiment OF power, without knowing
why, and his wife as holding part OF his
sceptre There were two little girls whose
father had been sent on a mission fun Of
risk and responsibility. AS often as Gene
raj Lee had a dispatch he would walk 10
Governor street to tell the mother that
her husband was well. The children
were very demure while the visit lasted
but no sooner was the drawing-room door
shut after General Lee than they seemed
to lose their minds-they fell upon each
other and pulled and scufied. The battle
was fierce up 10 a certain point, but the
instant one Of the children succeeded IN
getting on the chair upon which the
General sat she was declared victor.
When a "Titian-haired" war belle was
married 10 a dashing Confederate general,
gfa obtained through the blockade gixfv