The Portland daily press., 1896-01-28
and assist in selecting ground and prepar-

and assist in selecting ground and prepar-
| ing for action.
1t does not look like generalsbip to lose
battle and cause and then lay the re-
sponslblllty upon others. He held com
Inanu and was supported by his Govern
| ment. Ii his army did not suit him, his
word could have changed it in minute.
Ii he failed to apply the remedy, 1T was
his fault. Some claim that his only fault
as General was his TENDER, generous
heart. But heart in the right place
looks more to the cause intrusted to it's
care than for hidden ways by which to
shift its responsibility to the shoulders
OF those whose lives hang upon his word.
Fitzhugh Lee quotes evidence of Gov
Carroll, of Maryland, that Gen. Lee said
Longstreet is the hardest man to move
In my army
On the 81 I was ordered to organize the
column of assault, the other corps to CO.
operate and assist the battle. There was
an affair on the Con federate left before
the assaulting columns were organized
brought on by attack of the enemy. The
asauluing force marched at ! p. IN. Its
work has been described, but it is i'm
ortant to note that neither of the other
corps took part in the battle while the
Southern chief stood i'll view OF the at
tack and near the rear of those corps. So
1T looks as If the commander of the LIST
Corps was easier to move Ethan any one
IN his army, rather than harder. and his
cbiet left him to fight battles alone.
Col. Taylor says that Gen. Lee urged
that the march of my troops should be
hastened, and was chafed at their nom
appearance. Not one word did he utter
to me of their march until he gave his
orders at II o'clock for the move to his
right. Orders for the troops to hasten
their march of the 1st were sent without
even suggestion from him, but upon
his announcement that he intended to
fight the next day if the enemy was
there. That he was excited and off his
balance was evident on the afternoon
OF the 1st, and he labored under that
oppression until enough blood was shed
to appease him. y
1t should be stated that kindest rela.
tions were maintained between Gen.
Lee and msyelf until interrupted by
politics in 1867.
After Gettysburg Longstreet was trans
fsrred to the West and Joined Gen.
Bragg's army while the battle OF. Chicka-
manga was in progress. He remained in
the west until the following April, when
he was ordered back to service with Gen.
Lee, and participated in the final strug-
gle with Grant in Virginia. His account
OF the closing scenes Of the great drama
of the war is very vivid, and contains
many interesting facts, of which the
following are the most importa MT:
On the 2lst of January the Confeder-
ate President was informed of disaffeo-
ton in the Virginia Legislature, and,
what was more significant, in the Con-
federate Congress, where resolution ex-
presslye OF want of confidence in the
Chief Executive was under formal con-
sideration, and would undoubtedly pass
by large vote At this
critical junoture it seems that compro-
mise was effected. 1t WAS agreed that
Congress should enact law providing a
supreme commander of the Confederate
armies, this law to be approved by the
President, VINO should then call Gen.
Lee to the exercise of the functions of
that office. Tho Intention was to invest
him with dictatorial power. 8
Gen. Ord, commanding the Army of
the James, sent me note on the goth OF
February to say tnat the bartering be-
tween our troops on the picket lines was
Irregular; that he would be pleased to
meet me and arrange to put stop to
such intimate intercourse AS soldier
he knew his orders would stop the bust
ness; it WAS evident, therefore, that there
was other matters he would introduce
when the meeting could be had. wrote
in reply, appointing time and place
between our lines.
We met the next day, and presently he
asked for side interview. Referring to
the recent conference at Hampton Roads,
he said that the politicians at the North
were afraid to touch the question of peace
and there was no way to open it except
through the officers of the armies He
suggested that the work as belligerents
should stop; that Gen. Grant and Gen,
my wife, who was an old acquaintance
and friend of Mrs. Grant in their girl
hood days, should 60 into the Union line
and visit Mrs. Grant, with as many Con-
fsderate officers as might choose to be
with her. Then Mrs. Grant would return
the call under escort of Union officers
and visit Richmond; that while Gen. Lee
and Gen. Grant were arranging for better
feeling between the. armies, they could
be aided by intercourse between the ladies
and officers until terms honorable to both
sides could be found.
This matter was discussd, Longstreet
says, by Davis, Lee, Breckenridge and
himself, at the Presidents mansion at
Richmond, and it was finally agreed that
IdVOrdUle Ioporb snOulu De made to Ord.
Secretary Breckenridge, says Long
street. expressed especial approval Of
the part assigned for the ladies' Ord
was duly notified of this action, and at
his suggestion, "Lee wrote q letter to
Grant, March 2, on the subject of the ex-
change of political prisoners, and anoth-
or suggesting the possibility of military
convention to adjust the present I'M
happy difficulties. " Grant answered
the two letters in one dated March 4.
giving his views fully as to the exchange
OF prisoners, and saying with regard to
the other question that he had no authority
to acoeed to a proposition for conference
on the subject proposed, such authority
being vested in the President of the
United States alone. And SO the matter
ends.
The process of fighting it out on this
line" went forward without any relaxa-
ton of energy until the 9th of April,
when the necessity of surrender could no
longer be doubted or eyaded. Lees army
was in retreat, hoplessly broken and
panic stricken. He sant for Longstreet
to ride forward to him, and the inter.
view is thus related:
Gen. Lee was dressed in suit of new
uniform, sword and sash, handsomely
embroidered belt, boots, and a pair Of
gold spurs. AT first approach his com
pact figure appeared as man in the flush
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