The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-04-22
Gen. Stephen D. Lee.

President Jefferson DAVIS SAID to
me on more than one occasion: II re-
gard Stephen D. Lee as n OF the very
best all-round soldiers which the wal
produced. I tried him in artillery,
and he handled his guns so superbly
that I did not think I could spare him
from that branch Of the service. But
I put him in command Of cavalry, and
he led his troopers with a skill, dash.
and gallantry that made me feel that
he was a born cavalry leader, and
ought to permanently command cav:
airy. And when I put him in command
Of infantry he was equally at home
there, and showed the very highest
qualities of a commander"
When the war closed he was unques-
tionably one Of our ablest generals,
and he has proved himself since a
heightened, Christian gentleman, an
able educator, and one Of the first
citizens of Mississippi.
No one can study the career of Gen.
Lee without being convinced of the
business of Mr.. Davis's tribute. As
the brilliant young artillery officer at
the capture of Fort Sumter, as the
commander of the guns which did such
splendid service, and contributed so
materially to our great victory at
Second Manassas, and as the heroic
and skilful artillerist who fought his
guns to the very muzzle at Sharpsburg,
where 80, 900 Confederates withstood
nearly 100, 900 Federals under Nc
Clellan, Stephen D. Lee "won his
spurs as one of the most brilliant Of
that galaxy of Confederate artillery
officers, who, with inferior guns, in
felior ammunition, and inferior equip
ments of every description. were al
ways more than a match for the artil-
lery opposed to them.
His service during the siege Of
V%icksburg, his service in command of
all of the cavalry Of Alabama, Missis-
sippi and y est Tennessee; his able
command OF all of the troops in that
department his brilliant defeat Of
Sherman at Chickasaw Bayou his
command Of a corps in Johnston and
Hoods Army of the Tennessee his
services in Hoods Inflated Tennessee
campaign, and the skill and daring
with which he commanded the rear
guard and saved the remnant Of Hoods
army on the retreat from Nashville all
combine to make a record Of which
any soldier might be proud, and there
can be but little doubt that had-the
war lasted longer and Gen. Lee lived
he would have had higher command
and still more brilliant career.
Having been captured by a beauti-
full and accomplished Columbus wo-
man, and his vocation as an officer in
the United States army being now
gone, he left his native and loved
South Carolina and settled in Colum-
bus, Miss. He was for several terms
a member of the Mississippi Senate,
was aleader in the State Constitutional
Convention, and might have attained
any political position within the gift
of the people Of Mississippi.
But some years ago he became pres
ident of the Agricultural and Mechan-
ical College of the State, and has
| shown such rare wisdom aud success
in the management Of the affairs Of
the college that he has made it a most
CONSPICUOUS success, and the people
have said with one voice: "We can
not afford to make Gen. Lee Governor
or Senator. We cannot spare him
from our college"
He is an admirable writer-his re-
ports as chairman Of the history COM
mittee of the United Confederate
Veterans have been able, clear and
ornate-and a graceful speaker, and
his selection for the post Of honor at
the laying Of the cornerstone Of the
monument to ''our President is
emiuently wise and appropriate.
He will give us an address worthy
of the great occasion and the great
theme.
Allow me to add that as it has been
my privilege to share his graceful
hospitality upon several occasions,
and to see a good deal of him at our
reunions, and elsewhere. l may say
without improperly that Gen. Lee is
a modest, high-toned, Christian gen:
tleman, whom we honor ourselves in
honoring.-Rev. j.. William Jones, IN
IL. D.I.,,,J n,n1toI