The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-17
The snr;np Of 1863 opened upon a

The spring of 1863 opened upon 8
southern army brave with hope.
In the gloomy wilderness General
Lee meets General Hooker and with
bold audacity following the plan oil
the great Jackson turns the Federal
flank and infiicts upon Hooker's TEEN
mo army an overwhelming defeat.
But alas for that day! Jackson was
cone and there was none to take bis
place. Just one month after Chancel
forsville General Lee again started
north with an army of which one of its
Generals said that it was in a spirit 10
undertake anything.
Gettysburg has been reckoned gen.
orally as the turning point of the war.
General Lee never attempted to unload
any part of the responsibility for this
or for any other defeat upon another's
shoulders. But that he lost this battle
through no fault of his becomes more
and more evident as the years 90 by.
Just the other day General @. A. Bat
tie, of North Carolina, speaking at a
celebration of Lees birthday in Peters,
burg, Va, said that "a court of in-
quiry appointed by General Lee of
which General Mahon was president
and General G. A. Battle (he speaker)
was secretary, met at Culpepper
Court House for the purpose of inquir.
ing into the conduct OF the Gettysburg
campaign.
1.-The court censured Stuart and
Longstreet but General Lee suppressed
the report and took the blame upon
himself. This report, said General
Battle, has never been given to the
public and would not now be but for
the fact that General Lee has been at
tackled by General Longstreet.''
From Gettysburg Lee retired to Vir.
ginia to play at war chess with Gener-
al Meade for the balance of the cam.
paign of 1868, at the close of which
General Meade retreated and was re.
placed in command by General Grant.
Then came the death grapple in the
wilderness, in which occurred the dra-
matte incident of the 10Th of July, 1864,
when Gen. Lee, riding to the front to
reform a broken line, was sent to the
rear by the entreaties of his soldiers
who, when they had seen hia in a
place of safety, led by the gallant Cor
don, rushed forward to regain the lost
position. Then bv Spottsylvania and
bloody Cold Harbor and back to the
Chickahominy that valiant army is
forced by sheer weight of numbers.
Then the thin gray line is forced from
Petersburg and finally from Rich
mond, but not until in this one cam
paign the Southern chieftain had
killed in the defence of his country s
capital more men Of the enemy than
he had in his own defending army.
And now dark days we're upon the
faithful few. The God of battles had
sent forth his fat that two republics
should not be upon this continent in
the place of one.
Amid all the dark foreshadowings
of defeat Robert Lee was calm, reso.
lutte and serene. His men still trusted
him. They still believed that "Marse
Robert" ''Old Uncle Robert" some.
how, though they knew not how,
would yet lead them through. Never
did the star of his greatness shine with
brighter ray than in those trying hours
of his humiliation. To his men
crowding about him after the surren-
der, in loving sympathy he falters,
Men, we have fought through the
war together, I have done my best for
you, my heart is too full to say more. "
Then he leaves that sad field poor IN
all outward seeming yet surprising
rich in taking with him, as he had
told his men they might take with
them, "the satisfaction that proceeds
from the consciousness of duty faith
fully performed"
Bow fitting that the end of such a
rlan should be in peace. Accepting
in good faith the new order of things,
he refrained from every action that
might tend to keep alive slumbering
animosities, and set with his life an
example of dutiful submission to au-
thority. Refusing positions of high
emolument he chose an humble sta
ton as President of Washington Col
lege. which school under his inspiring
administration greatly increased in
resources. widened its sphere OF useful.
ness, and stands a lasting monument
to him who ennobled the calling of
the teacher with the bright example
of his life.
Foremost in all good works his final
summons came, as he would doubtless
have had it come, while his head was
bent in thanksgiving prayer. Laid to
rest by loving hands his body sleeps
today upon the bosom of the State he
loved and served so we'll, while his
spirit awaiting the resurrection morn
dwells with angels around the throne
of God.
tray in some measure the man our
fathers followed. If speak more of
the man than of the soldier it is be-
cause 1 believe that from the lesson of
his life as man we profit most. And
even had this been a fit occasion l
should not have felt equal to the task
of entering upon criticism OF Gener-
al Lee as soldier. Such an exposition
from me must needs be tame to you
who saw him as he went among you,
self contained in victory, resolute in
defeat, and the incarnate genius of
war calm amid the lightnings and the
crashing thunders of battle.
Sufficient it is for us to know that
he overmatched many Generals. and
that with inferior forces and equip.
ments he for four years successfully
repelled his country's foes, and when
at last having done all that mortal
could do to deserve success, he was
compelled to yield, he did so with noble
dignity, no stain upon his honor, no