The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-11-16
GEN. FITZ HUGH LEE.
The War Record of Our Represent
atlve in Cuba.
Courage and Eight Heartedness Char
acterized Him.

90 the present time, and General Fitz Hugh
Lee Is ono OF its most interesting and pic.
turesque members His father, brother
OF General II. Il. Lee, was an officer in the
old navy and subsequently, commanded one
of the forts on James river during the civil
war General Fitz Hugh Lee was Instructor
in cavalry tastics nt West Point, and, de-
spite the severe discipline his office i'm
posed, he was noted for his jollity and
geniality He always relaxed the necessary
austerity OF bis relations with the cadets
whenever circumstances permitted and en-
joyed tho relaxation quite as much as his
subordinates. He loves humor and fun,
and indeed, despite the popular impress
sion, his famous uncle possessed the same
characteristic. He was not devoid of hu-
NOR himself, and some fine strokes OF it
appear in bis letters to Mrs. Lee, both
while serving in tho old army and oven
while he commanded the Army os North
ern Virginia. just before jefferson Davis
was arraignod for treason before the Fed
oral court at Richmond he was summoned
before the grand jury as witness. He
narrated the events OF the war 1.-THE overt
acts, T" so TO speak, and sad If treason had
been committed he, too, was guilty and
did not desire 10 escape the same punish
ment that might be inflicted on the Con-
federate president
II said this, I" said he some years after
ward, with al the fervor and impressive
ness / could command and looked around
at the jury tn soc what impression IL made
found the negro fast asleepl II had
ever been vain enough TO believe possess
ed any element of the orator. he added,
"the circumstance took away all the con-
ceit :"
IF General Fitz Hugh Lee had lived In the
reign Of Elizabeth or Charles III, he would
have been one OF the gayest and bravest OF
the cavaliers He would have made jolly
| companion for, the merry monarch He
has all the dash and chivalry, the courage
! and courtesy, Of troubadour and courtier
! He first commanded q cavalry brigade In
the Confederate army. He was exceeding
! ly popular with his command and noted
! for his modesty. This however, was be-
fore he got into politics After some bril-
liant movement or display OF personal valor
i remember his brigade formed in body
and determined TO serenade him at his
headquarters, expecting, of course,
speech. He got an inkling OF the matter,
and when he saw them coming he slipped
out of his tent and hid ia the bushes Aft
er the disappointed troopers had called for
him in vain and dispersed he peeped fur
tiyely from his hiding place and in sub
dued tone asked, Have they gomez"
He was always generous 20 his adver-
safies.- After tie WAS promoted to a naaief
generalship 10 and Custer, who was his
classmate at West Point, were often pitted
against each other. In a severe engage
ment, during which there were numerous
charges and countercharges, flank move
I'll and ,oh fi,.a
of life, and where, believe, General But
Ter of South Carolina lost his leg. Clusters
headquarters wagon was captured. The
victors "went through 1t, rifed his desk
and got bundles of private papers, among
which were several from his lady admir-
ers, some OF them so fervid In expression
as to compromise them and him. These
letters were sent 10 Richmond and pub
lished in local paper particular emphasis
being given TO one signed Fannie" The
paper excused their publication on the
ground that it desired TO furnish "an il
lustration of northern society and civiliza-
tion They were republished in sensa-
tional paper Ia Clusters own state Lee
condemned thIcct asa mean blow below
the belt" AiUer the war Custer told me
that nothing in his life had given him
more trouble than those letters. "But.
suppose" said he, Everything is fair in
war and love"
General Lee possessed remarkable COM
posure in battle He never got the least
ratified under the most trying conditions,
except at Saylor's Creek, on the retreat |
from Petersburg. lie never betrayed anx-
iety and, though 1 have often seen him
under rattling fire. l never saw him
dodge. This cannot he said of many Of
the bravest mon. Sometimes bullet will
unexpectedly whiz close 20 ones head, and
the impulse TO dodge is almost irresistible,
though IL never did anybody any good.
On one occasion, for some reason which l
could never find out, and which perplexed
mo far more at the time than IL does now,
he kept himself, his staff and his couriers
exposed to a most vexatious shelling on |
the outside of n body of heavy timber,
when, because Of the growing darkness no !
could not SEQ the enemy and seemed only, |
trying TO judge or his movements by the T
firing of small arms The shells appeared
20 como as thick and as fast as raindrops.
Our horses seemed conscious of the danger
and became very restless, and there was
no doubt Of considerable restlessncss in the
bosoms of at least those riders who could
sec no reason for the thing. We thought
tho timber, where there were big, friendly
trees. The only occasion / ever saw him
moTed by tho onemys fire was at the bat
tlo of Winchester. He and General Early
met under an apple tree near the summit
of n hill, and i'm n very exposed place.
There was no 1ring az the time, but dis
tinctly saw the enemy getting in position
and knew what was coming, though it
was no business OF mine 90 tell them. The
two generals still on thoir horses, were
lntently examining map. one shot was
frod. lt fell short, and they paid no at
bntion 60 It, But, 10, another came,
struck tho opplc tree just above their
heads, and as the apples rainod down on
them they concluded the map could bo bet
ter examined in loss exposed position,
conclusion in which all Others agreed with
unanimity. And nobody stop
ped to got any apples
General Leo H. superb horseman. He
rode a spleplid mare named Nellie. She
bad the foru, the strength the nimheness
1f limb, the taporing neck, tho alert poise