The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-06
BOOKS OF THE TIME.
Prof. Henry Alexander Whites Lif,
of Robert +. Lee.

could look friend or enemy in the face;
clean-shaven, except a closely trimmed
mustache which gave a touch of firmness
to the well-shaped mouth simply and neat
ly dressed in the uniform of his rank: felt
hat and top boots reaching to the knee
sitting his horse as if his home was in the
saddle" Such was Robert E. Lee as he
appeared to an eyewitness when he as
sumed command of the Army of Northern
Virginia General Lee is an interesting
character. Descended from a long line OF
educated and patriotic ancestors, he was
almost certain to make his mark in Ameri-
can history, in some way. He made a
highly honorable record in the Mexican
war. AS captain of engineers and member
of General SCOTS staff he became dis
tinguished for intelligence and bravery. and
he male good record as commandant at
West Point. Personally he was a man of
the highest character, strictest purity of
life and most amiable qualities The only
phase OF his career concerning which judges
may differ is his taking up arms against
the government in the war of secession
For that some have called him a traitor
and rebel, others a patriot and hero. I'm
partial history will give him the benefit
OF his education and environment and will
say that after a hard struggle he pursued
the only course he thought open for him.
he deprecated sectional strife and was op-
posed to secession and disunion. Writing
IN January 1861, he said: Il can anticipate
no greater calamity for the country than a
dissolution of the Union. Secession
is nothing but revolution. Still.
union that can only be maintained by
SWORDS ana bayonets, and in which strife
ana cIVl war are to take the place of
protherly love and kindness, has no charms
Tor me. l shall mourn for my country and
Ior the welfare and progress of mankind.
II the Union IS dissolved and the govern
ment disrupted l shall return to my native
state and share the mseries of my people
ana, save IN defense, will draw my sword on
none. But Lee was a Virginian of Vir-
glnlans and when his State joined the Sc
cesSlon movement he felt obliged to go
with his State. His conception of stare
rights made him regard this as a dutv
On the 10Th of April, 1861, he sent to Cen
gral scott his resignation as colonel in the
II! ii1r Baltlmore on the same day. he said:
The whole South is in a state of reyoIu-
ton, INTO which Virginia, after a long
struggle, has been drawn; and though /
recognize no necessity for this state of
tnlngs, and would have forborne and
DREADED, 10 the end, for redress OF griev-
son | had to meet the question whether /
SMouIu Jake part against my native State
win all my devotion to the Union, and
the FEELING of loyalty and duty as
able to make up nv mind fo
r rails my hand against my relatives, my
signed my commission in the army" In a
letter to his brother, Sidney Smith Lee. on
tne same day, he said: Il am now a
private citizen and have no other ambition
than to. remain at home. Save in the de-
tense OF my native State, l have no desire
ever again to draw my sword No doubt
colonel Lee was sincere when he wrote
this, yet three days later he had accented
the command of the Confederate forces in
mand he said: Trusting to Almighty God.
an approving conscience and the aid of my
Ieliow- citizens, will devote myself to the
defense and service of my native State in
whose behalf alone would | have ever
Drawn my sword" This was the key to
Lee LEGS action and to his military policy. He
suing the line of duty and acting in de-
1ense OF his native State. In accepting the
command co of the Virginia troops and later
OF the Army of Northern Virginia, he prob
aply intended and thought he would act
only in defense of his native State but it
was inevitable that he should be drawn by
the current OF events into policy of gen.
eral warfare against the government, which
ne regarded as an invading power. At this
distance of time due allowance can be made
Tor these considerations. They are clearly
set forth from a Southern point of view,
winch was that of Lee. in a new Life of
Robert e. Lee" by Prof. Henry A. White
of the Washington and Lee University
The work does not add much to the politi-
cal or military history of the country, but it
personal and private character. The chap
tiers on Secession and Slavery and the
bean OF lSpd IraTepse ground that mas
tribute any new information, even from the
Southern point of view from which they are
written. Lees military campaigns are de-
scribed with considerable detail but the in
formation regarding them is evidently
CLEANED from extraneous sources and the
author does not write like military man.
He seems to have used painstaking care in
consulting such authorities were access
sible to him, but the military part of the
narrative is nothing more than summary
OF other histories and official reports. 1t
is, however a good summary and is pre-
scented in good form. To go back little
to be new He says: April IS. 1861, Francis
p. Blair at the suggestion of Mr.. Lincoln,
posed army of INVASION, meaning the
Union army, which was about to be formed.
Afterwards, Feb. %, 1868, Lee thus de-
scribed the interview: After listening to
his remarks declined the offer he made me
to take command of the army that was to
be brought into the field stating, as can
didly and courteously as l could, that
though opposed to secession and deprecat-
ing war could take no part in an invasion
of the Southern States. / went directly from
the interview with Mr.. Blair to the office
of General Scott and told him of the propo-
sition that had been made to me, and my
decision Upon reflection, after returning
home, / concluded that / ought no longer
to retain any commission / held in the
United States army and on the second
HlCTIlIlS thereafter lOIWdIucu my IC5iSho-
ton to General Scott - This incident is
not related nor the main fact stated in any
other account that has been consulted.
This author does not give any authority for
it except an alleged statement by General
Lee made three years after the close OF
the war, and ne does not state under what
circumstances or to whom the statement
was made In the absence of any contem-
porary or historical corroboratiVe evidence
the statement that Lee was offered the
command of the Union army at the sugges-
ton of Mr.. Lincoln is open to doubt. The
most distinctive feature of the entire work
is the clear picture it presents OF Lees
private character, of his transformations pie
~. his devotion to his wife family and
ard his fine qualities of mind and heart.
The record of his life after the close OF the
war shows him to be a truly laW-ab1dlng
citizen and patriot from the southern polnt
of view The book is published In G. +.
Putnarns Sons Heroes of the Nation"
series.
Miss STEMS "One Way to the Woods"
Through her contributions to the Journal
and other periodicals Miss Evaleen Stein
has long been known to discriminating read
ers as true interpreter OF natures charms,
a sympathetic student of natures moods,
which it is given only to the elect to appre-
ciate and comprehend. With the heart of
a poet she feels the enchantment of earth
and sky and singing bird; with the eye of
an artist she sees the grace of tree and
flower and vagrant weed, and with this two
fold power of insight added to a remarkable
gift of versification she becomes natures