Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-01-23

ROBERT E. LEE.
The Place the Beloved Chieftain Occupies
In Hiat0rY.

The Place the Beloved Chieftain Occupies
In History.
The following is clipped from DR.. j
VIM. Jones's school history of the
United States just published by the R
H. Woodward company of Baltimore
We endorse every word of it as true
and republish it here, in order that
the readers of The ENQUIRER may
get an idea of the book which we re.
Gently recommended as proper thing
for use in the public schools.
1t is not usual to honor the leader OF
cause that fails, and yet the calm,
quiet, dignified soldier, who led his
army to final defeat and surrender,
who rode away from Appomattox "a
prisoner of war on PAROLE" who was
cbeered by Federal sSldiers as he rode
Into Richmond, who was the idol of
his army and his people, and "has
ridden into history the tallest, whitest
chieftain Of them all, deserves to be
held up to the youth Of our country as
patriot, soldier, citizen, Christian gen.
|tleman, whose beautifully rounded
character and noble life are we'll worthy
of careful study and imitation.
Descended from long line of Illus
trious ancestors, the son of Henry Lee,
"Light Horse Harry of the Revolu-
tion, Robert EdwardsLee was born in
Westmoreland county, Virginia-the
birthplace of Washington, President
Monroe and other iAustrious Ameri-
cans-on the 10Th Of January, 1907.
AS a boy he was remarkable hand
some, grave and thoughtful, of a nat
urally religious bent of mind, con-
scientious in word, thought and deed,
and of fine physical development. He
entered the West Point Military acad-
envy, where he took rank at once as
one of the ablest of all the cadets.
His scholarship was shown in the fact
that in a class noted for the brilliancy
of its members he graduated second.
What is tenfold more remarkable, he
passed through the whole four years
course without single demerit-some-
thing almost unheard of and well-nigh
impossible.
Lieutenant Lees high rank at grad
uation placed him in the engineer
corps, where he easily passed all COM
petitors. 1t may be said that he won
laurels from the very hour the oppor-
tunity opened to him. His career in
the war with Mexico was unsurpassed,
lif indeed it was equaled, by that of
any other officer. When he was only
a captain the Cuban junta offered to
make him the leader of their revolu-
tionsry movement for the indepen-
dence of Cuba, a position which, as an
American officer, he felt it his duty to
decline. General Scott; under whom
he served, said, "He is the best soldier
1 ever saw in the field. The greatest
military genius in America" He
added, that if the opportunity offered,
"Lee would show himself the foremost
captain of his time"
He was offered by Mr.. Lincoln the
supreme command of the armies he
proposed to send against the seeded
states, and he was urged by General
Scott to accept the offer, and "not
throw away the great opportunity of
his life - but he calmly replied, that
while he recognized no occasion for the
state of things that existed-while he
did not hesitate to say, eff the 4,OOO,-
900 of slaves in the south were mine,
I would free them with stroke of the
pen to avert this war"-yet that be
could not take up arms against his
state, his home, his children, and he,
therefore, declined the brilliant offer.
1t cost General Lee hours of agony
when he was compelled to decide upon
his course. He loved the Union, but
he believed implicitly in the sovereign
rights of the states. He walked the
floor and prayed a long time for divine
guidance. When Virginia seeded, he
cast his lot with her, and history has
told with what magnificent valor and
matchless ability he conducted the
tremendous struggle through four years
of war and conflict. such as had never
been known on this continent. We
may quote an incident from Senator j.
w. Daniel: GAS General Lee rode
from Appomattox toward Richmond,
he carried with him the heart of every
man that had fought under him, linked
to him with hooks of steel forever
When he reached the fallen capitol of
the dead Confederacy, and rode
through its ashes and paling fires to
his home, body of Federal soldiers
there; catching a glimpse of the noble
counterance, lifted their hats and
cheered, and, as great actor in the
bloody drama stepped behind the
scenes, and the curtain fell upon the
tragic stage of the secession war, the
last sounds that greeted his ears were
the generous salutations of respect
from those against whom he had WELD
ed his knightly sword"
The splendor of General Lees char,
acter shone out as conspicuously IN
defeat as in victory. Bitterness was
never a part of his nature, and his
serene cheerfulness, his calm dignity
and his majestic nobility were like q
benison to those who clustered around
their beloved chieftain to bid him good,
bye, and who would gladly have laid
down their lives for him whom they
had followed through the flame oI
battle, to glory and to triumph SC
often, that they had come to believe
themselves invincible under the resist
less leadership of his mighty genius.