The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-01-27

and staff officers without superiors ou
earth 10 their several lines of duty
Opposed to bin was Bazaine, since
adjudicated TO be traitor McMahop,
good soldier, bet who rushed upon
the German advance at Woertb before
be had realized that there we're soldiers
before him. who would shoot at bis
troops through spectacles He had the
Emperor Napoleon III. an effete mon-
arch, who rushed into war with one Of
the strongest powers of Europe at the
behest of bis wife. aud to save his tot.
tering dynasty. Lives there man in
Europe or America who for one moment
believes that if Lee had had Won
Moltke's troops 10 perfect equipment,
or Grants legious, fat and sleek. with
all the munitions of war; lives there a
mao, | say, who does not know in bis
heart Of hearts. that with such armies
and such equipment Lee would bave
marched 10 triumph across the cooti-
nent? Let US DOT be, however. bIiod
to the censure or deaf to the cavis
which have been heard as to our hero's
generalship. It has been said that Lee
was worsted at Sharpsburg, or Autie-
tam. as it is sometimes called, and de-
feated at Gettysburg. Let US look to
this charge with caudor. It is a we'll
kuowu and recognized fact that just
previous to the battle of Sharpsburg a
copy Of Gen. Lees order. detailing the
proposed movements of the army,
which had been sept to Gen D. a. Hill
for his guidance. fell by accident or
treachery into the hands of Gen
George B. Mcclellan, com manding the
Uoited States army. Any person Of
ordinary intelligence can estimate the
immense advantage accruing to Gen. /.
Mcclellan from this unfortunate acci-
DEBT, if accident it be. 1t eua bled him to
move by interior lines and countercheck
Gen. Lees combinations; it enabled
bin to force an engagement while Gen
Lees great lieutenant. Jackson, was at
Harper's Ferry. 1t is true that by
forced marches Jackson came up, but
bis troops we're worn and falgued
Notwithstanding ali this oo the second
day a: Sbarpsburg Gen. Lee proposed
to Jackson to move around the left
flank of Mcclellan, CATER crushing that
faOk with artillery fre,) jackson aud
his chief of artillery differed with Lee,
and deemed the position of Mcclellan
to be so we'll supported by batteries
that it would be unsafe to make the
move. Who can tell what would have
been the result had, jackson adonted
Lees views. as he did afterwarc, ]
the Wilderness, and at Chancellors-
vile? Even after this bold move had
been abandoned Lee stood 10 line all
day aud awaited an attack from
Mcclellan, which did not come. A
retreat followed. but it was DOT defeat,
and this notwithstanding the great Pc
ponderauce of McCellan's forces.
At Gettysburg success attended the
arms of the South on the fret two days.
and 90 the third day Gen. Lee deter
mined to attack Gen Meade on Gene
terry Ridge That attack would in all
human probability have succeeded had
it received from Gen. LoDgstreet that
hearty support that Gen Lee lad
right to expect. Pickett's division was
of Loogstreets corps, and the future
historion will, 10 all reasonable proba-
bility, conclude that if Longstreet had
accompanied the charge in person and
supported it with his whole corps and
bis whole heart the result of Gettys-
burg might have been different We
have thus endeavored to show that the
American soldier and Christian gen.
tlemau. whose birthday We this day
commemorate, was as pure man and
as noble character as history portrays.
We now propose to show what others
thought of our knight The moroing
Chronicle, Of Halifax Nova Scotia, in
October IA, 1870, contained a most
beautiful tribute to Gen. Lee, from
which we extract the following: "Ab.
Sir Lauocelot." be said, thou art head
of all Christian knights D 'Add now.
l 2are say" said Sir Ector, "thou, Sir
LauDcelot, there thou lest, that thou
vert never matched Of earthly knights
hand, and thou vert the courtiest
knight that ever bore shield. and thou
vert the kindlest man that ever stroke
with sword, and thou vert the goodliest
person that ever came among press of
knights, and thou vert the meekest
man, the gentlest, that ever ate in hall
with ladies, and thou vert the sternest
knight to mortal foe that ever put spear
in rest" (Tbe Mort D'Arthur Of Sir
Tomas Mallory y with reverence
and regret, CONTINUED the Morning
Chronicle, I'VE repeat Sir Ector's
-ords for RIO o-o,t Cir Tounoolo+ ,nS