The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-08-29
GEN. LEE AND PRIVATB SMITH.
Two Occasions on which the Former In
tertained the Latter,


tertained the Latter
IIenrv II. Smith, tho well known cotton
brolser of Atlanta, Ga, is mOdel Dust
mss man, and apparently the last ~.
in the world 70 tsl any hDerues VIZ % .
stranger. But appearances are sum- .Iil. .'
deceptive, aud Smith makes OUT ~ ~, he
casa against himself in story Whch ne
occasionally Tells when he a'uo''u'
I'm the early part Of the war said
smith Il was private soiuieI
under stonewall Jackson in VIZ y
mere boy. and my gun was almost as
big and heavy as 1 was. You can mas me
how tired and hungry 1 was after hai
marched two DAYS without any 1000. "A
driving rainstorm came on, ana couiu
hardly drag my feet along lhe llluuu
road. A tent by the ROADSIDE t'd laSS a
my attention. ana l saw gray -Dedl nc VI
taco neering out at the marching troops,
" Hello old mani i shoutedi sOI any =
thing 10 eat in thereF 49,. ...,,, g.,
yes: what's the matter? the man IN
the tent replied. ,.s.... an, hod
been marching two days Without d sSi"P
Of food. -, eoiiovv
pleasantly. , O., hurry
throwing down my gun ana smackihs ny
stranger opened a camp CHEST ana III,
yited me to help myself. You shoulo
have seen the way / sailed into the IA
tions. L ate ravenously without saying a
word. and for a time forgot all ABOUT my
kind host. .,, 49,.
drink of water, and handed me gourd
from a bucket in one corner or the tent
] took a big drink and got ready to de-
part.
said to my new friend ana "Ouiu Inv
10 know your name.
{" MY name is Lee was the answer
I.ee-what Lee? I asked him-not
General LeeY
That is my name was his quiet re-
Spouse. ..o
hut / was young and cheeky and L
made the best of IL. Soldiers had no
handkerchiefs, and so / wiped my hand
on my breeches and gave the General
paw a cordial shake.
HE asked me my name ana told me TO
take care of myself as | left
"A few davs later my command was on
the march and had Just reached bridge
when il was ordered 10 open fanAs 10 4ee
General Lee pass.
II was standing at the head OF the line.
and when the General dashed up followed
by negro servant riding on another
horse. / could not keep sim.
" 'TIoWdv Generalr / shouted
why. Smith, my boy he replied as
he pulled I'D his horse. Here, Smith, get
on this horse and follow me-.
"The negro turned over his horse TO me
and mounted him.
IT rode off with my commander feeling
mighty good, ] can tell you; but those
rascals at the bridge were bound 70 nave
their fun, and about thousand or them
set up a yell.
Take him along, General they howl
ed He amt no gOOd-never was on a
horse before I'm his life-can't do nothing
but eat-take him and keep him!
THAT was the send Off my comrades
gave me: but the General understood
the humorous side Of camp life, and he
merely smiled and kept straight ahead.
Il accompanied him n short distance and
returned to my company I'm the course OF
an hour or two, after the Generals stan
had Joined him.
THAT is the story OF my meeting with
Bob Lee DO YOU wonder that We boys
all took n fancy 10 him? He was just as
clever TO Private Smith as he would have
been TO a general. and | could see that II
was a pleasure 10 him TO share his ra-
tons with me.
But the boys guyed me about II n long
time. They told the story with lots OF
fanciful nourishes, and three years later,
when I went 90 the West as an officer on
General Forests staff found that the
tale had preceded me and had made me
well known in army circles. Chicago
Times Herald.