Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-19
LEE AS OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.

II is not correct 10 speak. as IS often
done. of General Lees having been the
..commander-in-chief of the Confederate
army" The Constitution of the Confede-
rate States. following that of the United
States. made the President the command
er-in-chief. But for a short time pre-
vious TO the close Of the war, Lee was
"general-in-chief"
Mr.. Davis, on more than one occasion,
signed himself as commander-in-chief, no
tably SO in a letter which lie addressed
10 President Lincoln. complaining of the
breach OF the cartel for the exchange
Of prisoners. He addressed his letter TO
abraham Lincoln, commandments chief
of the land and naval forces of the
United States" and signed himself, "Jef-
ferson Davis, commander-in-chief Of the
land and naval forces of the Confede-
rate Government
For some months before taking COM
rnand in the field of the Army of North
ern Virginia Lee had occupied a posi-
ton almost equivalent to that of gene
ral-in-chief; but, as the Confederacy's
life drew towards its close, there was
much popular demand that Lee should
be placed in actual command of all the
armies. This demand arose from the
fact that Lee had been more successful
than any other of our generals, and be-
cause the necessity OF Lees army CO.
operating with Johnston's army was fore
seen.
M a
talked over a scheme for withdrawing
the army from Richmond and Petersburg
and going 10 Danvile 1t was proposed
TO unite Lees and Johnston's armies
in North Carolina. and fall upon and
crush Sherman. and fight Grant when he
came up. with the disadvantage to Grant
OF being far away from his base of sup
plies. But unhappily the time never
came when this movement could be exc
cuted.
When Lee had his conference with Grant
at Appomattox he could not be induced
10 discuss the surrender of any Confed-
crate forces except his own army there
present In the treaty with Grant, Lee
signed hts name as "R. L. Lee, general"
NOWOctt Qp VIC itNp4ltNt ~ h~NNN ''Sh eHS
paper signed "R. e. Lee, general-in-
chief"
In view Of this fact, which has been
often noted II has been questioned by
some whether Lee ever actually assumed
the Office and title Of commander-in-chief;
. but there can be no doubt that he did
Indeed, on February 9. 1865. General Lee
command
general-in-chief OF the armies of the Con
federacy.
President Davis In his Rise and Fan OF
the Confederate Government" says there
had always been "entire co-intelligence
and accord" between General Lee and
himself. bat that Congress thought Lees
power would be increased by giving him
the nominal dignity of general-in-cbief.
under which Lee resumed as far as he
could the general charge of armies from
which at his urgent solicitation / had re-
Heyed him after he took command in the
field OF the Army OF Northern Virginia "
However. there was this difference be-
tween the two positions referred to-that
Lee had formerly acted as general-n-chief
under assignment OF the President, but
vas now 10 act in an office whose title and
authority were created by Congress.
No doubt, too. Lee was willing to ire
sume'' the office so that he might have
Johnston restored to the command of the
Southern army. Mr.. Davis says In his
book that with the understanding that
General Lee was himself to supervise and
control the ope, ations of Johnston" he
assented TO the assignment Of General
Johnston 10 the command OF the Southern
army And so General Johnston on the
2sd Of February, 1865 at Charlotte, N. C..
relieved Beauregard and assumed COM
mand General Lees first instructions
TO General Johnston were to concentrate
al. available forces and drive back sher-
man." says Mr.. Davis.
At various times during the war IL
had been the ardent wish OF the people
Of the confederacy that Lee should be
put in supreme command of the armies.
20 far as that might be found conso-
nant with the constitutional function OF
the Press6ent as commander in chief. But
Lee always objected that he could not re-
tain command OF the army OF Northern
&ylSginia, and supervise the movements OF