The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-01-13
A GREAT SOUTH CAROLINIAN.
Gen. Dabney H. Maury's Tribute to Gen.
Stephen D. Lee.

| AShs SeShSy 's
Stephen D. Lee.
I After our defeats at Iuka and Cor
inth by Rosecrans, in October, 1862,
Grant was strangely inactive until late
in December, when he formed that
fine plan Of campaign which, but for
Sherman's defeat by Gen. Stephen D.
Lee, might have ended the war in
1868.
Assembling all his forces from Ten
nessee and North Mississippi, Grant
moved down the Mississippi Central
Railroad with an army of 60, 1000 men,
while he sent Sherman down the Mis-
sissippi to capture Vicksburg, and
then moved east to Jackson, whence
their united forces would move on
Meridian, Mobile, Selma, Atlanta and
Charleston--if they could.
The heavy batteries of Vicksburg
consisted then of five 10-inch guns
and about thirty other siege pieces,
all defended by the movable force of
infantry, ,3O0--under command Of
Gen. S. D. Lee.
Late in December, 1862, Sherman
debarked his arn,y Of 2S, ,000men upon
the lower Yazoo River, and moved to
Chickasaw Bayou, at point six miles
from Vicksburg, where he found Gen.
Stephen D. Lee ready to meet him
with 1900 men drawn up with the
bluff behind them. Sherman re-em-
barked his army, moved up to Snyder S
Mill by boat and again landed his
army. Lee had moved his forces
thither by the road, and after firing a
few shots Sherman re-embarked again,
and moved down to Chickasaw Bayou,
where was fought, December 26, one
of the most remarkable battles of the
war.
After several hours conflict Sher-
man retired, leaving his dead and
wounded thick upon the field. Lee s
loss was ten wounded Lieut.. Hamil-
ton, his aide, was killed by the ex-
plosion of caisson.
On Christmas Day our army was
drawn up in order for battle along the
Tallahatchie, at Granada, when the
! news came that Van Dorm had passed
behind Grants army and destroyed
his great depot of stores at Holly
Springs. This, as intended, had COM
PEELED Grant to retire at once, upon
| the Gath.
On Christmas Day, as large and
happy company of generals and staff
officers, with Gen. Price at our head,
| were sitting down to a sumptuous
dinner, telegram: was handed Gen.
Price, ordering Maury's division to
move at once to reinforce Lee at
Vicksburg, where Sherman was about
i to attack him.
About 2 o'clock the next morning
Maury reached the battlefield of
Chickasaw Bayou, whence Sherman
had been driven the evening before.
The night was as black as wolf s
mouth, cold rain was beating down
upon US, and upon Sherman's dead
and wounded, who lay thick upon the
field where they fell.
Lees surgeons and hospital attend
ants were moving about with their
lanterns, ministering to the wounded,
and bearing them to the field hospi-
tails.
Under these weird circumstances
Gems. lee and Maury met for the first
time since Lee had been a boy at
West Point, where Maury was his in
structor in bellies lettres, ethics, etc.
Lee was now a Brigadier General, who
had won his grades upon many a hard
fought field in Virginia, while Maury
had risen to Major General in the
Western battles.
They greeted each other most cor
daily, Maury saying: "Lee, | am
here with 400 men my whole division
will be up by daylight meantime, as
I don't know anything about the con-
dition of things before US, you will
retain the command and [ the respon-
sibility. You shall have the glory Of
the victory we shall win, and will be
responsible if anything goes wrong.
For, you see, Lee, l don't know where
the enemy is; don't know where [
am, SO go ahead, Lee, and complete
your victory"
And so he did, and from that day
Lee and myself have been trusting,
| affectionate friends. Together we
worked three days, to Sherman's dis
confture and defeat.
Gen. Sherman left his dead swell
ing and fostering three days there in
the rains and sun before he sent flag
of truce to ask permission to remove
and bury them, and then, instead of
addressing his letter to Gen. Lee and
singing it himself, he addressed it to
me, and caused Gen. Morgan to sign
it. I gave the letter to Lee, saying {:
"Here, Lee, you killed all these men !;
give Sherman two hours to remove
them, and sign your name and rank to
your reply
Gen. Garter l.. Stevenson had by
this time come up with his fine divis-
ion, making our whole force IL, 900
men-and as it was evident Sherman
was preparing for something we were
resolved to have a general battle next
day, but 10 and behold ! with the first
morning light we saw the last of his
great hotilla as it retired down the
Yazoo.
Lee took the I'd Texas Sharpshoot-
ers and five or six other regiments
and hastened to the levee of the
Yazoo, whence he killed and wounded
number of Sherman's rear guard.
Crowded as they were upon the steam
ers. they were terribly cut up.
Lee won great and well-dcserved
reputation for this extraordinary vic
tory. 1t was great in execution and
great in its results.
recommended Lee to be promoted. !.
and the President of the Confederacy
promptly appointed him Major Cen
eral, and year later he was made a
Lieutenant General.
NEW STORY ABOUT R. E. LEE.
On the occasion of the great Con-
federate reunion in Richmond Lieut..
Gen. Lee was the orator Of the day.
At dinner given to him he related
the following remarkable story about
Gen. r. T.. Lee, never heretofore pub