The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-01-19
ON THE LIFE OF R. Z. LEE
COL. oEoRGh WAIVE ANDhhsoN ~ !"
LfvBRsh POwERFUL ADDRESS,
~ .f Confederate Veterans Listen
to IAN Eloquent Eoiogy OF the "'e"
Confederate General

TINT filed the hall was hkhiS c"'''
cd to Judge by their frequent and hearty
applause. .,.r was the
address OF Colonel George wayne an
derson on the Life OF General hooc'' f.
Lee" -. ,,rro.
rolkes the president OF the organization
@. the Sons of Veterans.
Colonel Anderson said.
A NOBLE THEME.
MIR. Anderson said. IN part:
Commander. Gentlemen oil Lee camp
Sons of Veterans. Ladies ana Oehue-
men: ...,,,.
thank YOU most heartily for your
cordial greeting. and for the hohor oi
being invited TO address you on 'nis
occasion. , 49,
1 only regret that I'm the limited uine
proper for me 10 occupy to-hlsh', Z"
difficult 10 speak fifty of the me- charao-
ter. and services Of Robert Edward i-oe'
That noble theme Is itseh ehousn'
,,,nk 70 inspire the humblest spirit IN
ALI the land. and enough 10 lh'aA"o INC
sublimest genius OF creation.
II * an Old and familiar saying thal
a. 20 the boy. so Is the man. But
,assfng over the beautiful story OF ROD
crt Lees early life 10 that period III
which. I'm the plcntude OF his spiehu'u
mowers. he assumed the Responsiveness
Of the man. we shall only STOP 10 say
that the old saying may be ch""e''e
with impunity, and in the ne Oh '"'s
hoy will be found the springs pure anu
indebted. whence flowed the motives Oh
Tho man Nor will We stop TO ten OF
the illustrious ancestry whence ne C"ine'
The best OF Virginia's best flowed III MS
,eins YET. had he been the humDlest
,,eomon ON her soil. his life would nave
created ancestry. equal in honor, dlghl'y'
md worth to his very own. NO h"h'
am sure had more proper regaru INA"
General Lee for the honors ana uis'in0-
tons of his fathers. II Is just anu
helpful sentiment. ,.,,,...,.
DISTINGUISHED FROM THE FIRST
Robert Lee graduated second in a class
NJ fortv-six at the West Point Military
Academy. and thus from the nrst be-
ru,c distinguished. From this time bis
ne and character are so blended with ms
services that TO speak of the one Is 10
ION of the other. His life was a Ike
Of war. though his heart was heart
of neace His brilliant services in the
war with Mexico not only thrilled MS
friends with pride. but 1t Is not TOO much
TO say that this great commonwealth
looked upon him and loved him with the
love she had given before TO those VINO
had gorihcd her name.
The great war between the states was
the theatre upon which our hlustrious
subject displayed his highest genius ana
the wondrous perfection OF his chaIhc-
ter. In all his acts. he must be judged
as a Virginan; imbued with her spirit
and representing her ideas. Bone OF
yirginia's bone and flesh OF her neSh'
his convictions wefe as immovoblc as
her everlasting hills, and his mofifes as
pure as her laughing waters. mere
fore. In the hour of her great triai. when
the bitter cup was pressed TO her UNI
willing lips. when fate decreed choice
between war upon one side or the other.
his spirit was wrung with all the pain
that afflicted ner and strained with her
between certain revolution and the keep
ing of that great Union Virginia had by
sacrifice made possible. Never since
the Athenians abandoned city and coun-
try. has history recorded 80 no
bic. so generous. and so glorious
choice" as Virginia made, and Robert
Lee chose with her.
What monstroLs mOckery. then, 10
charge him with treason and violated
oaths! Shall man be forced, in a
great revolution. with right and wrong
perhaps. on both sides, 10 raise MS
hand against his sons2 Shall n smile
the gray head of his sire and seek to
drain his brothers life? Shall he. In
great constitutional debate. begun in the
Republics cradle. but now submitted TO
the sword lay waste his mother state.
and despoil his childrens heritage?
REFUTES THE CALUMNY.
Ny friends. every act every word-nay.
might say. every thought-of his pure
life refutes the Odious calumny. and viii
confoInd its authors. The charge as
sumes the very question that was sub
mittcd to the sword. and cannot will
not stand Time will not permit me TO
recount all the splendors OF his military
fame. The best opinion abroad. as well
as North and South. awards him now
the honors due the greatest military ge-
Mus. all in all, that America has pro-
ducod.
Mcclellan landed his great army al
Fort Monroe and finally sat down be
fore Richmond. astride OF the Chicka-
hominy. Seven Pines drew his army in
large part towards the James. After that
battle Robert Lee was assigned to the
command. SeaC stuart around Nc
rlellans risht N II was unpro-
tected as ne .d and as IL really
was he cal g. ON from the Valley.
and with inf.r!,l .orcos on the field. en-
veIoped McCiellans right and drove IT In
detail towards the James. His superb
strategy eliminated at FraZier's farm.
The Union army had but narrow line
OF retreat to their gunboats
The campaign ended. we may say. on
the It'll day Of July. when Jackson drove
back the encmy's pickets," and prepared
TO attack. Its close saw Mcclellan with
ninety thousand men. "huddled together
on the cd estates OF Rerkely and West
over under cover of their cunboats and
hemmei IN by Lee with siX'N-sevcn thou
sand victorious troops Mcclellan claims
ne had effected a mastery and voluntary
change OF base. But on July sd he wrote
Secretary Stanton: "Thc army Is thor
oue-i;y worn out and requires very heavy
reinforscmcnts. our losses have been
very great for the fighting has been des-
nerate The roads
are very bad For these reasons | hope
We shall have enough breathing space
to reorgar-ze and rest the men. and get
them into position before the enemy can
attack again"
AT CHANCELLORSVILLE.
Again the sun OF his respondent genius
blazed I'm It's zenith upon the famous
fed OF Charlottesville. How since thai
great day can any charge him with the
t,midity and over-cauiiOn Of an engineer?
Ills daring genius scared al0ft that IA
nous day untrammelled 10y finite rules: