Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1898-01-28

ROBERT l.. LEE.

GrcSluent Andrews OF Brown OnI.
vcrsity, who WIS private soldier In
the Union army, has stirred up the
Grand Army by the following eIo-
quent tribute to the memory OF Gen.
cral Robert +. Lee:
-iie tLec) had the faith OF the
crusader; his letters would make IL
guide to holiness. lie was always n
soldicr-never impure in thought or
act, never profanc or obscene. lie did
not touch the cup, as did Grant,
Hooker or Phil Sheridan. and when
he lost Il tight it was never said OF
him that the defeat was due to hab-
it which makes mems heads into
muddles. lie was never outgeneraled
by Grant i'll all the campaign from the
ltappahannOCk to james river, never
trapped and never caught mapping.
fail Ia lind III the hooks any such
mastertul gencralship rs this hero
showed. holding that slim. gray line.
half starved, with no prospect or nd.
ditiOns. and fighting when his army
Was too hungry to stand and the rifles
were only useful rs clubs. His cour-
age was sublime. lie Tas us great us
Gustavus Adolphus, or Napoleon, or
Wellington, or Won Moltkc. His cause
was not the lost cause SO much III is
supposed All that was good in his
cause has been grated into our laws
mi our rOl,tit II tion
The doctrine Of states rights, us
now interpreted 10y the supreme
court, is i'll exact accordance with his
claims on III" point. Gen. Lee lost
at Gettysburg because tho federal
troops had received new motor of
tremendous strength. whose power
no one knew Gen. Hancock. He
also lost because Mead's men were
lighting on union soil-almost within
hearing distance Of the Iraycrs Of
their wives and children FOR victory.
They were at their hrnrthstoncs. Men
are tigers when wives and families
are the inspiration in war.
"lt was rot until the federal army
stood almost at the very doors of
Richmond that Gen. Lee was sent to
the front. Heretofore he had been
but half kindly regarded, but when
he took command of that -disciplin-
ed, alarmed and ragged army he was
hailed Il savior. lie outwittcd Me-
Clcllnn. whipped two armies much
larger thnn his "wn, stopped the ad-
vincc on Richmond, drove back the
union army. saved Richmond and WIS
famous i'll day. Tho world has
never seen such gcncralship. aud the
world was astOundcd at il.
Lee successfully defeated out
generated and routed the best gen
erals that Washington could send
against him. and it was not until the
immortal Grant, with the finest army
Of veterans that tho world has ever
seen. took the field against him that
Lees marvellous accomplishment
received check. Even against
Grant, Lee fought ns probably no
other general ever fought, and against
odds that wouli have driven Napo.
leon to despair.
alt was grcat d, nth struggle
when Grant faced Lee. hnd Leo then
knew that his was Il hopeless struggle.
He kept that thin, gray line OF ragged
hungry men. growing thinner and
hungrirr each day, together. Ills
courage. his wonderful presence and
strong personality kept that little
band of tattcrcd and cmaciated men
in battle array, and fought To the
Inst ditch, surrrndcring only when he
realized that it would be murder To
keep up. tho struggle.
"Gen. Lees cause il not lost. All
TINT is good of il remains, all that was
bad has been wiped ont Our coun.
Try is better and grandcr today be.
cause the relations Of several stntcs To
the union have been intclligcntly dc.
fined, aud perhaps we owe at least
that much tn Gen. Robert Il. Leo nnd
the cause ho fought for"