The evening times., 1898-03-07
GEN. LEES CAREER.
Brief History of a Man America
Is Proud OF.

Is Proud OF.
One of the most striking of American
characters is Consul General Fitzhugh
Lee. As Confederate officer he made
a brilliant record in a lost cause. As an
uncompromising Democrat, President
Cleveland appointed him consul general
TO Havana. The President believed so
thoroughly in his abilities that his pow
ers were rather diplomatic than COM
mercial.
When President Mckinley came into
office the resignation of Fitzhugh Lee
was on file. 1T is there still.
In dealing with the Spanish the SOL
dier has shown himself a diplomat. In
carefully handling every phase of the
Cuban question and reporting to Wash
ington the soldier has shown himself a
judge. And in caring for the interests
OF his own country everywhere and at
every time the Confederate soldier, the
| diplomat, the judge and jury of events
| i'm dangerous times, proved himself all
| i'm One-an uncompromising American 10
the backbone.
I'pon such a man President Mckinley
| thought he could rely, and he was not
mistaken.
Ii was in April 1896 that president
! Cleveland impatient at the apathy oi
| Consul General Williams in cases affect
| ing the rights of American citizens IN
Cuba, and confronted with the certain
ty that Congress would have TO insist
upon some radical policy tending TO
check the widely criticised methods OF
Weyler in Cuba, appointed Gen Lee TO
the hazardous position.
As vet he was untried in foreign con-
sular diplomacy. but from the moment
he entered upon his duties he gave abun-
dant evidence of his possession of good
sense tact courtesy and practical Mt
ness for the task Then the case ~
| the il-fated DR. Ruiz gave him occasion
| to show a firm hand in conducting the
| investigation. In the face of the almost
savage opposition of Weyler's organized
| inuuisitors 1t was generally under
! stood even then that Lee had urged the
dispatching OF United States man-ot-
| war TO Cuban waters: and his ringing
protest: Il cannot and will not stand
| another Ruiz murder" shook the coun-
| try.
Sydney Smith Lee. the father of Fftz-
| hugh Lee, was the third son OF Gen.
| Henry Lee U.ight-Horse Harry He was
! the favorite brother of Gen. Robert r..
Lee. who called him by the pet nick
name of Rose"
Fitzhugh Lee was the eldest son of
! Capt Sydney Smith Lee and his wife.
Anna Maria Mason. and was born at
! Clermont Fairfax County, Va. on No
vember l9 1885. He entered the West
| Point Military Academy at sixteen, was
| graduated in July, lS06. at the head OF
| his class in horSemanship, and was ap-
| pointed second lieutenant in the famous
old Second Cavalry, which regiment fur
/ nished so many officers afterward dis
! tinguIShed in the civil war. His hrss
| duty was in drilling raw recruits at the
| Carlisle Barracks. Pa. Then he was
| sent TO the Western frontier, and be-
came an Indian fighter in Texas under
| Major Earl Van Dorm.
! In one encounter an Indian arrow was
lodged in his side. After the battle he
/ calmly asked soldier To pull ii out. The
! man tried and failed, as the barhs held
fast Then lie told him TO brace, shut his
! eve and pull. The soldier did SO and the
| shaft came out but the arrowhead re-
manned. and is still there.
At another time Lee met an Indian
/ hand to hand He had a revolver, but
could not use IL. as the brave had grasp
| ed him by the right wrist. The Indian
! had A more dangerous weapon at close
| quarters bowie knife-but Lees left
! hand had gripped him by the wrist. As
! they looked in each others eyes Lee re-
! membered a wrestling trick learned in
| school. IL won. and another good Indian
was made.
J At the outbreak of the civil war Lee
| was instructor of cavalry tactics III West
Point. He promptly resigned and offered
his services 10 Virginia. his native State.
| He was made a member of the staff OF
| General EweI. then became Lieutenant
Colonel of the First Virginia Cavalry un-
! der Stuart. He was with Stuart on his
] "a mons RI IN a round McClellau'S army be-
| fore Richmond.
| On the promotion of Stuart Lee was
| chosen Colonel. and later Brigadfer Gen
| eral under Stuart. In 1863 the cavalry OF
| the Army of Northern Virginia was di-
! vided into two divisions, commanded re-
| spectfuly by Generals Wade Hampton
/ and Fitzhugh Lee. Shortly after the
death of Stuart. Lee succeeded Hampton
! as commander of the cavalry OF the Army
of Northern Virginia. with the rank Of
/ ma jor general. He il was who blaZed
| the way and guided Stonewall jackson
! in the latter generals great flank move
ment that won for the Confederate arms
/ the battle Of ChauCCllOrsVlile. At Win
| chester. September 70. 1894 he had three
| horses killed under him and was severely
| wounded. Anecdotes of Lees pTOwess
| abound in the various war histories and
| "reminiscences of soldiers. He is often
! COMPOUNDED with his cousin, the late Gen
eral w II. Fitzhugh (''Rooney'D Lee. the
| second son of General Robert +. Lee, and
who was also dashing cavalry officer.