The record-union., 1898-03-10

ScncOi OtyS IN NlfSliiad II vas hiio" II
as the Virginia backheel. | tried it on
him, and fetched him.
AN IDEAL TROOPER.
The outbreak of the civil war found
Fitzhugh Lee back at West Point as
Instructor in cavalry tactics. He
promptly offered his services to his na-
tive State. served nrst on the stan of
Genei al Ewell, then as Lieutenant
Colonel of the First Virginia Cavalry,
under j. E B. Stuart, who he accom-
panied on his famous raid around Nc
Clellan's army in front of Richmond.
On the promotion of Stuart Lee was
chosen Colonel, and later Brigadier-
General under Stuart. In 1865 the
cavalry of the Army of Northern Vir-
sini was divided into two divisions.
| Wade Hampton and FTtzhugh 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 Major-Gen-
| eral.
| Fitzhugh Lees gallant war record is
a matter of familiar history, both writ
! ten and unwritten. He was always
! trusted, and frequently commended by
/ his superior officers, and was the idol of
| his brave troopers. He it was who
! blazed the way and guided StonewaIl
jackson in the latter's great flank
move that won for the Confederate
arms the battle of Charlottesville. At
/ Winchester, September 10, 1864. he had
/ three horses killed under him. and was
severely wounded. Anecdotes of "Fitz''
Lees prowess abound in the various
c. T.,ir,r =.
! diers He is often confounded with his
cousin, the late General Fitzhugh
C'Reoney') Lee, the second son of Gem
eral Robert e. Lee, and who was also
dashing cavalry officer
| Like his chief, "Jeb'' Stuart, FYtzhugh
Lee was joyous and light hearted
trooper, ready to dance all night after
] hghung all day In January. 1864,
When the Confederate cavalry was
quartered at Charlottesville, the officers
got up grand ball. General Robert
L. Lee wrote TO his youngest son, then
belonging to that arm of the service:
TEL Fitz I grieve over the hardships
and sufferings of his men in their late
expedition. am afraid he
was anxious to get back to the ball
Ihis is bad time for such things We
nave too grave subjects on hand to en-
gage In such trivial amusements /
would rather his officers should enter
tam themselves in fattening their
horses, healing their men and recruit
ing their regiments. There are too
| many Lees on the committee. I like
| thehl All 10 ne present at battles. but
can excuse them at balls"
Inc last lighting done by the army of
Northern VirSinia was the cavalry
charge headed by ''Fitz" Lee at Farm
VINE Few miles from Appomattox. on
the 9th of April, 1865, when the Con-
Iederates We're successful in driving
pack the Federal cavalry division of
General Crook. Then Sheridan and Ord
came up, and ended the hopeless strug-
gle; and the next day Grant and Lee
settled the terms Of the surrender. At
the campfire council of the Confederate
leaders on the night Of the Sth. 'Fitz.'
Lee had asked, but was refused. permis-
sion to extricate his cavalry in case of
surrender, provided it was done before
the flag of truce should change the sta
tus. He was afraid his men would lose
thelr horses-a fear which also oppressed
his uncle and commander, General Rob
! y I6COTQr0
in letters of gold, General Grant mag
UNANIMOUSLY agreed to let all men mo
claimed to own a horse or mule take the
ahlnals nome with them 10 work their
little farms"
Before leaving Fitzhugh Lees war rec
ord, the temptation is irresistible to in
Guide here one or two of the good sto-
ries' which he himself tells with infinite
jest and humor
After Appomattox our trooper General
was trudging dejectedly back to his farm
in Stafford, when he met a grayback
with gun hurrying to the front to re-
join his regiment.
No USE said "Fitz," shaking his
head, Lee has surrendered"
What exclaimed the soldier. stand
ing petrified. did you say Lee had
surrendered? I don't believe it. 1t is
a lie"
Upon the sad assurance being repeat-
ed the poor fellow burst into tears OF
modification and rage and blurted out:
You can't make me believe that Uncle
Robert ever surrendered nohow. 1t must
| ha' been that - foxy 'Fftz Lee"
Here is another reminiscence that
you'd just ought to" hear Fitz Lee tell:
One of the most devoted, thick and
| thin adherents the Southern cause ever
had was old Colonel Nj of Virginia.
No matter how thick and black disaster
lowered upon the Confederate arms. the
! Colonel never saw anything but bright
hope and absolute assurance Of triumph
ant success in the near future. To make
1t appear so to others he would imagine
the most ingenious and extravagant lies
which, to do him justice, he got TO
believe himself-represent the limit
less resources of the Southern people, At
last, shortly before Appomattox. when
defeat simply stared the army in the
/ face. and surrender to General Grant
was only a question of few days more,
a young officer ventured to him that the
Colonefs still buoyant and unshaken
confidence might be perhaps a trifie
overweening. The Colonel dashed his
glass to the ground and glared at the
doubter for a moment with an express
sion in which contempt, anger horror
and irony We're singularly blended Then
with hands uplifted, gray hair bristling.
and eyes flashing fire. he roared out at
the discounted Lieutenant in stentor-
i ian voice:
Dam the Niagara with tissue paperi
Bottle the Atlantic Ocean in a whisky
/ flask. Paste ITO Let' on the sun, moon
and stars. Catch a fash of lightning
between your thumb and finger! Build
a worm fence around hurricane! Har-
ress a thunderbolt TO q sulkyi Watt the
clouds of night from the sky with a la
dy's fan, Put the planets in your vest
| pockets Set hell to cool in a spring
house, Unbuckle the bellyband of eter-