The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-05-12

was as accessible to the private
in the ranks as to the corps com
mander. But there was gran
deur and dignity of character
about the man that served as a
barrier to all levity of depOrt-
ment and undue familiarity. He
was possessed of lofty and noble
courage and his men knew it.
One occasion in battle a portion
of his line gave way under a ire
mendous fire and when rallied
showed some hesitation in resum-
ing their position. He rode to
the front and ordered them to
follow him. Not a man moved.
Some one cried out:
General, this is no place for
you, and we will not move an
inch until you go to the rear, and
then we will charge the enemy"
He was compelled to yield, and
as he slowly rode back a wild yell
went up and at run the line
went forward, regained their po-
sition and drove the Federals
back.
"Can the world WONDER" says
a distinguished Confederate Off
Ger, ''that when this leader laid
down his sword and ordered his
handful of ragged and furnishing
veterans to stack arms as prison.
ers of war and babe them a long
and last farewell, they crowded
around his horse in weeping
/ groups and in the excess Of their
sorrowing embraces almost pulled
him to the groundW
Gen. Lee survived the downfall
of the COnfederacy for five years,
when, at the age of So, and sur
rounded by his family, life ebbed
away from him on the 18th Of
October, 1870. We will ask the
question-"Where else in history
is a great and billiant man to be
found whose whole life was one
of such blameless record of duty
nobly donew 1t was consistent
in all its relations and thoroughly
complete in all its parts. The
most perfect and polished gentle
man Of a State long celebrated
for its chivalry, he was just, gen
tie, generous and most childlike
in the simplicity of his nature.
Never elated with success, he bore
reverse and disaster and finally
complete overthrow and defeat
with dignified resignatio n.
Throughout the long, fierce and
bloody struggle the whole respon-
Sibility of the Southern cause
rested secondarily upon his
shoulders, with a force that
eventually crushed him and
wrecked the Confederacy with it..
SUMMARY OF HIS CHARACTER.
"The fierce light" says Gen.
WolSeley, (which beats upon the
throne is that of a rushlight in
comparison with the electric glare
which our newspapers now focus
upon the public man in Lees po-
Sition. His character has been
subjected to that ordeal and who
can point to any spot upon it!
His clear, sound Judgment, per
sonal courage, untiring activity,
genius for war and absolute de
votion to his State, mark him out
as a public man, az patriot to
he forever remembered by all
Americans"
When we come to sum up the
character Of this distinguished
Virginian. gentleman, Christian
and soldier and search it through
and through in the most thorough
manner for the purpose of detect.
ing a stain, we are soon at fault
for the reason that it is absolutely
without any stain or blur of any
description. Stronger and more
brilliant pens than ours have
tried the same and Signally failed
He was sans peur ct sans reprOche
There is hardly an incident in
Lees life, great or small, when he
was called to deal with the rights
and interests of others. or deaI
with matters affecting the inter
ests of others or the public, thai
does not present an illustration
of some virtue. We have moi
space here to chronicle the manN
instances that occurred during
the war in his intercourse will
his officers and soldiers, OF will
the civil and military officers o,
: the Confederate government.
"The dignity and grandeur O
Gen. Lee" says Col. Charlie,
Marshall, one of his aides, ''nevel
appeared to greater advantage
than on the occasion of the sur
+ render at AppOmattox. Others
! have described better than | can
his appearance in the interview
with Gen. Grant. Let me say,
however, as the only Confederate
!, witness Of the scene, that had
Gen. Grant and the officers who
attended him studied beforehand
E how to conduct themselves so as
to SPARE as far as nnSSihln thc