The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-19
GENERAL LEE AND
THE CIVIL WAR
From the Richmond Times.

I
John S. Wise, Esq, formerly of Virginia,
but now CT New York, has contributed an
article to the April number of the Atlantic
Monthly, giving some of his experiences
| as a confederate soldier during the last
days of the confederacy, which throws
some side lights upon the character of
| General r. E. Lee that will very greatly
surprise the world. He says that in April,
1865, he was a young lieutenant of Is, and
was sent by General Walker with a per-
sonal letter from Mr.. Davis to find out If
possible, in what direction General Lees
army was retreating and to put Mr.. Davis
into communication with General Lee if
possible.
After some hairbreadth escapes Mr.. Wise
reached General Lee, and this is his ac-
count of what took place:
Touching my cap as 1 rode up, inquired
General Lee?"
Yes" he replied quietly, and I dis
mounted and explained my mission. He
examined my autograph order from Mr..
Davis and questioned me closely concerning
the route by which had come. He seemed
especially interested in my report of the
position of the enemy at Burkeville and
westward to the south of his army:
Then, with long sigh, he said: at hard
~ think 1t necessary to prepare written
dispatches in reply. They may be captured
The enemy's cavalry is already fianking US
to the south and west You seem capable
OF bearing a verbal response. You may say
to Mr.. Davis that, as he knows my original
purpose was to adhere to the line of the
Danville road. 1 have been unable to do
So and am now endeavoring to hold the
Southside road, as 1 retire In the direction
of Lynchburg''
Have you any objective point, general
any place where you contemplate making a
stand?" l yentured, timidly.
mo-, said he slowly and sadly. mo.
shall have to be governed by each days
developments" Then, with touch of re-
sentiment and raising his voice, he added:
"A few more Sailor Creeks and 1t will all
be over, indeed; just as have expected 1t
would end from the first"
l was astonished at the frankness of this
avoWal to one SO insignificant as I. 1t made
deep and lasting impression on me. 1t
gave me an insight into the character of
General Lee which all the books ever writ
ten about him could never give 1t ele-
waited him in my opinion more than any
thing else aheeever said or did. It revealed
him as man who had sacrificed every
thing to perform a conscientious duty
union. He had believed secession was I'M
necessary; he had looked upon 1t as hope
less folly. Yet at the call of his state he
had laid his life and fame and fortune at
her feet, and served her faithfully to the
last.
No doubt Mr.. Wise is perfectly sincere in
his account of this interview, but there Is
not confederate soldier alive who will not
believe that his memory has served him a.
wretched trick. There is not surviving
e. IAw b. N0ItA H.
Wise dreamed this and in the course of
thrty-four years has come to believe that
it actually occurred.
AS one who venerates the name of Gen.
eral Lee above almost all earthly things,
and who believes him to have been one of
the greatest, if not the very greatest,
characters earth has seen, the Times wants
to enter it's most earnest and solemn pro-
I Test against this deineation of him. 1t is
just that character of him which his de-
tractors in such places as Boston and Chi
cago have been attempting to fix on him
ever since the war. The inference to be
derived from 1t is that General Lee never
had any heart in the war, but played his
part mechanically and with no feeling at
ALL Now, in fact, while General Lee, like
General Early, and thousands of other Vir-
ginians, was opposed to secession, yet
when secession was an accomplished fact
and an effort was made to coefce his state,
no went into the resistance of 1t with his
whole heart, and each blow that he delv-
cred was con amore, and with the earnest
hope that 1t would utterly crush his ad-
yerSarieS.