The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-11-15
Lee Nonored in Grant Hall.
CHicnJ0 Iil,,,S Xyuid.


emy. TO every graduate in the army
North and South, the appearance OF
the face Of the great Confederate
soldier on the walls Of his alma mater
side by side Of that Of his great an
tagonist, Grant, means the end Of
controversy, the end Of bitterness,
the end Of all things sectional. Lee
as he appears in his place of honor
will not be the cray parbcd leader Of
the lost cause with the stars Of Il
general shining in the field on his
shoulder. He will appear in the blue
uniform Of the old army, with an
eagle on the yellow ground Of the
shoulder knot dcnoting the rank Of a
colonel Of cavalry the position the
southron held when he resigned to
cast his lot with the confcdcracy
Colonel Mills. who won promotion at
Santiago, where lie was shot through
the head, is now the superintendent
Of the military academy. He ha,
been in correspondence with the as
sociation Of the daughters Of the Con-
fcdcracy, which has agreed to raise
the funds for the painting Of the
portrait and to present it to the acad-
cmy. Colonel Mills has secured the
permission Of the war department for
the placing Of the picture. The
thought is held and felt deeply by
army officers aad army authorities
that nothing but good to the coming
generations of cadets can come from
the proposed honoring Of the memory
Of one of the greatest soldiers who
ever owed his military training to
West Point OH the Hudson.
The coming honoring Of Lee forces
"reminiscences. Since the war Of
secession the portrait Of but one Con
fcderate leader has hung on the his
toric academic walls-tliat of Albert
Sidney Johnston, Of the class Of 1926,
who gave his life for the South at
Shiloh. The portrait of General
Johnston was put in place long years
before the war on the wall Of the
army officers mcssroom at West
Point. It showed him as subaltcrn
officer of cavalry in the United States
forces. Johnston at one time was
stationed, at West Point, and the
officers assembled there as instruc-
tors voted to have him manage their
mess. The quality Of the food and
cooking improved so under Johnston's
management that his comrades induc-
ed him to keep the position of man
agcr instead of having it "rotatc," as
was the custom. When Johnston
was relieved the members Of the mess
voted to have his portrait painted and
hung in the mess. This was done,
and the picture stayed there untouch-
ed all through the dark days of the
war. In the year 1865 there was
sent to West Point as a tactical officer
Marcus A. Reno, who had won the
stars Of brigadier general Of vo!un-
teers on the battlefield. Rono had
gone back to his rank of captain of
the regulars ut the close Of hostii.ies;
Reno had been at West Point on duty
but few days when the picture Of
Johnston caught his eye. War pas
sions were still though another
excuse was given for Reno's conduct.
He was officer Of the day and wore
his side arms. He drew his sabcr in
front of Johnston's picture. GA
traitor has no place in these walls"
he said. There was a sright cut"
from practiced hand and the en-
circling frame and the picture of tho
confederate general were cleft in
twain. Reno was relieved from duty
and sent west. He was dismissed
from the service fifteen years after
ward for an offense committed on the
frontier. at West Point to-day,
where times cffacing finger" has
removed the last trace of bitterness,
the portrait of Lee will hang honorcd
and in safety.
The showing Of Il southern soldiers
face in the gallery Of West Pointers
brings to mind popular misconcep-
tion on the subject of the number of
military academy graduates from the
South who left the colors to fight for
secession. During the war and ever
since, because the facts are not gen
orally known, it was supposed by the
people that West Point had educated
southern cadets only to have them
turn against the government. AS
matter of fact-on the authority of