The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-04-11
1ouy : WISE ON GENERAL LEE.

Iobn :. wise. Esq, formerly Oh VIZ
r,nia. but now Of New York mas oo"-
,-,h,,oa an article TO the April number
If the Atlantic Monthly. giving some o.
vi. experiences as a Confederate solluei
during the last days of the Conieoe'"0''
u.hicb throws some side lights upon Inc
character OF General Il. i. Lee that VIII
very greatly surprise the world lie
saws in April. 1se5. he was young leu
tenant of eighteen. and that oelhs VII"
General walker (Which General walker
10 does not say up on the Danville rail-
road. he was sent by General walker
with a personal letter from MI DAVIS 10
find ont. II possible, in what direcuon
General Lees army. was retreauns an"
% put Mr.. Davis into communication
with General Lee # possible.
After some hair-breadth escapes MI
Wise reached General Lee and TINS l
his account Of what took place;
Touching my cap as ! rode up | in
uuired General Lee
Yes. he replied quietly, ana uls
mounted and explained my mission ne
examined my autograph order irom MI
Davis. and questioned me closely concern
inc the route by which ! had come. lie
seemed especially interested In my report
of the position of the enemy al buiheNiHe
and Westward. to the south OF ms army
Then with a long sigh. he SAID / haruly
think it necessary 20 prepare written US
patches in reply They may De VaPtui Vo'
,rha enernv's cavalry IS already Hank
capable Of bearing verbal RESPONSE 10"
may saw To- Mr. Davis that. as he knows
my original purpose was to adhere 10
Tho line of the Danyille road. ] nave
haon unable 10 do So and am now en-
Ceavorinc to hold the Southside road. as
/ retire i'm tho direction Of Lynchburs.
Have yor any objective point, Gene
r.l-anv Mace where YOU contemplate
making a stand? ] venturcd timidly.
No said he slowly and sadly. NO
7 shall have 20 be governed by each day
Development. Then with touch OF
resentment aud raising his voice. ne add
cd. a few more Sailor Greeks and II VIII
an he over indeed. lust as ] have OK
pccied 81 would end from the FIRST
Mr. Wise tells us General Lee had no
idea ne WAS the son OF General Henry
4. Wise
80 doubt Nj Wise is perfectly sincere
'n his account Of this interview. but there
Is not a Confederate soldier alive who
will not believe that his memory has
served him wretchod trick. There Is
no, A surviving Confederate who Will
hot believe that Mr.. Wise dreamed ms
and in the course Of thirty-iour years
has come 70 believe that it actually oc-
CURED. Eut not one Of them viii ever
be made 70 believe that General Lee took
a young lieutenant OF eighteen of whom
he had never heard before into his in-
most confidence in this way. If he did
some strange mctamorphosis had taken
place in him. lie had never before been
accustomed to treat his most Intimate
and confidential friends or commanders
in that way. But il was not to com
ment upon this view of the matter. but
upon Mr.. Wiso's Interpretation Of 1t that
we took the subject up. lie continues
thus.
Il was astonished az the frankness of
thie avowal 20 one so insignificant as !.
j, made a deep and lasting impression on
me IL gave me an insight into the
character Of General Lee which all the
books ever written about him could never
give. IL elevated him in my opinion
more than anything else he ever said or
did. II revealed him ss d man who had
sacrificed everything TO perform con-
p-isntious duty against his judgment lie
had loved the Union He had believed
secession was unnecessary, hc had looked
uoon IL az hopeless folly. Yet IT the
call OF his state. he had laid his life and
fame and fortune at her feet. and served
her faithfully 10 the last
As one who venerates the memory OF
General Lee above almost all earthly
things. and who believes him 10 have been
one Of the greatest, Il not the very
greatest. characters earth has seen. The
Times wants 10 enter its most earnest
and solemn protest against this delinea-
ton OF him. IT IL just that character Of
him which hts detractors in such places as
Boston and Chicago have been attempting
so fix on him ever since the war. The
inference 20 be denied from II IL tina,
General Lee never had any hear, in the
war. but PLAYED his part mocha nicsiiy
and with no feeling at all. Now. in fact.