The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-11-15
WARREN COUNTf'S SACRED CHARGE.
Where Lies the Body of Daughter of
Gen. Lee

Referring to the article from the
Aecs dns Observer printed on the first
page of the GOLD LEAF this week
/ about the grave OF Annie Lee some
additional facts will not be out OF
place in this connection.
Annie Carter Lee, daughter of Gen.
Robert f. Lee and Mary Custis Lee,
died al Jones Springs, Warren county,
whence the family had "refugeed. :"
October 20, 1862. The body was laid
TO rest in the private cemetery Of Mr..
Joseph 5. Jones the war in Virginia
preventing the carrying of it there for
that purpose. After the war ended
Gen. Lee decided that the body of his
daughter should not be removed and
in the soil OF Warren county it has
reposed ever since.
In 1866 through the efforts Of the
women of Warren county, with Mrs.
Joseph Speed Jones as leader, a monu-
ment was erected to mark the resting
place of this cherished child of the
South's beloved military chieftain. 1t
is of becoming size, handsome in de-
sign, gracefully proportioned and
fittinglv inscribed. On the day Of
the unwilling, August Sth, 1886, a
large crowd wa. present including
Gen. G. w. GUSTS Lee and Gen. w.
II. +. Lee, as representatives of the
Lee family, who were guests OF Col.
Wharton j. Green while in Warren,
as was Capt. James Barron Hope, the
orator Of the day. part Of whose
Ode, written by invitation especially
for thi. occasion, i. printed else
where
The monument was carved from
Warren county granite, and was the
work Of Mr.. Zearell Crowder, who
was '.detailed'' for this duty. The shaft
was placed in position by Capt. Q. X.
Smith. Warren man (now living in
Henderson,. Gen. Lee wrote the in
scription.
When Gen. Lee with hi. daughter
Miss Agnes came later to see the spot
hallowed by his daughters grave, we
are told that he was deeply affected
and much pleased with all that his
friends in the Old North State had
done TO her honor, saying that he
never wished her removed and that
he gave her body as precious gift to
North Carolina.
The letter printed below is 4 copy
OF the letter Mrs. Lee wrote to Capt.
Hope thanking him for the Ode. and
for sketch Of the grave he made for
her. The copy is in the possession OF
Miss Jessica Smith. the talented
young Henderson artist whose picture
of the monument is the subject of the
NewS and Obrercer article. 1t was
sent to her by Mrs. X. A. Mari, a
daughter of Capt. Hope, and it is
needless to say she prizes it very
highly.
Mrs. Z. G, Davis will present Miss
Smiths picture of the monument to
the North Carolina Room in the
white House the Confederate
Museum-at Richmond.
LEXINGTON. VA, Nov. 10, 1866.
cannot sufficiently express my graft
tude to YOU my dear Sir, for sending me
that beautiful sketch ofmy dearest child =
tomb,
have often longed to revisit it and it
is an inexpressiblp comfort to me daily to
view this image of spot SO dear. | have
loved to think of her laying so quiet in
that lovely place where the foot II our
invaders has never trod. To know, too,
she was spared the misery OF seeing the
downfall of the cause she so much loved,
She only met the doom Heaven often
awards it's favOrites and ! am content.
Your poem on the occasion the ladies
in Richmond have promised to send me,
have been very anxious to see it.
| do not know the names, or ages OF
your children, but send for them two
photographs OF the General, which they
may perhaps value in time to come. You
| can place their names on the back OF
| each card.
Yours most truly and respectfully,
NJ {. LEE.
Mr. Barron Hope.