The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-01-20
THE BIRTHDAY OF THE PEERLESS LEE.

1907. at Stratford, in Westmoreland
county. and died at Lexington, Va, on
the 18th day of October, 1910.
Gen. Lee, like Gen. Washington
whose step grand daughter no married
lost his father at the age Of eleven
years. and was guided through youth
to manhood by his mother who was
ever watchful of his comfort and pro-
gtess in his studies. His preparatory
education was received at Alexandria,
where he was taught principally by
William B. Leary, sn Irishman, and
fitted TO enter West Point as cadet
By BENZ nGllowell. He entered West
Point Military Academy in 1926, from
which he graduated in 1929. second in his
class and without having received
demerit during the whole term.
What q noble example for young men
In his youth he is said TO have been
remarkable in personal appearance
possessing a handsome face and superb
figure and manner that charmed by
cordiality and won respect by dignity
He is described while at the Academy
as being thoroughly moral, free from
vices, and while full Of life and fun,
animated, bright and charming, he
was inclined more to serious than to
gay society"
After his graduation no was placed
In active service, and by his close APP
plication to duty, his high regard for
his fellow officers, his kind considera'
tion of those placed under him, and
the military genius he displayed in
the execution Of ali trusts, won the
highest praise from both superiors and
subalterns.
He served in the Mexican war with
distinguished ability in company with
such gallant commanders in the civil
war as Grant. Meade, McOlelland,
Hancock, Sedgewick, Hooker, Burn.
side. Thomas, Mcdowell, A. S. john
sson, Beauregard. Stonewall jackson,
Longstreet, Loring, Hunt, Masrud0r'
Wilcox. HIS services in Mexico were
80 valuable to the commander.inc chief
that he often declared that his
success was largely due to the skill,
valor and undaunted energy Of Robert
E. Lee, ;" and that he was q" the great
est military genius in America And
President Davis, in public address.
said "he came from Mexico crowned
with honors, covered with brevets and
recognized. young as he was. as one of
the ablest of his country's soldiers. "
When John Brown invaded Virginia
with his armed band, with murderous
pixies for the slaves with which to muir
der their masters and their families,
and took possession Of the United States
arsenal at Harper's Ferry, Gen. Lee,
then lieutenant colonel, was selected by
the President to suppress the insurrec-
ton. With great prudence Gen. Lee
proceeded TO carry out the order OF the
President, and with a small force cap
tured the entire party barricaded in
the arsenal, without the loss Of man.
But, perhaps, the most trying time
of Gen. Lees life. unless it was the
surrender of his army at the close Of
the war, was at the breaking out OF the
war: not that he was undecided as to
the course he would pursue, but because
it was the dissolving Of the Union he
loved so much-the severing OF the
strong ties Of friendship he had formed
and because ne saw that without the
greatest prudence and forbearance on
each side, that the country would be
deluged in blood and the lives Of thou
sands Of his countrymeu would be sac.
rificed. He had been offered the COM
mand Of the army Of the United States.
and importuned by his friends and
those high in authority TO accept 1t /;
they had pictured to him the glories Of
the position. with all Of it's glitter,
pomp and power, the possibility OF
greater power and glory in promotion
to higher positions and greater honors;
they pictured to him the grand achieve
ments in the field and the united praise
of his countrymen in the forum, but
none Of these things moved him or
swerved him from his purpose. To all
these things he replied: IF the Union
Is dissolved and the government dis
rupted, shall return to my native
State and share the miseries Of my peo-
pie; and save in defense will draw my
sword on none. 4"
Gen. Lee was opposed to secession,
and used all his great powers TO pre-
vent the calamity Of war. On the Goth
Of April, while the armies were organ