New-York tribune., 1901-10-31
LEES MOMENTOUs CHOICE.
CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS DRAWS PAR
ALLEL BETWEEN SOUTH AFRICAN
SITUATION AND CLOSING
DAYS OF THE con-
FEDERACY.
FEDERACY.

ing Of the American Antiquarian Society was
held here this forenoon. The choice OF officers
resulted IN a reelection of those who have
served the last year. with two minor exceptions
Seven new members were admitted 10 the So
ciety. Papers OF historic value were read by
United States Senator George F. Hoar. DR.. Ed
ward Everett Hale. Charles Francis Adams
and Stephen Salisbury.
Mr. Adams in his paper drew an interesting
parallel between the present situation in South
Africa and the closing days of the Civil War
showing how by General Lees decision 10 sur
render the country was saved the horrors Of
guerilla warfare. In the course of his address
he said:
1t is unnecessary for me even TO refer tot 70 the
SERIES OF events which IoHqWec @ Isre me of Hnoo
mattox. II is sufficient say that the capituIa-
inevitable Not the less for that the course there
after to be pursued as concerned turther resist
decided 1t is well known that in the face or dis
aster jefferson Davis had not Tor an instant gIVSn en-
instaase was o2 this point settled Il was assumed
as a certainty of the future that the conquest OF
the Confederacy was impossible. The Enslish
tain that the defeat Of Lee in the 1eld or even
the surrender Of all the Confederate armies MoIa @
opening OF another phase-tne final phase being
long. frutless effort subdue united people IN
region so vast that it would be InposslbIs 70 20 Pene
trate every portion of it, mucn less 70 hoId IL IN
supJeCtlOr As an nlStoEltd iaSlt ~ $50 -
April g. 1865 hung waverng in the balance; a
mere turn of the hand would decide which way
tio @ Gay, wa" vbather the course which
actually pursued should be pursued or whether
the leaders Of the Confederacy would adopt the
policy which President Kruger and Generals Botha
and De Wet have in South Africa more recently
adopted and are now following -
commander Of the Army of Northern Virginia,
Fairly reliable and very graphic aeGoues OF "1as nat
took place at General Lees neaoquarteLish Ia sI9
early morning hours of that day nave elther ap-
peared in print been told in conversation and to
Two or these accounts ppgo1e - tv. 1sscribai
al tLi ~. e,,,-t - book renentIv pubIished by
John Sargent Wise entitled The End OF An Era
John Sargent Wise is the son OF Henry A. Wise,
Of T,rginIa in the later fftes he was subsequently,
a brigadier general in the Confederate service
Wise Was a hct Confederate and had already been .
wounded in battle. AT the time now IN question
then mis- way from Richmond to Danvle. with
dispatches 10 Lee, and while seeking Lees head
across his father Governor and General Wise; IN
bjvouac with his brigade The father was then
nearly sixty years Of age. but the found him
lying on hs gToa9d asleep az smGns Ss eRtTee RT sn tvp
Henry a. Wise out and out secessionist
uneasy sIumher almost the first wish he expressed
was 70 General Lee, and ne inquired imPetn-
the Confederate headquarters were. and the TWO
started together 10 go 10 them
VIVID PICTURE OF THE SCENE
John 5 Wise has described viyidly the aspect OF
arTairs as they passed along: The roads and fields
were AlIed with straggIers, They moved. looking
behind them. as II they expected 70 De attacAeo
panic abandonment OF all hope, appeared on every
hand Wagons were rolling along without any Or
der or system CalssoIs ana ILin9eI oi{e''s; @
out commanding officers. seemed 10 be noatins
airnlessly upon tide oc disorganiZaton Rising 70
his ful. height casting s!ance around @ MN tSt liHe
that % eagle and sweeping the horizon WITH
claimed This is the endr 1t is impossible TO con
rrr.9u 1rE hen follows deSCTlD-
ton Of the Interview which ensued:
H found nat fpsS a2 & ion Sh' He hdS Washed
his face in a tin basin, and stood drying his beard
with coarse towel as We approached General
are lying on yonder hill more dead tnaa anve i've,
day and night without food and by God STR they
shall not move another step until somebody gives
Cone In General said General Lee sooth-
inrly. They deserve something TO eat and shall
have II: ana meanwhile you shall share my break
fast lie disarmed everything like defiance by his
1T but few moments however: before tH my ny.
father launched torth IA f oso in the en- n
gaRenent OF the 9Th. I satisfied that General
Zee felt as ne did; but. assuming air OF mock
you are liable 10 court martial and execution FOR
characterization and disrespect toward your COM
my father looked at him with lifted eyebrow
can't afford 70 shoot the men who fight FOR cursing
shoot me II You don't some Yankee probably will
within the next tWenty-four hours
what he thought OF the situation.
'Situation?' said the bold old There is
no situation, Nothing remains General Lee. but
them m home in time for spring pIopghing This
army is hopelessiy whipped. and Is tast becoming
demoraIzed These men have already endured
more than believed flesh and blood could stand.
and say 10 you. sir. emphaticaIIy; that 20 pro
long the struggle is murder ana the blood or every
is killed from this time forth Is on your
head General Lee
This last expression seemed 10 cause General
Lee great palm. With gesture OF remonstrance,
and even OF impatence, he protested: oh Gen
eral DO not talk wildly. My burdens are heavy
enough. What would the country think OF me II
did what you suggestF
NO COUNTRY SAVE COMMANDER.
Country be d was the quick reply. There
is no country There has been country. General,
Tor a year or more ou a. a. t' Trt - 80.
cred through long winter for YOU Without pay
or clothes or care OF any sort thsir oevoC1h S 20
you and faith in you have been the only things
which have held this army together. II you de-
mand the sacrifice. there are still LEFT thousands OK
who will die for you. You know the game Is
desperate beyond redemption and that II you 80
announce. man or government or people VIII
gainsay YOUR decision. That is why repeat that
the blood OF any killed hereafter is upon your
General Lee stood for some time at open
window looking out the throng surgtng
upon the roads and in the fields. and made no
response"
IL will be remembered that John Sargent Wise
individually present at this conversation,
youth OF nineteen. have as little respect as any
one well can have for the recollection OF thirty
years since a a basis OF history. Nevertheless. IL
would seem quite out OF the question that youth
Is here described, and that the words
which then passed and the incidents which oc
upon his memory. I disposed. therefore. to
consider this reliable historical material Mean
while. IL chances that am able 70 supplement-
II by similar. yet unpublished. testimony from
another quarter. Some years ago l was closely
associated with Genera! E. p Alexander who had
been chief OF artillery in Longstreet's famous
corps, and who. in April, 1860 was, II my recoHec-