The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-11-20
WAR STORIES.
Lees sSagacity Saved N alton From Guerrilla
Warfare.
Charles Francis adams, IN The Sunny South.

~ AoiAo"'"S uitlClc Is uu CXCTdct
from paper read by Mr.. Adams be
fore the American Antiquarian Socie.
ty. 1t sheds entirely new light on the
character Of Robert +. Lee as the sa-
vior OF his country, and is of vast his
torical value:
The present seems to me sufficient.
ly proper occasion, and this good
place, to call attention TO matter not
otherwise than gcrmanc to the purpose
of this society. Historical iii It's
character, il conveys lesson Of grave
import. One Of The most unhappy,
and, to those concerned in it, disas-
trous wars Of the century is that now
IN South Africa dragging itself out to
a conclusion apparently still remote;
and, IN every way, unsatisfactory
There is good reason to believe that
the conflict was unnecessary in it's in
ception; that by judicious action, it
might have long since have been
brought to a close; and, finally, that
1t is now continued simply because
the parties to it cannot be brought to.
gether to discuss and arrive at a
sensible basis Of adjustmcn,-a basis
from which both are in reality ready to
agree.
My purpose, however, is to draw al
N hn l.
ourselves lad from similar expert
cnce now thirty six years ago, and to
assign to whom it belong, the credit
Of that escape. In one word, in the
strong light of passing events l think
it now opportune to set forth the debt
- gratitude this reunited country Of
ours-union and confederate, north
and south-owes 10 Robert f Lee, of
Virginia. Most Of those here-for
this is not body of young men-re-
member the state Of affairs which ex-
listed in the United States, especially
in what was then known as the Con-
federate States, or the rebellious pnr.
ton Of the United States, in April,
1860 Such as are not yet as mature
as that memory implies, have read aud
heard thereof. II was in every re-
spect almost the identical state of af-
fairs which existed in South Africa at
the time Of the capture Of Pretoria oy
General Roberts in June year ago.
On the End of April, 1868, the con-
federate commander found himself
compelled to evacuate his lines be-
tween Richmond and Petersburg, and
our forces at last entered the Confed-
crate capital. Four days later the
army of northern Virginia was practi-
cally surrounded and overtures look
ing to capitulation passed between
General Grant and General Lee. On
the famous Sunday preceding Jeffer-
son Davis, hastily called from the
church service he was attending, left
Richmond on his way to Danville.
II is unnecessary for me even TO re-
fer to the series Of events which fol-
lowed the abandonment of Richmond
and preceded the surrender at Apo.
mattox. 1t is sufficient to say that
the capitulation of the army Of north
crn Virginia had become inevitable.
Not the less for that, the course
thereafter to be pursued as concerned
further resistance on the part Of the
Coufederaoy was still to be decided.
1t is we'll known that, IN the face of
disaster, Jefferson Davis had not for
an instant given mp the thought Of
continuing the struggle. To do 80
was ce. ,inly practicable. Foreign
opinion, for instance, on this point
was settled; it was assumed as GER
tain,y Of the future that the conquest
Of the Confederacy waa impossible.
The English journals had always
maintained. and still did maintain,
that the defeat Of Lee in the feld, or
even the surrender Of all the Confed-
crate armies would be but the close Of
one phase Of the war and the opening
Of another phase the final phase
being long, fruitless effort to subduc
aunited people in region so vast
that it would be impossible 10 pene
trate every portion of it much less
hold it in subsection. AS an histori.
cal fact, the scales on the 9th of
April, 1865, hung wavering in the
balance; mere turn OF the hand
would decide which way they were to
incline. Thus, on the morning Of
that momentous day, it was an abso-
lutely open question, an even chance,
whether the course which was actual
ly pursued should oe pursued, OF
whether the leaders of the Copfeder.
aoy would ADOPT the policy which