Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1901-11-07
HOW LEE EiiJED s...
Would Not Keep Up Cuerrii,s
Struggle After Appouatto21-
IT WAS A u1nsEToUs DEoleIo'

Charles Franc;. Adams Draws Psr-
aIIeI Between situntion la South
Africa and the Closing Days OF the
Confectionery Paper Read Ec-orc
American Antiquarian society.
Charles Francis Adams In an address
before the American Antiquarian SC
the history of Lees surrender aud com
pared the struggle of the south Will
the present war in South Africa. What
he said was new and included hitler
to unpublished chapter Of American
history He said in part:
The present seems to me a sufficient
ly proper occasion, and this a good
place, TO call attention TO matter not
otherwise than germane TO the purpose
of this society. Historical In its charac-
ter. il conveys lesson of grave I'M
port One of the most unhappy and.
to those concerned in il. disastrous
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 think that the conflict
was unnecessary in its inception; that
by judicious action it might long since
have been brought to a close, aud.
finally. that il is now continued simply
because the parties to it cannot be
brought together to discuss and arrive
at a sensible basis of adjustments
basis upon which both are in reality
ready to agree. Nevertheless, as the
cable dispatches daily show, the con-
test drags YEARLY along to the proba-
BILE destruction of one of the combat
ants, to the great loss of the other
and, so far as can be seen, in utter dis
regard of the best interests of both.
My purpose, however, is to draw at
tention to the hairbreadth escape we
ourselves had from a similar expert
ence now thirtyfiv years ago and to
assign to whom it belongs the credit
of that escape. In one word. in the
strong light of passing events | think
it now opportune to set forth the debt
of gratitude this reunited country of
ours-Union aud Confederate. north
and south-owes to Robert E. Lee.
The decision rested in the hands OF
of Northern Virginia. Fairly reliable
and very graphic accounts of what
took place at General Lees headquar-
ters in the early morning hours of that
day have. either appeared in print or
been told in conversation. and to two
of these accounts | propose to call at
tention. Apparently the second of the
interviews described followed close on
the first, not more than couple of
hours Intervening between them. OF
the first | find this account in book
recently published by John Sargent
Wise, entitled The Eud of an Era
John Sargent Wise is the son of Hen
ry a. Wise, once prominent in our ma
tional politics. Governor of Virginia
in the later fifties, he was subse-
quently 4 brgadier general in the Con-
federate service. Though in 1865 but
a youth of nineteen, John S. Wise was
hot Confederate and had already
been wounded in battle. At the time
now in question he CHANGED to have
been sent by jefferson Davis then on
his way to Richmond. to Danville with
dispatches to Lee, and, while seeking
Lees headquarters. he came In the
early morning of April 8 across his
father. Governor and General Wise, in
bivouac with his brigade. The father
was then nearly sixty years Of age.
but the son found him lying on the
ground asleep among his men. typical
southern fire eater" of the extreme
type, Henry A. Wise was an out and
out secessionist and Confederate
Aroused by his son from his uneasy
s,umber. almost the first wish he ex-
PRESSED was to see General Lee. and
he inquired impetuously of his where
abouts. The two started to go to Gen
eral Lees headquarters.
I'VE found General Lee on a rear
portico of the house he occupied" says
Mr.. Wise. He had washed his face
in a tin basin and stood drying his
beard with a coarse towel as we ap-
preached. General Lee exclaimed my
father. my poor. brave men are lying
on yonder hill more dead than alive
For more than a week they have been
fighting day and night without food.
and, sir. they shall not move another
step until somebody gives them some
thing TO eat
Come in. general said Genera.
Lee Scothingly. They deserve some
thing TO eat and shall have 1t, and
meanwhile you shall share my break
fast-' He disarmed everything Ike de
fance by his frankness.
at was but a few moments, how
ever. before my father launched forth
in a fresh denunciation OF the conduci
OF General Bushrod Johnson In the en-
gagement of the 9Th | am satisfied
that General Lee felt as be did. but.
assuming al air of mock severity. he
said. General. are you aware that you
are liable TO court martial aud execu
ton for INSTRUMENTATION and disrespect
toward your commanding ofticerr
My father looked at him with lifted
eyebrow and flashing eyes and ex-
claimed: Shot. You caut afford 10
shoot the men who fight fer cuss;ng