The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-11-08
THE CONFEDERATEs AND.THE
BOERS.

4 0VG0Ss
At the annual meeting of the Antigua
rian Society in Worcester Mass, Mr..
Charles Francis Adams read a paper on
the South African war in which he show
ed that there were many points of SINH
larity betewen the war of the Confed-
eracy and the Boer War. He declared
that but for General Lee, when the Con-
federates were forced to surrender the
army would have divided into small
bands and waged an interrninable war,
1t is we'll known in the South that Mr..
Davis. Wade Hampton and many others
wished to continue the struggle in the
Southwest. Mr.. Adams shows what
there might have DONE We quote:
Recalling the circumstances of that
time. it is fairly appalling to consider
what in 1865 must have occurred had
Robert F.. Lee then been of the same
turn of mind as was Jefferson Davis. or
as implacable and unyielding in DISPOSE
tion as Kruger or Botha have more re-
Gently proved. The national government
had in arms a million men, Injured to the
hardships and accustomed to the brutali-
ties of war; Lincoln had been freshly as
sassinated; the temper OF the North was
thoroughly aroused, while it's patience
was exhausted An irregular warfare
would inevitably have resulted, warfare
without quarter. The Confederacy would
have been reduced to a smoldering Wild
erness-to what South Africa to-day is.
In such death grapple the North both
in morale and in means, would have suf-
fered only less than the South. From
both sections that fate was averted.
1T is not my purpose to enter into any
criticism of the course of events in South
Africa, or of the policy there on either
side pursued 1t will be for the future
to decide whether the prolonged, irregu-
lar resistance we are witnessing is justi-
fable. whether it is wise. Neither of
these questions do / propose to discuss.
My purpose simply is to call attention,
in view of what is now taking place else
where, to the narrow escape we our
selves, thirty-six years ago. had from a
similar awful catastrophe. And 1 again
say that, as We look to-day upon Kruger
and Botha and DeWet and the situation
existing in the Transvaal and the Orange
Free State. l doubt if one single man in
the United States, North or South
whether he participated in the Civil War
or was born since that war ended-would
fail to acknowledge an infinite debt of
gratitude to the Confederate leader who,
on April 8, 1865, decided as he did decide
that the United States, whether Confed-
TT,,in hriC
munity, and that his duty was to accept
the responsibility which the fate of war
had imposed upon him--to decide in favor
of new national life, even if slowly and
painfully to be built up by his own peo-
pie under conditions arbitrarily and by
force imposed on them
Mr.. Adams gives statements from two
high sources in support of his position
then the whole country owes a debt OF
gratitude to General Lee. One is a con-
versation he had with General e. P. Alex
ander. which he says has never before
in .hese words:
Some years ago | was closely asso-
ciated with Gen. E. p. Alexander, who
had been chief of artillery in Long
streets famous corps, and who, in April,
1865, was, if my recollection is correct,
chief of artillery of the Army of North
ern Virginia 1t was General Alexander
who, in 1863, fought with General Hunt,
of the Army of the Potomac the famous
artillery duel which preceded on July 3,
the memorable charge of Picketts divi-
sion at Gettysburg. In the course of
many conversations with General Alex
ander, whose memory singularly accur-
ate as well as tenacious, was also sup
ported by memoranda taken at the time,
he more than once gave me an account
of which / retain the freshest possible
recollection. of an interview with General
Wise at Lees headquarters General
Wise evidently saw Lee at an early hour
of April 8. That same morning General
Alexander had occasion to report to Lee.
He knew that the Army of Northern Vir-
ginia was in a desperate situation. More
over, as he well knew. the timber chests
were running low; his arm of the service
was in no condition to go into another
engagement Yet the idea of an abandon
lnent of the cause had never occurred to
him as among the probabilities. All
ulSut lie HdI lain AWAKE thinking DIS u
what was next to be done. Finally he
had come to the conclusion that there was
but one course to pursue. The Army OF
Northern Virginia, while nominally capt.
tulating, must in reality dispense and
those composing it should be instructed
whether individually or as part of de-
tachments, to get to his own State in the
most direct way and shortest possible
time, and report to the Governor thereof
with a view to a further and continuous
resistance.
Thus, exactly what is now taking
place in South Africa was to take place
in the Confederacy. General Alexander
told me that as he passed his batteries
in his way to headquarters the men called
out to him in CHEEKY tones. that there
were still some rounds remaining in the
eaissons, and that they we're ready to re-
new the fight Riding rapidly to his des-
tination, General Alexander found Lee
seated on the trunk of fallen tree before
dvips fa yr1nfira Hp was dressed IN