The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-08-15
OUR GREAT LEE AT HIS BEST
Recollection OF q Great Battle
First Impression of Confederate

Recollection OF q Great Battle
First Impression of Conteoerat,
Leader. .
Richmond Times.
distinctly recall the famous plac,
and the memorable conditions sur
rounding the great soldier when | saw
HIM the first time. | was then a fairy
obscrvant youth, in my twentieth year
period at which we are aptto receive
and retain vivid impressions OF any
noted event or famous parsonage
personally seen and known. AS one
grows old there is II commcndable ten-
dency to indulge the reminiscent mood
AS Il matter OF blended fact and
sentiment, most Of US like TO look
back and lovingly dwell on The pleasant
and the notable things Of the past in
which we were actors. At times l am
given 10 such moods of tender and
pathetic, sober and serious, reflections.
Then, over the kindly stretch Of nearly
two-score years ! would call up in
proudest memory the fadecss porLral-
turc of that manly, heroic figure, SO
firmly and gracefully seated on his
noble, trusty stccd. In recalling my
first view and impression, take it TO
be well within tho province Of this
sketch TO state the place, circum-
stances, environments, as they were
all quite remarkable, now forming
lllustrous pages in American history.
They also help to depict to some cX-
tent the grand character of one of the
greatest soldiers of the pas Two cen
turies.
1t was about noon Of September II i,
1862, at Sharpsbury, during the terri
bic, sanyuinary and induniSvc battle
Of Anllctam. Here first saw Gen
eral Robert T.. Lee, riding along the
firing line. lie Was inquiring for
General Jackson. / heard him make
the inquiry of several officers l was
50 impressed with the noble bearing,
the stately appearance Of the man, and
his good, substantial mount, that was
induced to ask an officer near me if he
was not some general officer | received
the prompt reply that the distin-
guished-l0okiny man was no less per-
sonagc than General Robert T.. Lee. [
had thought before ! put my question
that he was one Of our generals, but |
had no idea he was our great com
mandcr-in-ch He wore no sign of
his exalted rank. His good, gray uni
form displayed no ornaments Of any
kind, indicating the high grade of his
official position. Still the personal ap-
pearancc of such q Wcll-devcloDcd
manly figure was very imposing and
attractive, and he was well mounted
on a large, sty-looklng horse.
| was not so greatly surprised at
being informed that the dignllicd, COM
manding-looking soldier was r.. e.
Lee, but was surprised and felt quite
uneasy that he should be where he was
likely to be struck down any second. |
so expressed myself, at the same time
rcmarking that l. did not suppose Gen
cral Mcclellan was in mile of the
battlefield. 1t is not generally the
rule that the commander-in- chief ad-
vanccs with his men under a terrific,
sweeping fire Of rifles and musketry.
His subordinatcs, from brigadier-gcn.
erals down, are expected to do This,
and, occasionally, his majorgcncrals
lend their assuring presence in hot
and doubtful struggle. l readily recall
two gallant old brigadcr generals
Paul Scmmcs and NJ. ID. Corsc-thaL |
had the honor TO servo under, who
always led their mcn iii any and every
general engagement with the enemy.
So it came about that | first saw
General Robert e. Lee, to know him,
at Sharpsburg, September II, 1862,
while the great battle of Antictam was
" in full swing"; while " was raging
while some 120, 200 men were making
The gamcst fight of the nineteenth
century, not excepting Waterloo,
which, i'll some respects, resembled
Antictam, but with very different re-
suits, Napoleon being defeated and
leaving the field with badly-loutcd
army, Lee, with his heroic army Occu-
cupying and resting on the field of
battle, the entire day after the battle
and then the night of September 18th,
retiring deliberately, and in good order,
carrying all his guns and baggage.
When | saw General Lee he looked
firm and resolutc, perfectly self poised
confident, dlghilicd. He evidently felt
that his 50, 900 veterans could hold til c
field and carry it over the $4,000 men
tohl hl'ooiiiS viz i CNCltl ilooC.
| saw our great Lee at his best. with
Tic light Of battle in his eye, hcroism
in every feature. 1t was during the
most critical and trying pant of that
most desperate day, when the deadly
bloody tide Of dubious conflict was
iicrccly, turbulcntly cbbng and flow,
ing; when the red vintage of human
gore flowed in corn fields and apple
orchards; IN open hollows and or
wooded slopes; often blushiny the pure
waters of the modest streams and stain
ing the shapcly leaves of the shelter
ing forest. On this terrible, this en-
sangulncd field, at midday, the struegl
for supremacy was most evcntful ant
uncertain. IL could not be told whcr,
The bird OF victory would folds it.
weary and triumphant wings. Il wo
here " the rcd badge of courage )
.tlaunted its crimson hucs over ali tb
fair face of peaceful nature. 1t wa
here that knightly deeds far outshon
the mythical splcndor Of that vauntc,
time when knighthood was in flow
cr." 1t was here that captain
courageous" only emulated the super