The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-01-12

Army wa within easy reach q Cemetery
Hill. while Longstreet had not yet reached
Gettysburg.
Considering the military conditions and
necessities which environed Lea no COM
marder Of his century accomplished more
with the same resources. and the single
criticism of his military career relates to
Gettysburg, a campaign that was con-
ceived and ordered to be executed against
his military policy, and certainly against
his Judgment OF all the defensive Cen
erals Of modern times he was the greatest
and the most dangerous. While on the de-
fensive the Union Army was never safe
from an unexpected and terrible blow. and
every campaign that he planned. Ind every
battle that he fought from his own stand
point, must .tand In history as faultless
in conception and execution
The most heroic military movement Of
the war W. his separation of his army
when confronted by Hooker at Chancellors-
Vile. by sending Jackson to turn the right
wing Of the Union Army, which was up in
the air. resulting in the disgraceful defeat
of an army that doubled the numbers Of
the Confederates; and his attacks upon
Grant in the Wilderness would have mad
him victor Of the campaign but for Grants
ability to Ill tho places Of his dead and
rounded It Is an impressive commentary
upon the generalship Of the two great COM
manders of that conflict that Grant lost
mOI6 uGu III l110 ALI wO0A000 0Ak0 Ao
ing between the Rapidan and the James
than Lee had to oppose him.
Never Uttered Sentence Of
Resentment Against the North. :
General Lee was one Of the gentlest q
men. He was the one eminent Southern
man during our Civil War who uniformly
taught, alike by precept and example. a.
Lincoln taught in the North, with malice
towards none: with charity for all" Lee.
like Lincoln, never uttered q single sem
tence of resentment against the opposing
section. When he was finally brought to
the surrender. at Appomattox he appeared
before Grant in his best uniform. with his
finest sword at his side. ready to perform
his last sad duty for his cause with all
the dignity of a soldier and a gentleman.
Grant was in fatigue uniform and without
his sword, which at once indicated to Lee
that the delivery of his sword was not e1>
pected.
The surrender accomplished. he asked
for rations for his few famished troops,
to which a prompt and generous response
was given, and the Confederate chieftain
who had fought for his cause until his
army was practically annihilated. quietly
retired to his home in Richmond, where
he refused the gift of a house. and Lived
in the q~uietest retirement.
Soon thereafter he accepted the pfe5d-
dency Of the Washington and Lee Univers
sity. at Lexington. where he spent the re-
manning few years Of his life in tireless
devotion to his new duties. and where ne
was worshiper by the entire community.
Fifteen years after his death I was the
guest of his son, General Curtis Lee. who
had succeeded his father to the presidency
of the university. and stood In front OF the
recumbent statue over the grave Of Leo in
the college hall. while delivering the COM
mencement address.
His Room Remains Inst
as He Left 1t.
His room in the college building remained
then, and still remains. precisely as Gem
eral Lee left 1t, including his easy shoes
in the corner. and little scraps Of paper
in and about his desk. on which he at times
would record a thought. He was only once
outside of his State after the war. and
that was when he was summoned to WASH
ington to be examined before the commit
tee on the conduct Of the war. He came In
the quietest manner. avoided all publicity
as far as possible. and left for his mountain
home as soon as his mission was ended. He
continued to perform his duties as pref
dent of the university until the fall of 1870,
when he was stricken with paralysis. and
after lingering several days in an uncon-
scious condition, he died on the 18th OF Oc-
tober.
The South had many heroes who called
out the deepest affections of the Southern
people, but no one was so universally De.
loved as Robert E. Lee. and his memory
will ever be cherished by them as that OF
the ideal hero and gentleman. The pas
sions Of civil war are now Utmost entirely
effaced, and I sincerely hope thai before
another decade shall have passed there will
be erected on Seminary Hill. by tt; joint
appropriations Of the States Of Virgins
and Pennsylvania. an equestrian statue OF
Lee corresponding with the statue a
Meade on Cemetery Hill. !,
- A. K l6nCLU1R /