The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1902-02-06
ARP ON LEE.

Gently observed in many parts or the
sout:, and many old soldiers will be
interested in the following by Bill Arp
concerning that great hero and soldier ::
DUNG the war it was my privilege
70 see General Lee quite often, bat
navei did I meet him face to face AMI
have a brief conversation but twice.
Even then we did not know how great
!, rnan be was. General Johnston had
been wounded at Seven Pines ard
General Lee came from West Virginia
to take his place. He vas almost a
stranger to the army of Northern Vir-
yina. He had been in command but
:, week. OF two when General Black, Of
Rome, came to see his boys OF the
Eighth Georgia and asked me to ride
with him to General Lees headquar-
t-rs and intoduce him, for ho Nas very
e!eslrOus Of meeting him aat9re he re-
turned to Georgia. OF course l COM
piled, for General Black was a man OF
&c small consequence Eat home. He
was gray and Of commanding presence
md military bearing. Introducing
myself first, | presented General Back
and alter we were seated said nothing
| o!t paid m -dest aud respectful atten-
zion. / was soon impressed with the
grandeur of the man before me, and, al
course, IS he expanded, very natural
iy shrank up little to keep tbs
| equilibrium. Net long after this the
| Seven Days battles began and ended
| in McClellan's defeat and cur army
began to realize how great a man Lee
vas. It was on the sixth day that ]
vas sent to his headquarters near Mea
dow Bridge to receive orders, and there
I met him again. He was standing
| uncovered and unarmed in front of bis
| tent, and Stonewali jackson was asleep
inside upon the straw and the servant
had set the dinner tables over him sc
as not to disturb his rest, for as Gen
eral Lee said, He needs 1t, and moth.
ing but artillery will AWAKEN him
now"
I said that the army did not know al
Ncitb
or did they know fully at the last, fol
be was one Of the few great character
shat develops and grows brighter ano
rrander as the years roll on. For some
Years after the war he received but lit
tie praise at the north, and a grea
nauona! cyclopeda gave more space
and praise TO old John Brown than t.
General Lee, who arrested and executed
him. But now, in the international
OF fifteen yolumes--a standard work
edited and compiled by 200 Of tbs
most distinguished scholars aud pro
lessons OF the northern colieges-th,
sketches Of General Lee and Stonewal
jackson are all We could ask for.
! That OF Lee closes with this para
graph
az person be was one OF the mobiles
types OF manly beauty. Tall, broa,
shoaldsred, erect, with dignity as i'm
presslve as that of Washington, yet no
so cold. OF habits as pure as Wash
!nston. but more warmly religious an,
always maintaining a calm, conhden
ant; kindly manner that no disaste
could disturb CT change"
The world knows him nov and ver
crates bis memory, and the people h
fought against i4aye given him plac
ia their hall Ct fame.
Verify, Old Father Time is a goo
doctor and Ammo DorI1in! the softenin
solvent OF all malignant passions. Blu
this is enough from me concerning tn
great commander. It was the sub!im
Christian faith OF Lee and Jackso
that made their characters comp.ei
and added luster to their military fame
t They were men OF prayer.