Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1902-02-06

u0O Te6lRucu IEoM ShO oAuAy "A'" -.
father. was equally positiys in bis dec
laration not to engage in any war e1-
cept in defsnae of Virginia, and for that
reason he was not in field duty.
Maryland Movement not Accepted
as Best Strategic Course.
The movement into Maryland was
not accepted as wise strategic move
ment from military standpoint, but
! it was dictated by the general belief IN
the South that the invasion OF Mary
land by Lees army would arouse the
people of that State to join the secession
movement, and for that reason, and
that only, Lee crossed the P,tomac in
1862. He did not enter Maryland to
make war on the people Of that State.
but be hoped by that movement to give
Nary land an opportunity to assert her
self as a State Of the confederacy,. be-
lieving that the people of Maryland de
sired to do SO. In that Lee discovered
he was mistaken, and he fought the
battle of Antietam because it was nee
essary to reunite his army after Jack
cons movement to capture Harper'a
Ferry to enable him to return to Vir-
glnia in safety. He occupied a strong
position at Antietam. from which Nc
Clellan, with an srmy outnumberinR
Lees BY one third, had failed to dis.
lodge him. One of the bloodiest bat
ties of the war was there fought, result
ing IN a desperate struggle from siz
o'clock in the morning until sunset
each army holding its position. Lee
waited day after the battle for Nc
Clelan to rehew the attack, and finding
that he could move with safety, he left
his position during the night and cross
ed the Potomac into Virginia.
Lees Name Crystallised i'll His
tory of the World.
never saw General Lee during The
war or after the war. and have al
ways regretted that I did not avail
myself of the many opportunities had
to visit him after the war in his modest
home in the beautiful village of Lex.
ington, which nestles in the mountains
of Virginia. saw him frequently ia
Washington before the war, but never
had opportunity to have any extended
cony ersation with him. He was a gen
tleman of most agreeable and genial
manner, always dignifed and courteous
and scrupulously avoided the appear
ance of ostentatiOn.
There have been many criticisms OF
eome OF his military movements and oil
his qualities as a military chieftian, but
1t may now be accepted that the name
of Robert E. Lee is crystallized In the
history of the country and of the world
as one Of the few great commanders OF
bis century. His character may De
summed up in single sentence, dehn-
ing him as an accomplished soldier and
christian gentleman, for he filled
every measure of both great attributes.
Like all great commanders of his cen.
tury, with probably the single excep-
tiou of Napoleon, there were limitations
upon his capabilities. Napoleon was
equal to any condition of war, aggres.
siye or defensive, or atrateglcally de-
fensive aud tactlcallY aggressive, but in
that supreme quality he stands alone,
All of the great commanders of that
period were noted for their aggressiye
or for their defensive qualities. Grant
was prominently dlstinguithed as an
aggressive warrior; Mcclellan was pre-
eminently distinguished as defensive
warrior. Grant always fought when
he should have fought, and sometimes
when he should not have fought. Nc.
Clelian gave the most sublime illustra.
ton of his great qualities as defensive
General in the Seven Days battles, but
he never assumed the aggressive in a
single great action, excepting at Ant
ietam, and then he should have fought
one day earlier, when one,hird of Lee {
army was engaged at Harper's Ferry
Meyer Defeated in Defensive Bat
tie when Properly Supported.
General Lee may be classed as among
the great defensive Generals Of his time
He was meyer defeated in any Of bis
many battles fought on the desensiye
until his army was dislntegrated and
weakened by death and desertion and
lack Of supplies when Grant broke lis
lines at Petersburg and forced his re.
treat for the final climax at Appomat.
tox. He was much the type of Nc.
Clellan as commander, differing only
in his frequent unexpected attacks on
the Union forces. While strategically
defensive he was always dangerous