Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1902-04-10
ATT APPOMATTOX.

Gen. E. P. Alexander, who was
one of the most distinguished artil-'
lery commanders in the Confederate
service and since the civil war has
been eminent in railroad manage
ment, has in Century Magazine an
article on General Lee at Appomat-
tox, which is sure to provoke a con-
siderable amount of discussion.
1t has already called forth several
replies, among which is one from
The Richmond Times that is likely
to be followed by a rejoinder from
General Alexander.
That gentleman relates from MEM
DRY a conversation he had with Gen
eral Lee on the night before the sur
render, when the question as to
whether it would be better to make
a formal surrender of the army or
let it disband and scatter as it
pleased.
General Alexander was requested
to give his views, which he did,
strongly advocating the latter plan.
General Lee differed emphatica1ly
from General Alexander who, in
his reply, said, among other things:
"Now if [ should adopt your sug-
gestion and order this army to dis
perse, the men, going homeward,
would be under no control; and,
moreover, would be without food.
They are already demoralized by
four years Of war, and would supply
their wants by violence and plumber.
They would s0on become little bet
ter than bands Of robbers"
The Richmond Times cannot be-
Iieve that General AleXander's
memory has served him faithfully as
to what General Lee said on that oc-
casiOn. 1t comments as follows on
the remarks attributed to General
Lee:
els it possible that Lee thus re-
ferred to the officers and men OF
whom he spoke so tenderly in the
farewell address he issued to them
next day?
"N0w remember that in the use
careful men that ever lived. His
control over his tongue was wonder
full, and the fact has been remarked
upon by many careful observers. TO
-, : l. :, Ill 4I@4 no ao-11
have thought his men would have
turned robbers under any circum-
stances. And even if any such
thought had flashed through his
mind for a moment-Which, we
think, would have been very i'm
probable, indeed-he wasn't the
man to blurt it out; no, not even to
General Alexander, who wasa trusty
and able lieutenant, and much be-
Iieved by Lee.
GAS we have said. Lee was aston
SHY prudent in his speech, and few
indeed, were the slips of his tongue.
But let us not be understood as ques-
tioning the veracity of General AL
exander. No indeed, not for the
world would we do that; but we
hink his memory is at fault X \
x X \ : We cannot see how Lee
could have used those words. We all
have had like experiences. To repeat
another's words after the lapse Of a
day is difficult enough. How much
more difficult it is to repeat them af-
ter the lapse of many, many years!
"Lee's reason for surrendering
We're sound enough without the use
of any such argument as that which
we question. The farewell address
prepared by Colonel Charles Mar
shall, at the instance of Lee, states
the case as it should be stated, we
think"
The words, THE ARGUS thinks
must have been misquoted through
some slip of General Alexander's
memory, certainly do not sound like
Robert E. Lee.
It has been a long time-just 81
years ago today-sincetha sad night
when General Lee realized and adj
mitted finally that his duty was to
prolong the struggle no further and
the memory of man is not infallible.