The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-01-19
Ia the hoApItain y

nut ne always. forwarded them 70 the sick
Ia the hospitals
10 the ordinary mind. General Lee In
dnlsed In no relaxations. lie dld not smoke
or drink, aud his language was perfectly
free from the proyerbial oaths Of the sol
der To his men he appeared 10 be above
ana beyond them, aud yet he was so sim
PIE W MS attitude toward all who APP
Prvaenea MIN that awe or his great abiii
W. ana powers OF repression was changed
70 love and admiration He was affection
Robert"
He was bold and graceful norsemap
Nhen nc rode out before his troops the
men ADMIRED him. Although toward the
vars close his hair and beard were white.
ne was as active as youth. lie possessed
Tue perfect strength and pdiSe that comes
from clean life, and when added TO these
pre-eminent attributes a man Is physically
an9 morally courageous. above his fellows,
snu mas besides great abileHs rs leader.
his, proportions are exalted beyond measure
ana becomes those almost Of n superior,
I eave,n'dWeliing being, such, indeed, was
before them. his compact figure erect aud
dignihed. his lne face calm and Impassive
never being dishgured by that terrible
tthbooWIsn With which little men seek to blum
II Is recorded thar often ~hen tho battle
ragged, and with a roar aud a rush the Con.
my Iee N %mSSd fnSt charge the enc
eral. whose place Il was only 20 overlook
and direct, and, giving way 10 his love Of
Otlen his officers and men held the bride
rem TO prevent him from exposing him
self ncedlessly
Time has placed the name Of General
Ice among the greatest captains in the his
tory of the military Affairs. After his
death. aud even before Il, In fact, his enc
niles acknowledged his greatness, and he
has been pronounced by English and
French writers on military matters as a
master OF the art OF war.
During tho early part Of the struggle,
before his genius for combination had yet
had chance to show Itself. be was under.
estimated, even by officers Of his own
army. While no man could ever have any.
thing but the highest respect aud reverence
Tor the lrTcproachable character OF Lee,
many OF them criticized his military move
ments, and making the comparison between
MIN ana Jackson, esteemed him too slow.
lhe best contradiction OF this thouehtless
cherge is what Jackson himself said whec
ne overheard an officers remarks regard
The usually imperturbnhle Jackson be-
came greatly indignant He swelled out
his chest and Numbered at the captions
one knows the weight upon his heart--his
great responsibilities lie Is commander In
G5nief. and he knows hat u an army is lost
some persons whose good opinion of me
NAV make them attach some weight 10 my
views. and II yon ever hear that said Of
Neneral Lee, | beg you will contradict
IL in my name. have known General Lee
for five and twenty years. lie IL cautious;
be ought TO he. But ne IS not sloE. Leo
whom would follow bllndfold"
After that there was never any more talk
Of the siowness Of General Lee In the
presence 81 General Jackson. who was
ness
Always a pleasant picture Is that Of the
n mrs c %Gftng OF me Two generals curing
maeulately. as he always was; General
Jackson wore an old faded cont; General
son was nstride an old rawhoned beast;
General Lee sat gracefully upon his saddle;
General Jackson seemed to have fallen on
Ills, and because of shortened strrups his
knees stuck out awkwardiv; General Ice
spoke IN courteous, and polished phrases;
in an ahstractef manner; jerked out few
unintcllrhlc replies. and then rode away.
But the two great men loved and re-
spected cnch others abilities Conventional
meetings did not count with them.
Then came the day which should have |
been dark. but 1t was bright, Lee found |
himself with his small army OF 5000 men |
compelled TO retrent from Petersburg. Ruin |
stared the army in the face, but by one |
Of those strange tricks Of human nature |
the general and his men were Joyful and |
full OF hope Instead Of being sorrewful and |
respondent
The retreat was through the fragrant
Virginia woods which were then budding |
ont with the new life that is given TO the |
world in April. The sun shcne brightly, |
the birds sang perfume was iu the air
and the men howled with JOY and took I'm
deep Limitations az they marched along
over the myriadcolored flowers OF spring |
Instead OF n retreatlng army II seemed |
n band of sylvan jewellers. General Lee
himself felt the Influence of the season; II
anything he was more erect than usual,
and his heart was full OF hope. But Gen.
eral Lee at all times was SO thoroughly
guided by the dictates of duty that his
great mind was ever quiet and equable.
themselves justified In showing excitement
and apprehension, Lees demeanor re-
manned undlsturbed. More than any man
left the result to a higher will than his.
Even when he rode forth to make the
surrender to Grant he wos the same
during the entire war he had eaten ft;gal'y |
and slept upon soldiers bed, his apparel |
had always heen irreproachable. lie be.
lteved that the. dress Of gentleman. so
long as he could afford It, should be with
out repronch When he called upon Grant |
he was attlrcd with scrupulous care. in
who wore an old coat without any OF
the Insignia Of his rank upon II.
Having believed that il was his duty TO
surrender, Lee performed his duty and re
Turned TO the army, which received him
with the acclAmatlons that usually greet
a victorious leader but with moro az tbe
marks Of real affection than is generally |
given "a military hero
All that Is left Is soon told Virginia
received back its distinguished son with |
open arms When be entered Richmond
men, women and children Hooked around
his horse, and he was again given Tho
ovation OF conqueror, which he indeed |
was, when all his victories, over great odds. |
nre considered
Lee showed his faithfulness aud incor-
ruptible heart when the Federal govern. |
ment sought % prevail upon him 10 shift |
all responsibility upon Jefferson Davis /
NOtbtiE politicians desired TO s1cri6re
one Of the leaders OF the South and with
remarkable short-sightedneSs endeavored II, |
gain the help Of Lee. General Lee now |
ever, IN his testimony was more than care |
81 10 take all responsibility upon his own
shoulders. he was the last man I'm the
world 10 endeavor to shift blame After
the last light he had told one Of his dis.
II was all my fault'
At the present day there are MANY nen
living In New Orleans who slndied al the
Washington and Lee university during The
time When General Lee was al It's bend. |
They remember him a duiof and oa,,,t.