The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-04

guest of honor did not arrive in time for
the luncheon, he was taken to the club
and there spent half an hour in
reminiscent conversation with the guests
invited to meet him. Afterward he went
TO the home of Mr.. and Mrs. New,
whose guest he will be until his departure
from the city at 11:20 p. m. on Tuesday,
when he leaves for Columbia, Mo.
General Lee is in splendid health and dis
plays the characteristic physical and men
tai vigor which have marked his active
life. He talked entertainingly about Incl
dents of his consulship in Havana before
the Spanish war, of camp Afe in Jackson
vile. Fla. where he commanded the Sew
enth Army Corps. of the trend of feeling in
the South since the sons of the men who
wore the gray and the sons of the men
who wore the blue fought together to free
Cuba General Lee is a most interest
ing talker; what he says is like the man
straight and to the point. clear, ~incisive,
direct and forcefuI. During his CONVEX
sation with a reporter General Lee CHANGED
to mention a circumstance that is not gen.
orally known. The name of President
Roosevelt was brought up and General
Lee said:
II came very near having President
Roosevelt as a staff 0ficer with me in the
Seventh Army Corps: 1t was the general
impression shortly after 1 had begun or
ganizing the Seventh Corps that it would
be sent to Havana 10 capture the city.
Mr.. Mckinley himself believed that the
Seventh would be sent. A chain of cir
the destruction of Cervera's fleet prevented.
Well, Roosevelt. who was then second
assistant secretary of the navy. scented
the battle from afar and thought that the
Seventh Army Corps would be in the
thick Of il. He wanted TO be in at the fall
of havana and he applied for a place on
nv staff. l happened to be in Washing
ton about that time and one evening at a
dinner in the house OF Senator Lodge, the
senator said TO me:
General Mr.. Roosevelt is about to
resign his secretaryship in the Navy De-
partment to apply for active service in the
war. He would like to serve under you in
the Seventh Corps. | would like very much
If YOU could tender him an appointment.
- would be very glad to have Mr..
Roosevelt with me- / replied, only, as
| understand the ruling Of the Wal De-
partment. the appointment of the staH lies
with il and not With me. 1 hope it can
be arranged.
10 form the Rough Rider Regiment, the
came up, and Mr.. Roosevelt became the
lieutenant colonel of that famous organ
fzation. l knew that he was a very capable
man and l would have been glad 10 have
udQ It'll O. Ill OAAA1GA VI liz NaAL a. IL
turned out Mr.. Roosevelt has nothing TO
regret"
THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH.
In speaking of the hearty good feeling
with which Northern volunteers and
Southern volunteers went into the war
with Spain, and the close comradeship
that existed from start to finish between
the men who came from the North and
the men who came from the South of that
famous surveyors line laid out by Messrs.
Mason and Dixon, General Lee said:
That feeling was good 10 see. 1 recall
one particular instance which nobody who
was in the Jacksonville camp will forget.
The Forty-ninth Iowa and the Fourth vir-
ginia. OF the Third Brigade OF the Second
Division OF my corps. had hobnobbed to-
gether and fraterEfzcd with nthus site
good-fellowship from the very start. I re-
member on one occasion. when the band OF
the Forty-ninth Iowa was playing. the
bandmaster started Dixie and followed IL
with those other noble tunes so loved in
the South. Spontaneously. almost. the