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

al nad returned, stating that IL was i'm.
t NV dn captain, Lee, ON foot. crossed
w. .ue dangerous field In broad daylight and
ma dsrt curing the night, through storm
ahu darkness. General Scott iH hls re-.
pprt, pronounced IL the greatest feat Of
pngsicai aud moral courage performed NV
my my Individual Ia my knowledge pending
From thar time on Lee wns mort.d
man; lie had shown a perfect Disregard
~ uausef' more than that he had shown
Sor ps ~ Willingness TO sacrifice himself
vi w tie neneIlt OF others, as there had bern
one chance In hundred that No vrot,,d
eyer return from bis perious mission. nv
Nhe quiet nombination OF courage and
eha aI,neaIea prudence he found the one
chance that led TO success.
II was probably owing to the high sens,
of personal honor Of Lee that the snanI.b
power In Cuba wns not driven out shortly
aIier his return from the Mexican war.
re was offered the command OF the Cuban
army then In revolt against Spanish rule
out refused it, 1t was written In the book
OF destiny that towards the end OF the
century au American army should lift tho
Spanish yoke '''' 'u'
inc offer, however. goes to show in
what estimation Lee was held at the time.
III MS gullantry In the Mexican war he
mad been given the hrevet rank of Iieu-
tenant-Colonel, but when he returned he
t9oG up again his duties as captain of on
glueers. "a y"
His fame as leader and as an oble mil.
tary tactlcian had reached the ears OF Ine
struggling Cuban Junta. While he was
employed In building Fort Carroll near
a bItiioimore, deputaton from the Junta
ou!ieu upon MIN to offer him the supreme
command He was promised a very large
sum OF money Immediately upon his ac.
c,cptance OF the proposition and a prince
~ naou.nly stipend during his stay in Cuba.
81 prt. to.
Davis about the matter To Young cam
ram IL was dazzling offer. With his
hhn,9wledge and training, he felt sure OF
being able to conduct a successfnl cam.
paign and to distinguish Himself In an M
Yves OF the world, but the main considery.
non TO MIN was not how he could best
s Staht NJ, Ms own glory, but what was tho
rlggnt thing for him 10 do
ne told Davis plainly that he was nor
troubled about the military exicencips OF
inc proposl ton, but the question in his Mud
TM nstoGw h std., while an officer in Toe
pputatioR he might havd acquired al
such' he could accept proposition for
LoreIgn service against a government with
"r M J LnG United States was at peace
rs celebration was not lengthy. lie
uccided that 1t would be wrong for him
70 accept the offer. and after that do
ClSi9n MI the glitterlng promises In the
WorIu could not sway him.
Accordingly the Cuban Jnnta retired and
AWHltru Il future opportunity which came
with The blowing up OF the Maine MANY
years later. "'
When the war broke out Lee was IN N.
prime OF his manhood and was unlversnllv
considered IN be the best military leader
In the United States. next to General
scott. After the Mexican war. he served
as superintendent at West Point ms lieu.
tenant colonel Of cavalry, as the determ.
~ h., Tt,
ana when the question Of secession was
agitating the entire nation he was called
10 Washington. appointed q fun colonel,
promised that he would be made briCadier
general ana stand change ultimately to
succeed scott as commander In chief
ne Federal government ardently desired
TO retain his services and he himself soc.
Iihccd much In resigning. His life had
ne stood In Intimate personal relationship
with General Scott, who mad said: III
would be better for every officer IN the
army, including myself. to die than Robert
y. Lee" He owned a beautiful home,
Arlington, which would be sacrificed If -
embraced the Confederate cause But. Us
IN every other trouble that came to him,
he decided quietly what he would do. that
ne could not raise his hand against his On
STATE and against his own people. and sent
In his resignation
Governor Letchcr Immediately appointed
MIN major general of the military forces
of virginia. The appointment was con
trmed bv acclsmation in the convention.
and a few DAYS later General Lee appeared
before the legislative body and was form.
ally presented with his commission.
His reply In accepting is noteworthy be-
cause II expresses SO plainly the sense Of
duty which actuated him He was con
4 oiled by no sentiment either against the
Federal government. of which he had been
a devoted officer for years, or of violent
his duty ms he saw It, and to leave the rest
TO higher VIII than his. His reply was:
MI. President and Gentlemen of the
convention :-Profonndly impressed with
the solemnity of the occasion. FOR which I
must say | was not prepared. accent the
position assigned me by your partiality
would aare preferred had your choice fal-
len upon nm ADLER man. Trusting in Al
mighty God, an approving conscience and
the aid of my fellow citizens I devote my
SELF to tho services Of my native state In
whose behalf alone will | ever again draw
sword
Lee was "A years old az the time but
looked considerably younger He was
man who would have attracted attention
anywhere because Of the glory Of his coun-
tenance. He was strlklngly handsome
His eyes were dark and fun Of FIRE care
not having yet impressed itself upon his
features. He wore n black mustache, clip
ped from the lips and was tall and digni-
tied a gentleman Of New Orleans saw
him. -upaGcompauied. at a hotel table in
Richmond shortly after the beginning Of
the war.
who is that striking looking MANI" he
asked.
why, that is General Lee" was the re-
ply,
1t Is said that at that time he carried
himself with the usual stiffness acquired by
O regular United States army officer. but
this was merely an exterior effcct. To
those who knew him q all well he was al
ways the simple, courteous gentleman. As
he became weighted with Responsibility 81
a vast campaign this stif military carriage
became slightly modified, taking on more
dignity and grea-ir ease, his heard and
hair came out In silver, and In many re-
speets the Lee who had entered the con.
hict with many OF the attributes Of youth
upon him emerged from 1t greatly changed,
He entered as young man and emerged
as an old one.
Like many great generals. Lee refused TO
accept better accommodations than his men
enjoyed. He held luxurles in contempt.
His constitution which he had never