The Savannah morning news., 1902-01-19


against one good reason in opposition
TO them.
Col. Alex. K. Mcclure, the distin-
crushed retired journalist of Phila-
oelphia, is publishing in a series of
newspaper articles his Random Rec
objections of Half Century" the last
article of the series, Jan. 70, being a
sketcn OF Gen. Robert Z. Lee. the
Great Commander" The article, in
the main, is readable and reliable but
II starts<on with several errors. For
a year or more he says, before our
civil War, the citizens of and visitors
IN washington were often attracted by
d SOLITARY horseman on the streets of
the Capital. This man was
robert Il. Lee, then lieutenant colonel
OF the Second Regiment of Cavalry.
w'ho' after having served with his reg
lment in Texas for a considerable peri
od, was called to Washington in 1859
10 JOIN the staff of Gen. Winfield
Scott" Now this SOLITARY horse
man." must have been evolved from
one or G. p. r. James novels, so
noted for solitary horseman." for
ne was not Robert E. Lee" then in
far off Texas.
Nor was Col. Lee called to Wash
lngton in 1859" for the reason that
ne was then in Virginia, suppressing
ola John Browns famous-or infamous
raid" Nor was Col. Lee lin Texas
Tor considerable period" as he did
not go there until February and re-
turned in December, 1860, having been
in command of the Department of
TeXas less than year. 1t is true.
neWever, that previous to this-1S56--he
served some two years with his regi-
ment in Texas. Lieut.. Col. Lee came
home from Texas the last time in De-
cember, 1860, on leave of absence, but
not to join the staff of Gen. Winfield
Scott" During his entire connection
with the United States army he never
served on Gen. SCOTS staff. In the
Mexican war, where he won the brew
cts of major, lieutenant colonel and
colonel, Capt. Lee was chief engineer
of the forces under Gen. John E. Wool,
u. 8. A. Capt. Lee, under his. brevet
of colonel, was superintendent of the
Military Academy from Sept. 1, 1852,
to March, 1855, when he was promoted
to be lieutenant colonel OF the Second
Cavalry. AS only an engineer officer,
at that time, could be superintendent,
he was relieved.
am quite positive as to Gen. SCOTS
years, falsely charges Gen. Lee with
having. remained in Washington, on
Scott's staff, until he secured all the
desired valuable information, as to the
War Departments intentions, and then
resigned and COINED in the rebellion"
Knowing this Infamous charge to be
false ! gave 1t, in 1870, an editorial de-
| NAL and scored the Hampers for being
guilty of such a disgraceful act. The
result was that their Weekly was COM
PEELED to retract and apologize. Gen.
Lee honored me with a very kind let
ter of thanks for my REPUTATION of the
charge" and said 81 never belonged
to the military family of Gen. Scott
or served near his person, except when
in Mexico, where was attached to the
general staff of the army in that
country" He served under Gen. Wool.
Col McClure's article is very inter
esting and highly complimentary to
Gen. Lee, but he erts in the above
statements.
AS tomorrow is Gen. Lees birthday
and his admirers will be reading this
letter, let me suggest to them not to
give all their admiration and homage
to the General but bestow a good
share of it upon the IMAM" Follow
him from the day of his birth to the
day of his death, and mark the per-
feet man and behold the upright" Rob-
ert e. Lee was always the Christian
gentleman. This is the universal YER
dict of the best and bravest men who
wore the Blue and fought his gal
liant boys in Gray on many a bloody
field during the Civil War. Study the
rare symmetrical proportions of his
well-devcloped character as a man and
a soldier. And then remember that it
was the illustrious veteran divine, Rev.
DR.. B. NJ. Palmer of New Orleans who
once said: "All over this land of ours
there are men like Lee-not as great,
not as symmetrical in the development
of character, or as grand in the proper
lions which they have reached, but
who, like him, are sleeping upon rlem-
cries that are holy as death and who,
amidst all reproacheS, appeal to the
Future and to the tribunal of History,
when she sail render her final judg-
ment of that struggle, and of the peo-
pie who embarked in that struggle"
Although many opponents of secession
condemn his going into the Confeder-
ate army, a poet has well said
"Ah! blame him, we who cam
His truth and honor were the sterling
gold;
He showed the world-a man."
Sidney Herbert.