The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1904-09-22
Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Richmond Times Dispatch.
Some time ago, in contrasting Gen.
Lee with military heroes of the fight
to-the-last-ditch variety, we said that
he had always seemed to us grander
at Appomattox than upon any oc-
casiOn Of his triumphs. That he knew
that he could prolong the war; he
knew that his men would stand by
him until the last one had fallen; he
knew that he could by retrea ting iato
the mountains keep up desultOry
fighting for a long time to come and
SO annoy and distress the enemy i'll
definitely. But that he saw that fur
ther struggle was useless; that the
time for honorable surrender had
come, and he was unwilling for his
own military fame to sacrifice another
drop of blood uselessly.
Our esteemed contemporary, the
Petersburg IndeX-Appeal, takes us up
on the statement that General Lee
could have retreated into the noun
tains and kept up desultory warfare.
''We were there. says our cOntem-
porarv, "and we know that his esti-
mate of the possibilities of either
reaching the MOUNTAINS or prolong-
ing the struggle has no foundation in
reason or i'll Tact.
Our statement was undoubtedly
too broad and was in Il measure mis-
leading, and we thank our conten
pOrary for its reminder. President
Davis in his book points out that it
was Gen. Lees purpose, as is we'll
known, 20 march to Danville, but
that he was intercepted by Grant,
and being prevented from carrying
out his ori ginal purpose, he directed
his march toward Lyuchburg. ''On
the evening of the Sth. continues
Mr.. Davis. Cen Lee decided that he
would advance the next morning be
yond Appomattox Courthouse, and.
if the force reported to be there should
prove to be only Sheridan's cavalry,
to disperse them and continue the
march toward Lynchburg; but if in
fantry should be found in large force
the attempt to break through it was
not to be made, and the correspond
ence winch Gen Grant had initiated
on the previous day should be opened
by IL flag, with propositions for an
interview to arrange the terms OF
capitulation. Gordon, whose corps
formed the rear guard from Peters
burg, and who had fought daily for
the protection OF the trains, had now
been tranferred to the front. On the
next. morning before daylight Lee
sent Col. Venable to Gordon to learn
his opinion as to the chances OF a
successful attack, to which Gordon
replied MY old corps is reduced to a
frazzle, and unless l am supported
by Longstreet heavily do not think
we can do anything more Wher
Col Venable returned with this an
swer to Gen. Lee he said: Then there
is nothing left me but to go and see
Gen. Grant
Gen. Gordon in his book confirms
this report, adding that the utmost
that could be hoped for was that We
might reach the mountains OF Nlr
rinia and Tennessee with n remnant
OF the army and ultimately join Gen
Johnston.' OF course it would no
have been possible under the circum
stances for Gen. Lee to march hl
entire army to the mountains OF Nn
ginia. But il is the opinion OF one
the most intelligent followers O
Gen. Lee. now living in this city, tha
: if he had disbanded his army am
0 told his men to scatter and reunlte
as many of them as should be able
= at some designated point III tn
mountains. thousands OF them Woul
, have found their way to the place c
rendezvous. and once in the mOu
tains they could have carried on
guerrilla warfare indefinitely.
That, of course, is a matter OF cor
lecture and need not be discussed
'' The main question under discussio
in the original article was Gen. Lee
nobility as a man and the trump
, of the mans nobility over the so
dier's ambition. Gen. Lee was nc
the man to engage in guerrilla wa
fare when the cause for which he wa
fighting was lost, when the time 1e
:. surrender had come.
- He had the manly courage and tt
I Righteousness to quit fighting whe
| further struggle was useless and coul
i ONLY result in the unnecessary sacI
7 fee of human life Our Petersbu1
! contemporary concurs entirely in tn
= view when it says of Gen. Lees att
. tude at Appomattox:
g HE did not deliver that one la
. FIGHT which was left in the Army
II Northern Virginia. 1t would ha'
ed been what he said it would be-a Us
= less sacrifice of life. 1t would ha'
i. been more than that. 1twould ha'
$; been a crime against humanity al
+ the science of war, and Gen. Lee W;
Il too great soldier and too human
III a man to do such thing. He hf
done all that was humanity posslt
for success-and the finish was
Appomattox Courthouse.
iii 1t is that picture precisely OF Ge
II Lee that we have tried to present
II the world, in contrast with the mi
Hi tarv man of selfish ambition, wi
Il would take every possible risk al
II sacrifice every soldier in his comma1
iii when further resistance were VAN,
Il order to add something to his M
II tary fame. 1t was General Lee S S;
II E. IL 1-n of hIC