The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-08-09
OUR GREAT LEE AT HIS BEST.
(Richmond Times.)

u
observanty youth, in my twentieth year,
q period at which we are apt to re.
ceive and retain vivid impressions of
any noted event or famous parsonage,
personally seen and known. AS one
grows old there is o commendable ten
dency to indulge q reminiscent mood.
AS matter Of blended fact and senti-
ment, most Of us like to look back and
lovingly dwell on the pleasant and the
notable things Of tho past in which we
were actors. At times I am given to
such moods Of tender aud pathetic,
sober aud serious reflections. Then,
over the kindly stretch of nearly two
score years would call up in proud
est memory the fadeless portraiture
OF that manly, heroic figure, so firmly
and gracefully seated on his noble,
trusty steed. In recalling my first
view and impression, l take it to be
well within the province of this sketch
TO state the place, circumstances, en-
vlronments, as they were all quite re-
markable, now forming illustrious
pages In American history. They
also help to depict to some extent
the grand character of ope of the
greatest soldiers of the past Two CEN
turies.
1t was about noon of September II,
1862, at Sharpsburg, during the terri
BILE, sanguinary and indecisive battle
OF Antiesam. Here 1 FIRST saw Gen
eral Robert +. Lee, riding along the
firing line. He was inquiring for Gen
eral jackson. | heard him make the
inquiry of several officers. l was so
Impressed with the noble bearing, tie
stately appearance of the man, and
his good, substantial mount, that I
was inoaced to ask an officer near me
II he was not some general officer. I
received the prompt reply that the dis
tlngulshed'looking man was no less o
parsonage that General Robert E.
Lee. l had thought before I put my
question that he was one of our gen
erals, but [ had no idea he was our
great commsnder-iE-c chief. He wore
no sign Of his exalted rank. His
good, gray uniform displayed no orua-
ments of any kind, including the high
grade OF his official position. Still
the personal appearance of such q
well developed, manly figure was i'm
posing and attractive.
was not so greatly surprised at
being Informed that the digni6ed,
commanding. looking soldier was R. f.:
Lee, but I was surprised and felt
quite uneasy that he should be where
he was likely to bo struck down any
second. l 80 expressed myself, at
the same time remarking that I did
not suppose General Mcclellan was in
6 mile Of the battlefield. It is not
generally the rule that the comman-
der-in.chief advances with his men
under terrific, sweeping fire of rifles
and musketry.c His subordinates,
from brigadier generals down, are ex-
pected to do this, and, occasionally,
his majorgenerals lend their assuring
presence in hot and doubtful strug-
gle. readily recall two gallant old
brigadier.generals s-Paul Semmes and
NJ. d. Corse--thst I had the honor to
serve under. who always led their
men in any and every general engage
ment with the enemy.
So it came about that I first saw
General Robert f.. Lee, to know him,
at Shafpsburg, September II, 1862,
while the great battle of Antietam
was "in full swiDg;'' while it was
raging; while some l2O, 900 men were
making the gamest fight of the nius.
teenth century, not'exoepting Water
loo, which, in some respects, resem-
bled An.ietam, but with very differ.
ent results, Napoleon being defeated
and leaving the field with a badly.
routed army, Lee, with his heroic
army occupying and resting on the
| field of battle, the entire day after
battle, and then the night of Septem-
Der 18th, retiring deliberately, and in
good order, carrying all his guns and
baggage. When saw General Lee
be looked firm and resolute, perfectly
self.poised, confident, dignifed. He
evidently felt that his 80, 900 veterans
could hold the field and carry it over
the 80, 900 men composing the Federal
host.
I saw our great Lee at his best,
with the light Of battle in his eye,
heroism in every feature, It was
during the most critical and trying
part Of that most desperate day, when
the deadly, bloody tide OF dubioua