The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1906-02-07
Gen. Robert F. Lee, Commander.
in.Chief OF the
CONFEDERATE ARMY
First Section of an Address Delivered
Recently by DR.. John A. Wyatt Be.
fore the NV York Southern
Society. A Grand Tribute "a.
to q Grand Man.
to q Grand Man.

The fol owing is the first section OF
a speech recently delivered before the
New York Southern Society by DR..
John A. Wyatt. Next week We will
publish the second section Of this
speech. Both sections should be read
10 every school In the COUNTRY:
The South may claim with pardon.
able pride that it furnished not only
the president of each Of the divided
sections in the struggle for the estsb'
lishment of eparate Confederacy,
out the great central figure Of the
Civil war for the North as well as for
the South. History will accord that
Abraham Lincoln was the one conspic-
uous figure on the side OF the Union,
and for the South none will challenge
that claim for Lee. They were, more
over, representatives Of the widely
divergent classes of our section, the
plebeisn and the patrician. The story
Of Lincoln might well be classsd with
"The short and simple annals OF the
poor"
while Lee came straight from the
cavaliers and their descendants, the
wealthy cultured aristocracy Of Vir'
ginia.
His father, Richard Henry Lee,
better known as Light Horse Har'
ry," the beau sabreur Of the American
army, was a conspicuous figure IN the
first continental congress. 1t was he
who, on June I, 1776, Toved the reso'
luton "tnat these united colonies are,
and Of right ought to be, free and In
dependent States; that they are ao'
solved from all allegiance to the Brit
ish crown, and that all political con.
nection between them and the States
Of Great Britain is, and ought to be,
totally dissolved.
He and his brother we're singers Of
the Declaration of Independence, and
and it was this same Lee who pro.
claimed George Washington as the
first In war, first in peace and nrsG
in the hearts Of his countrymen."
Upon his mothers side he claimed
the lineage of the Carriers Of, Shirley.
Born on January 10. 1907, bis child
hood and youth were passed IN the cul
tivated circles of the tidewater region
of Virginia. At the age of lS he en-
tered West Point and completing the
course of study without single mark
Of demerit he graduated second in a
class Of 46. For several years he served
in the engineer corps constructing
coast defences, and for a part OF this
time in charge Of the astronomical
department of the government. In
1882 he married the daughter of
George W. Parke Cu5tis, the adopted
son Of Gen. Washington, and later
was made captain on the stat In the
Mexican war.
or all the brilliant regulations
among the younger group OF officers
which we're won in that campaign
Lees was the most conspicuous. Upon
him the commander. in chief leaned as
upon no other. At Cerro Gordo ne
was breveted major for exceptional
gallantry.> At Contreras and Cneru-
busco be was officially proclaimed for
lneritorious conduct, and on account
of a wound received 10 the assault on
Chapultepsc, September l3. lS47, ne
received bis promotion to lieutenant
colonel. 1t was here at Contreras,
when the army was bsff1ed, that the
quick eye of Lee discovered, by dar-
ing reconnaissance, line Of approacil
hidden from the enemy by which the
position might be taken. This the
commander chief Of the army char
acGer zed as "the greatest feat OF
physical and moral courage performed
by any individual during The entire
campaign"
In his official report Gen. Scott
said: am compelled to make special
mention Of Capt. R. E Lee, engineer.
He greatly distinguished himself at
the siege of Mera Cruz, was indefati
gable during these operations In re-
connaisssnceS, as daring as laborious,
and of the utmost value. Nor was he
less conspicuous in planting batteries
and in conducting columns to their
stations under the heavy fire OF the
enemy.n He further says: Capt.
Lee, so constantly distinguished, also
bore i'm portant ORDERS from me, until
he tainted from a wound and the loss
OF two nights sleep at the batteries.
After the Mexican war be was ap-
poiuted, in 1852, superintendent OF
the military academy at West Point,
and in 1856, lieutenant. colonel OF the
second cavalry, under Col. Albert Sid.
ney Johnston. In 1859 be was direct.
ed by the president of the United
States to arrest John Brown and his
followers in their murderous Invasion
of Virginia, and on March 10, 1851,
he was appointed colonel In the Uni.
ted States army.
When the Southern States were Sc.
ceding and war seemed inevitable,
upon the recommendation Of Gen.
Scott, then commander.i in-chief. Pres
ident Lincoln offered Lee the com.
mand of the armies Of the Union.
Virginia had not yet seeded, but
Lee, looking into the future and feel.
ing assured that his native State
would upon any act OF aggression
make common cause with the other
j Al 49,.