The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1906-02-09
A GREAT SOLDIER
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 New York Southern
Society. A Grand Tribute
to a 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 rea6
IN every school In. the country:
The South may claim with pardon
able pride that 1T furnished not only
the president Of each of the divided
sections In the struggle f)r the estab,
lishment of q separate Confederacy
but the great central figure of the
OWL war for the North as we'll as fol
the South. History will accord that
Abraham Lincoln was tho one oonspic.
uou' 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
pl0beian aud the patriclan. The story
| t l. n ,ln might we'll be classed with
The short and simple annals of the
poor"
while Lse came straight from the
cavaliers and their descendants, the
wealthy cultured aristocracy or Vir.
ginia.
His father, Richard Henry Lee,
better known as Light Horse Har.
ry," the beau sabreur Of the American
army, was q conspicuous figure In the
first continental congress. 1t was he
who on June 7, 1776, roved the reao
luton "tnat these united colonies are,
and Of right ought to be, free and In
dependent State; that they are ab.
solved from oil allegiance to the Brit
ish crown, and thab all political con.
nection between them and the States
or Great Britain is, and ought to be,
TOTALLY dissolved.
He and his brother were singers Of
the Declaration 4 Independence, and
and 1t was this same Lee who pro
claimed George Washington as the
frat Ia war, flrst IN peace and tirB6
In the hearts Of his countrymen
Upon his mothers side he claimed
the lineage Of the Carriers OF Shirley
B)rn on January 10 1907, his Oh la.
hood and youth were passed In the cul
tivated circles Of the tidewater region
OF Virginia. At the age OF 18 he en-.
tered West Point and completing the
course CT study without a single mark
OF demerit he graduated second In
class Cf 40. For several years he served
In the engineer corps constructing
coast defences, ald for part of this
time In charge OF the astronomical
department Of the government. Ia
1882 he married the daughter of
George w. Parke Cu'tis, the adopted
son Of Gen. Washington, and later
was made captain on the staff In the
Mexican war.
OK all the brilliant regulations
among the younger group Of otflo
which were won In that campaign
Lees was tho most conspicuous. u son
him the commander In chief leaned as
upon no other. At Cerro G1rdo he
was breveted maj n for exceptional
Gallantry. At Contreras and Cheru-
tusco he was officially proclaimed for
neritorious conduct, and on account
Of wound received In the assault on
Chapultepe0, September 13, l847, he
received his promotion to lieutenant
colonel. 1t was here at Contreras,
when the army was baffied, that the
quick eye Of Lee discovered, by dar
ing reconnaissance, line OF approach
hidden from the enemy by which the
position might be taken. This the
commander In, chief Of the army CHAR
acter zed as "the greatest feat OF
physical and moral courage performed
by any Individual during The entire
campa'gn."
In his Cfii4ial report Gan. Scott
said: am compelled to make special
mention Of Capt. r.. E Lse, engineer.
He greatly distinguished himself at
the siege Of Mera Cruz, was indefati
gable during these operations In re.
connaissances, as daring as laborious,
and OF the utmost valu,. Nor was he
less conspicuous In planting batteries
and In conducting columns to their
stations under the heavy fire Of the
enemy He furtbet says: Capt.
Lee, so constantly distinguished, also
bore i'm o0rtant orders from me, until
ne tainted from wound and the loss
OF two nights sleep at the batteries. "
After the Mexican war he was ap-
polluted, 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. 10 1859 he was direct
ed by the president OF the United
Stat d to arrest John Brown and his
followers In their murderous invasion
OF VI glnta, and on March 10, 1851,
he was appointed colonel In the Uni
ted States army.
When Gtio 5 uui1eTu States were 40
cedirg and war seemed inevitable
upJn the recommendation OF Gen
Scott, th0n commander In chief. Pres
iient Lincoln offered Lee the com
maEd OF the armies OF the Union
Virginia had not yet seeded, bu
Lee, looking into the future and feel
ing assured that his native State
would upon any act Of aggression
make common cause with the othe
Southern States declined the temptin,
offer.
In letter written April 20, 1851
he made that never to be forgotten
, declarat!on: with 81! my dsyct.o:
| m tbo II,Jno ond tI,o Poo1I.,o. "a -,