Evening journal., 1906-09-18
AN INCIDENT
OF WARTIME
1t Illustrated the Gentle Nat
ure Of Robert {.
Lee
HELPED RATIFIED COURIER

Not long before the close Of the civil
war. when General Robert e. Lee had
bis headquarters near Petersburg, a
goung man was sent to him with a
message from his son, General William
II. f. Lee, whose cavalry command
was then stationed at c., aIJut forty
miles distant. The message was YER
bal one to the effect that the son would
join the father with his entire cavalry
the next morning by 8 O'Clock at Ro-
wanta creek, a point below Petersburg
on the Weldon ranr RI. The young
man, now long past middle life, tells
the story himself:
4 was little more than a boy. the
youngest and last appointed on the
staff Of our gallant commander, and In
addition to the novelty OF It there were
two other reasons which made the
nights ride the most exciting expert
ence l had ever known-General Lee
was my idol and / had never seen him.
/ had to ride fast and when at last
1 left my dripping horse at General
Lees door and was ushered into his
presence / was almost overcome with
fatigue and heat though too excited to
realize it, General Lee sat at a table
over some midnight work. He stopped
writing for n moment and rose to re-
celve me, while l saluted, more than
realizing my boyhood's ideal in the
commanding presence in which / stood
at last. Almost faint, as l said, / forgot
myself and my errand and seemed to
see the object of my admiration
through a sort of mist, like a dim pic
ture looking out Of a dark canvas.
Suddenly I became conscious that
General Lee was asking me my errand.
Il have been sent by your son, Cen
eral William II. f. Lee" began me-
chanically, ito tell you that he will
meet you with his cavalry tomorrow
morning by 8 o'clock at And then
I stopped
at what point will he meet me?"
asked General Lee.
1t was a simple question, but the
cold sweat started out on my hands
and face as he asked it, and things
grew DINNER than ever.
Il have forgotten, general" I said as
soon as / could get my voice. 1t seem
ed to come from a hollow under my
feet somewhere.
General Lee looked at me In sur
prise Then, as if to relieve my en-
barrassment. he took a turn across the
tent Cant you thinky' he said, as l
remained silent l tried to 20 over the
places in the country around could
not think Of one. The general stood
still again before me, trying to think
himself na
"Was it Reams StationT' he asked
'No, general, it wasn't that" l said,
beginning TO take a little courage.
cor Hatcher's runT
"No. general"
"Was 1t Stony creek?'
mo, sir" | was as blank as ever.
maybe it was Rowanta creek he
ventured again after a pause. / drew
a long breath; the mist faded from my
eyes.
'Yes, general" 1 said. 1T was Ro-
wanta creek" and waited to be dis
missed with the unlimited contempt I
deserved
"when did you leave G.?" was the
next question.
AT II O'clock" replied It was
then half past 3.
"You must be tired. Orderlyw he
called The orderly appeared at the
tent door Take this courier and see
that he has some supper and a place to
sleep" 1 saluted and went out with
the orderly. l had the best meal that
night, or, rather, that morning, that !
had eaten in many a day and dropped
asleep as soon as my head touched the
sheltered grass which served as my
bed In the tent assigned me-
When l woke there was no tent over
me. The sun was shining in my face
The field was clear. Not a vestige OF
the encampment but its refuse wa,
left. On one of the forked props
which had upheld the tent hung my
lnapsack. l examined It, 1t was filled
with food. Tied to a tree near by wa.
my horse, saddled and bridled ant
showing a very dainty appetite fol
grass seized some Of the contents
OF my knapsack and, eating as I rode
galloped on toward Rovanta creek.
1t is needless to say that in the strug
gle which followed during the mex
few days over the Weldon railroad
fought as / had never fought befor,
for the man before whom I had stoo,
as fool and but for his own thought
fulness the possible cause Of the fail
ure Of a battle, but who deemed /
worth while 70 notice only that wa
tired and hungry and took plains t
see that and my horse had food an,
rest.
, Some Slips of Speech.