Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-02-16

49, VA AhS lVVlh anniversary "a Tue
birth OF Robert r. Lee recalls many in.
cidents In the career OF the great gen
eral OF the Confederacy.
Few men ever had stronger and
yet more tender and more loving per
sonallty than General Lee. Here are a
few anecdotes relating TO the charac-
ter OF Il man who was the admiration
Of strong men and the idol of the Chi
dren
General Lee was devotedly fond Of
children. He found great delight in
talking with them about their little ar
fairs or In teasing them in the vein Of
gentle humor which was peculiar 20
himself, says the Ladies' Home Jour
nal. TO little girl who was rubbing
her eyes he said: You must never rub
your eyes my dear, except with your
elbows"
one day he came across boy WHO
which passed through the college cam.
pus at Lexington. Va, and said pleas
antly to the lad You throw we'll,
Harry. Now see if you cannot hi; the
road with all those stones YOU have
thrown on the grass
General Sheridan destroyed SO n,aI,y
supplies going forward from Richmond
to Lees men In the wilderness In 1864
that for awhile the latter were In dan
ger of starvation. At a conference in
Lees quarters one of his generals be-
came greatly excited over the matter
and said hotly as General Lee turned
toward him:
Il was just saying to these officers.
general, that If | were in command OF
this army ! would notify Grant that |
had no rations for his prisoners aud If
he wanted to save them from starva-
ton he would have To send some tu
them
Lees eyes flashed, and his rebuke
was sharp.
THE prisoners that we have here,
General -, are my prisoners" he
said. They are not General Grant,
prisoners, and as long as ! have any
rations at all ! shall certainly share
them witt my prisoners"
During the progress OF the battle at
Spottsylvanla Court House General Lee
was watching the formation of his
troops when bullets from the enemy 5
guns struck the ground close about
him. One OF his staff, perceiving the
danger. exclaimed General, this Is no
place for you. Do go somewhere else -
II wish | knew where my place is on
the battlefield replied General Lee
with a smile, but In a half complaining
manner. Wherever | go some one
tells me il Is not the place for me to
be-" But lie remained where he was,
entirely needless of the flying bullets
General Lees care for his soldiers Is
proyerbial. says the Washington Post
Every one remembers the story Of the
ragged private who stood with uncov-
cred head In the road while General
Lee rode by. General Lee at once took
off his own hat and treated the man
with all possible courtesy The sol
diers loved him SO that they could not
bear 10 see him place himself In any
danger. An incident illustrating this
derness. The Texas brigade. under
Gregg. was In the hottest OF the fight.
and presently there was Lee with
then. 60 back, General Lee. 90
back - shouted the men. General
Lee TO the rear \ ragged veteran
stepped from the ranks and seized his
relns, and at last the whole brigade
halted, the men exclaiming that they
would not 20 forward unless General
Lee retired FROM danger, but plcdging
If he no longer exposed himself 10 fire
TO drive the enemy back, General Lee
rode 81 with General Longstreet, and
the men redeemed their pledge
A few days later another incident Of
the same nature occurred. The Con-
federate lines had been broken near
Spottsylvania Court House. The Fed
eral troops poured into the opening
and terrible disaster seemed lmml-
nent. General John b. Gordon's d.
vision was being rapidly formed TO re
capture the works General Lee rode
to the front aud took his position inst
In advance Of the colors Of the Forty
ninth Virginia regiment He uttered
not word-he was not the man for
theatrical display-but as he quietly
took off his hat and sat on his war
horse, the very personIdcation Of the
genius Of battle, it was evident to all
that he meant to lead the charge Just
then the gallant Gordon spurred TO his
side, seized the rcins Of his horse and
exclaimed with deep anxiety Gen
eral Lee, this Is 80 place for you 10
90 TO the rear These are Yirglnlans
and GeOrgians, sir, men who have new
er failed, and they viii not fail now.
NEfI vgr1 trpss ,,..,ea.-,r F,-