The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-03-04

SHARED Rat1OnA with HIS Fr1sOnerD
and Was Needless Of Flying Bullets.
Devotedly Fond of Children - Be-
loved by His Men, Who Could Not
Bear to See Him In Danger-NOtable
Case Of His Magnnnimity.
The celebration at Lexington, Va, of
the one hundredth anniversary of the
birth of Robert E. Lee recalls many in
cidents in the career Of the great gen
eral Of the Confederacy.
Few men ever had a stronger and
yet more tender and more loving per-
sonality than General Lee. Here are a
few anecdotes relating to the charac-
ter of a man who was the admiration
of strong men and the idol of children:
General Lee was devOtedly fond Of
children. He found great delight in
talking with them about their little af-
fairs or in teasing them in the vein Of
gentle humor which was peculiar to
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 a boy who
was throwing stones from the road
which passed through the college cam
puS at Lexington. Va. and said pleas
antly to the lad: You throw well,
Harry. Now see if you cannot hit the
road with all those stones you have
thrown on the grass
General Sheridan destroyed SO many
supplies going forward from Richmond
to Lees men in the wilderness iii 1864
that for awhile the latter were in dan
ger Of starvation. At conference in
Lees quarters one Of his generals be-
came greatly excited over the matter
and said hotly as General Lee turned
toward him:
II was just saying to these officers,
general, that if were in command Of
this army 1 would notify Grant that l
had no rations for his prisoners and If
he wanted to save them from starva-
ton he would have to send some to
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 Grants
prisoners, and as long as l have any
ratioils at all l shall certainly share
them with my prisoners
During the progress Of the battle at
SpOttsylvania Court House General Lee
was watching the formation of his
troops when bullets from the enemy's
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 elsev'
81 wish knew where my place is on
the battlefield replied General Lee
with smile, but in half complaining
manner. wherever l go some one
tells me it is not the place for me to
entirely needless Of tho flying bullets.
General Lees care for his soldiers is
proverbial, says the Washington Post
Every one remembers the story of the
ragged private who stood with lncov-
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 to see him place himself in any
danger. An incident illustrating this
occurred on May 6. 1864, in the Will
derness. The Texas brigade under
Gregg, was in the hottest of the fight,
and presently there was Lee with
them. Go back, General Lee, 60
backr' shouted the men. General
Lee to the rear" A ragged veteran
stepped from the ranks and seized his
reins. and at last the whole brigade
halted, the men exclaiming that they
would not go forward unless General
Lee retired from danger, but pledging,
If he no longer exposed himself to fire,
to drive the enemy back. General Lee
rode off with General Longstreet, and
the men redeemed their pledge.
"A lew udyS ldleT duOlueT llClUoQC 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 a terrible disaster seemed immi-
nent General John B. GordOns di-
vision was being rapidly formed to re-
capture the works. General Lee rode
to the front and took his position just
in advance of the colOrs of the Forty
ninth Virginia regiment. He uttered
not Il 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 personifcation 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 reinS of his horse and
exclaimed with deep anxiety: Gen
eral Lee. this is no place for you. Do
go to the rear. These are Nirginians
and GeOrgianS. sir. men who have new
or failed. and they will not fail now.
Will YOU. boys? Is it necessary for
General Lee to lead the charger A
loud cry of: mo. We will drive them