The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1907-02-09
Personal Memories
Of Robert E. Lee

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you. When | got to the station
found that General Lee had ordered
that no officer should be permitted to
travel by that train without permission
from him, as it was supply train.
After issuing the order, the General
had gone on INTO town, SO there was no
opportunity to get his permission. The
only thing Tor me was to ride in on
horseback, which | did, beating the
train by some distance"
General Lees extreme dignity held
people instinctivcly at distance, and
impressed some as signiiying cold
nature | remember speaking OF this
to a friend who had been an officer i'll
the Army OF Northern Virginia, first
under Johnston and then under Lee.
He said:
Lee was a great soldier and a good
man, but ! never wanted to put my
arms around him and kiss him as
used to want to do to Joe Johnston
never
Did you ever want to do it to Gen
cral Pickett" | asked
ITO Pickett? Oh! not only wanted
to, but did," he replied.
But General Lees dignificd exterior
covered a very warm heart, as was ap-
parent i'll his care for his men They
need them more than | do" he would
say when special supplies were brought
i'll for him. and he would Immediately
send them to the hospital His simple
tastes required few luxurics, even in
times OF peace and prosperity, and in
war time, he never liked to fare bet
ter than the common soldiers in his
command.
Though invariably considerable to his
subOrdinatcS, Lee could be drastic and
dictatorial when it became necessary,
and ii occasion required it, he could
uutrank the President. Jefferson Davis
always claimed that he himself was
intended Tor a soldier not a President:
and he was fond OF being under fire. if
he could get behind the guns. One
day he came out on the field during a
battle. Lee turned to him and asked:
Mr.. President, am in command
here"
"Certainly, said Mr.. Davis.
Then, SIR Lee replied, Il forbid
YOU to stand here under the enemy'S
guns. ! order you off the field"
The President went
General Lee was noted for his i'm
partality. Only worthy deeds won re-
cognition from him. He was urged BY
some OF his officers to give his own son
command Of brigade, but replied that
he could not appoint an untricd officer
to so important position.
lie pad no more attention to per
Sonal anIag0nlSmS than to personal
affection in the management of the
army. tie recommended a certain
officer ior promotion. despite the fact
that friends urged him to withdraw his
favor bccausc the officer was in the
habit OF speaking diSparaginglv OF Lee.
The question: is not what he thinks
nf me, but what | think OF HIM" he
said. u have a very high opinion OF
this officer as a soldier, and shall GER
tanIy recommend hm ior promotion,
and do all III III: power tn secure it o."
One OF Iii, officers, speaking OF the
enemy, once remarked: Il wish those
people were all dead.
How can you say that? Lee re-
m"nstratcd Now wish they were
all at home attending to their own
business, leaving us to attend to ours.
General Lees disposition was al
ways grave and serious, but he was not
without a VEN OF humOr vt Malvern
Hill an officer who had made consider
able noise during the battle without
accomplishing any distinct results came
to him, and pointing to a distant height
ON which was a group ni soldiers, said:
Il think General that | can take that
hill, now, ii have your permission to
try.
believe that you would succeed
now Lee replied gravcly There is
only one thing that restraints me from
giving you pcrmi' ion ! am afraid
that you might hurt my friend, Captain
-, who IS over there with a recon
noiterng party, The enemy lett the
hill about an hour ago"
here never was a harder man to
turn from his course, when once he
had made up his mind that it was right.
On the last day Of Gettysburg, Long
street, with his fixed policy OF main
tanning the defensive, pointed out that
there was still time to mancuver Meade
into making an attack, but. shaking
his clinchcd fist toward Cemetery
Heights, Lee said
The enemy is there, and intend to
strike him!"
The blow he struck was Picketts
charge. But his resolution to attack
was equaled by his magnanimity in de-
feat When he met General Pickett
leading his shattered and bleeding bat
talions back from Cemetery Heights,
and he pointed with trembling hand to
the few OF. his great division who could
still follow him, Lee said
1T is all my fault You hove done
nobly. You and your men have cover
ed yourselves with glory" Then, turn
ing to the soldiers reeling back from
the bloody height, he shouted:
Il have lost this battle. You must
help me out OF it the best you can"