The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-20
a STUDENTS VIEW
OF GENERAL LEE.
BY PROF. MILTON w. HUMPHREYS,
University of virginia,

1t gfves Inc pleasure to comply wit
your request. though ] fear that m
contribution will be of little value. Thf
tho little incidents shall narratc ma
be entirely intelligle, n preliminary state
ment seems necessary.
During the session of 1sGo-6l, I was
Sophomore at Washington College. II
the spring when war became inevitable
all academic exercises were suspended AM
the college converted into inlitar.
school. Having remained to the close o
this military course, ! awaited myself o
the Temporary dlsbandment OF thu
Liberty Hall Volunteers" of which com
paiiy l was member, and went to west
cIn Virginia and enlisted in batter!
that was being formed. in which served
till after the surrender of Lee. / was
unable TO return to college until nearly
year after the close of the war, when
re-entered the Sophomore class just
where II had suspended work FIVE years
before. At the end OF this session the Old
University of Virginia system of indie
pendent schools was adopted. and the
Junior and Sophomore classes of 1896
were merged into Senior Latin, Greek, and
mathematics for the next session QS66-0I).
stuOdL 1lle lIlI5 SeSs'oI N''S
made tutor in Latin. At the end of the
session was made assistant professor OF
Ancient Languages. which position l
held until 1870 when l was made adjunct
professor OF Ancient Languages with
seat In the faculty. In June, 1859, re-
ceived tho degree of Master OF Arts.
. Throughout this period, and In all the
capacities named, l often came into con-
tact with General Lee, who had as
sumed the presidency at the beginning of
he session of 1886 A study of all my
Interviews with him would require a
treanse. I shall select few Incidents,
ronfed chiefly 10 my dealings as student
with him. begin with my introduction
TO him:
Introduction to Lee.
When l returned, in the spring of 1866,
1 reached the college Just as lectures were
about to begin, and the first thing I did
was to attend the lectures or recitauons
Of the Sophomore class, terminating with
mathematics. At the closl Of the lee
ture. Professor A. L. Nelson went to Cen
eral Lees office. which was adjacent, to
arrange for an introduction; but Gen. Lee
came back with him. and l was in
troduced in the lecture-room. The con-
versation lasted good while. errone-
ousiS SuppoSed tlIdt NrSl Lee KNEW OIL my
purpose to re-enter college. and naturally
] waited for him to close the interview.
AT last, taking advantage OF remark
made by Professor Nelson about my work
as student before the war, the General
said
II trust the education you have re-
ceived will prove sufficient for your
need in the battle of life" The delicate
tact of this remark I did not see at the
time; one must ponder to appreciate It,
This interview. however, l have de-
scribed chiefly for another purpose
Usually when for the first time We meet |
with a famous man. the feeling is one
of disappointment, and the near view !
removes much of the enchantment; but |
with me on that occasion the effect was |
Just the opposite. / felt no trepidation |
when was being presented, but as the |
conversation proceeded. without any ap-
parent cause, I began TO feel eubar-
raised. and this feeling grew to the
end of the interview. Lee seemed farther
removed. less human, more superhuman.
than l had imagined hi.a before saw
him. Every subsequent interview In
creased this feeling. l do not know !
Whether any satisfactory explanation Of |
this characteristic. either In the case of |
Lee or in the case OF Washington, who
also possessed 1t. has ever beon offered. |
1t is well known that. in theory and
practice. Gen. Lee was an advocate Of per-
sonal liberty. Probably no other great
military chieftain ever allowed his leu
tenants as much discretion. This prin-
eiple he applied universally. He had |
q double aversion to compulsory attend
ance of young men at religious exercises.
When l was assistant professor, found
that mad power 70 fix my own regu-
lations On one occasion [ decided to
adopt rule which l knew would be
difficult to enforce unless it had Gen.
Lees sanction When l consulted him
about 1t, he decided, after some reflec-
uon. that the rule was good one, but
warned me in general against inflexible
rules adopted in advance.
He said that lIQep odght to be given an
opportunity TO do their duty voluntarily,
and 80 develop their characters under
proper influences. but not under com
pulsion or repression. Then, seeming to
read my thoughts, he startled ma by
saying: THE great mistake OF my life
was taking military education" I have
often wondered what he had In mind as
a better career than the one he had
chosen.
His Belief in Youth.
In this connection. shall mention one
other instance In which he spoke of
himself. He had occasion TO warn me
against undue dittidence because Of my
Jouhfulness. and said that the greater
part of all efficient work was done by
men before they passed their prime, and
added:
II am too old for the work that am
trying TO do" No ons would have agreed
with him IN this statement. and those Of
us who are as old as he was then, may
take comfort in the reflection that he
did not show any desire to be chloro-
formed
Defamation by Students.