The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-20
"MarSe Robert. "

Many commanders have been admired
by their soldiers; few have been loved.
Alexander. Napoleon. Wenngton-each
gained that enthusiasm which the daz-
zling military genius Of a man has al
ways drawn from his wondering brother
men; but none OF these. and perhaps no
general in the long ranks OF history.
has won such love as was given by the
troops Of the Confederacy to Robert z.
Lee.
The reason FOR this les in the treat
ment OF the soldier. To most OF the
great leaders. whose brilliant achieve
ments have sent their names rolling
down the corridors OF time" an army
is but part OF a great mechanism.
means to an end. To accomplish pur-
pose. hundreds are HURLED into hopeless
destruction. as 81 they formed merely
sone great machine ~ war. soulless,
inanimate. Vast lesions are but pawns,
TO be moved at VIII over the chess
board Of battle. Unlike these military
generals. whose martial fame has been
bought by the blood ~ thousands. Lees
reputation never cost the needless death
OF one man, for he said. Of had rather
sacrifice my military reputation, and
quietly rest under unjust censure, than
to unnecessarily sacrifice the life Of a
single one of my mon To him, each
soldier in his columns was an indi-
viduaL a human being, with heart and
soul, with hopes and aspirations ike his
own They We're hi- boys, he loved
each one. The tender greeting which he
gave them, the hearty landclasp. the
hopes IN the face ~ discourager~i Mt
each was a "toron - kindness that
made the whole Wor.d' Of his camp
''kin''-bound by ties OF friendship and
loyalty 70 one another and 20 their be-
loved 'Marse Robert
There were traits In Lees character
which. seen thr0urh the eyes or his SOL
diers. inspired each man with devo-
ton that approached idolatry. His sense
OF duty. his tenderness. his Christianity,
his lack q bitterness toward the North
and his devotion 20 the S0uth-these
qualities made him the soldiers ideal.
Duty. the soldiers watch word. was
the keynote ~ Lees life. IN The hard
struggle o. breaking old ties and re-
nouncing the "Star-Spangled Banner,
in the many hard-fought battles ~ tho
long Civil War. in the heartrending sur
render at AppomattOx; in every position
however difficult Lee stood before his
men the personihcation OF duty, winning
their respect and love. This sentence,
which he wrote as advice 10 his son,
dominated his whole life: DUTY IS the
sublirnest word in the English Ian
guagc'
That trait in Lees character which
was perhaps most strongly felt by his
soldiers was his tenderness. Each ore
was the object Of his kindly solicitation.
His heart went out 70 his boys
wounded or fever-stricken. and no father
could have watched over them more
anxiously. He gave to them the few rare
Injuries which friends had intended for
himself and he endured all the hard
ships % the privates lie For their
sake he gave UP all habits which. while
harmless IA themselves. might prove
bad example 20 his men.
Besides Lees tenderness. which won
the hearts OF his soldiers 70 him. his
Christianity. unobtrusive as It was earn
est. turned them to his God Their
spiritual welfare was OF deep importance
TO him. and he aided his chaplain in
every way 20 bring religion into the
hearts Of his men. Nearly every mill
tary dispatch sent by him contained the
name OF Christ. the royal Master, and
all Victories were attributed to the grace
Of Cod" Yet the1e illusions were never
for effect lie lived his religion day by
day. and ne example which he set not
only for his soldiers. but also for the
world. is that Of faithful earnest,
prayerful Christian soldier.
Lees lack Of bitterness toward the
North at a time when malice toward tho
Federais had reached its highest point
was the best example which he could
have set 20 lis soldiers When he made
his Northern invasiOnS. Enough the CRY
OF the South was for retaliation FOR the
ravages committed in their Southland,
he declared against all plundering. pun
Thing offenders with the utmost severity
Ills attitude toward Northern prisoners
was kind ln the highest degree-the lv-
ing illustration OF the text IF thine
enemy hunger. feed him; II he thirst,
give him drink"
OF Lees devotion 70 tho South no
words are needed. A bright page In the
dark history of the civil War. II IS known
10 every ono. To Lees soldiers, fight
Ing for their country and their rights,
this was tao supreme tie which bound
their hearts % that OF their beloved
'Narse Robert"
So. even though defeat at length bowed
Lees noble head in surrender his boys
never f.Ite-ed I'm their deep love for him.
They realized that Il was not his fault
j was ae be had said at AppomattOx.
1--WE have fought through the war to-
gether have done the best 1 could
for yo."
AMELIA V. GOODWIN. '0T,
Newport News High School.
Newport News. Va
Recognized by the North.
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