The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-05-29
DEATH SUMMONS
STEPHEN D. lee
Commander in Chief of Con-
federate Veterans Passes
to the World Beyond.
NOTABLE CAREER CLOSED
DECEASED DIRECTED FIRST
SHOT FIRED IN CIVIL WAR.

New Orleans, May pa special from
Vieksburg, Miss, says;
General Stephen D. Lee. commander
in-ehief of the United Confederate Vet
Grams, and one Of the last three surViv-
ing lieutenant generals of the confed-
eracy, died here today.
OVerexertion last Thursday in the
ceremonies attending upon the reunion
OF Iowa and Wisconsin veterans OF the
@. A. r. at Nicksburg brought about
General Lees illness. Following the
reception of the northern visitors, i'm
which General Lee took a leading part
he suffered an attack of acute indiges-
ton, but later rallied and during the
past week showed much Improvement
Yesterday afternoon he again col
lapsed and grew gradually weaker, I'M
I'll death relieved his sufferings shortly
after o'clock this morning.
Native of South Carolina.
General Lee was horn in South Caro-
| lima in 1888. He received his appoint
ment TO the United States academy at
West Point and graduated at that in
stitution, receiving his commission in
the artillery. At the outbreak of the
civil war General Lee resigned his com
mission in the United States army and
entered the confederacy. He served the
confederate army in Virginia until after
the battle Of Antietam. when he was
made a brigadier general and sent TO
Vicksburg.
General Lee played a prominent part
in the siege of Nicksburg and, follow
ing the fan of that city, was taken
prisoner He was later exchanged and
promoted TO the rank of major general
and ordered to the southwest. He was
subsequently assigned TO the army OF
the Tennessee, with the rank of lieu
tenant general, and served until the
close of hostilities. At the close Of the
war General Lee devoted himself to the
education of southern youths as presi-
dent of the Mississippi Agricultural and
Mechanical college.
Succeeded John g. Gordon.
On the death of General John b. Cor
/ don, General Lee was unanimously
| chosen commander-in-chief of the
/ United Confederate Veterans, and was
always the most conspicuous figure az
/ the annual reunions. Just before his
death he was preparing for the reunion
June at Birmingham. and had already
completed the task of assigning COM
manders and sponsors for those posi-
] llOHS NhlCn are dppOlnlIEe on Sucn Oc-
easions.
General Lee held under the United
/ States government the office of COM
missioner OF NicksbuTg National Mill
/ tary park. 1t was in this park that
/ several hundred handsome monuments
/ were unveiled by the Iowa and Wiscon-
/ sin veterans last Thursday
/ General Lees home was at Columbus,
Miss, and the body probably will be
/ taken there for interment.
/ General Lee died at the official resi-
dence of the Nicksburg National park
commission, of which he was a mem
/ her.
Roosevelt Sends Condolences.
/ General Lees sister Mrs. James Har-
risOn of Columbus, was at the bedside
at the time of his death Blewitt Lee,
a son, who is general attorney of the
/ Illinois Central at Chicago, is en- route
/ for Vicksburg.
/ President Roosevelt, who was a great
admirer of General Lee, was among the
| first TO send condolences.
An incident in connection with Cen
| eral stephen D. Lees military career
not generally known is the fact that he
directed the firing of the first shot of
l the civil war. He was one of the two
officers of the South Carolina troops
| sent by General BeauregaTd 10 demand
| the surrender of Fort Sumter and,
upon refusal of this demand, he ordered
/ the nearest battery to fire on the fort
]