The Nevada County picayune., 1908-06-04
GEN. 5. D. LEE IS DEAD
PASSES AWAY PEACEFULLY AT
 vICKsBURG, MISS.
Death Comes Near Battlefield Most Connected With His Name-Gen. Lee Was One of Only Three Sur viving Confederate Generals.


 Confederate Veterans, knightly gentle man and chivalrous soldier, and beloved by every man, woman and child ot Dixie Land, answered the last roll call a few seconds before o'clock this morn ing, His death was painless and he passed peacefully into the Valhalla of the South's immortals
 Dr. J. A. K. Birehett, his physician, states that the specific cause of his death was cerebral hemorrhage and stroke of apoplexy affecting his left side. This was caused by an overtax- ing exhaustion in greeting and welcom- ing here last Friday four regiments of Iowa and Wisconsin soldiers which met in reunion.
 Gen. Lee met then for the first time after the war men whom he had fought on the battlefield forty-fve years be- fore. He was overjoyed, especially at meeting Col. w. II. Needham of Iowa, the only Federal soldier who had broken into Confederate lines in the assault on Vicksburg and escaped with his life. His heart was stirred with powerful, overmastering emotion, he thrilled with glowing eloquence and delivered by far the most powerful brotherly address ever made by him.
 It completely exhausted him. The in- tense heat of the day affected him. Re turning to his hotel, he ate hearty meal Friday night he was seized with acute indigestion. Saturday he rallied. Monday evening his recovery seemed so sure that he planned to leave here Tues day. Tuesday evening he collapsed. He entered state of coma The hand of paralysis was upon him. His mind wan dered. At times there seemed to be signs of returning consciousness. It was evident Wednesday afternoon that he was to die. He grew weaker during the night and died as morning came.
 A special train will leave with the body at 7:20 o'clock tomorrow morning over the Alabama X Vicksburg for Co lumbus via Meridian. The sorrowing family and an official escort will go with the train.
 It was fitting that his life should end here on the mightiest battlefield of the South, for it was in the Vicksburg cam paign he won his spurs and revealed an intrepid gallantry unexcelled by any warriors of history. It was within a few miles of Vicksburg that he won his greatest battle, Chickasaw bayou, and decisively defeated the Northern gen. eral, W. T. Sherman.
 Work of Last Year.
 The latter years of his life were al- most completely wrapped up in the de- velopment of the Vicksburg National Military park, of which he was com missioner. The last ten years of his life he dedicated to the beautiful work of more closely reuniting the blue and the gray in the common brotherhood of man. The scores of reunions held here gave him national field for this glori- ous promotion and he had come to be known to more surviving Federal sol diers as a peacemaker than any other Southern commander. Resolute, daring during the great seige, his signal defeat of Sherman at Chickasaw bayou put oil the seige of Vicksburg for months.
 Gen. Lee died at the official residence of the National Military Park commits sion, of which he was member. Chair man W. T. Rigby immediately notified his fellow commissioners and the war department.
 Gen. Lee had prepared his annual ad dress to the United Confederate Neter ans, which was to have been delivered in early June at Birmingham. It is the grandest paper ever prepared by him and will be published.
 Casket Draped in Loved Flag.
 The casket of Gen. Lee is wrapped ir Confederate flag. Hundreds of Ncks burg citizens paid their last respects Telegrams of condolence poured in from the most distinguished men of the ma tion, and especially the South. The public schools of the city were closed Mayor Griffith issued an official procla nation and wired President Roosevelt.
 The ladies' organizations were tender in their tributes, and the room where he sleeps is banked with flowers from the Daughters of the Confederacy, Ladies of the Confederate Memorial association and Daughters of Veterans.
 He was an intimate friend of Presi dent Roosevelt of late years. The presi dent had great affection for the great. est living Mississippian. He was the personal escort to President Roosevelt on his visit here last October, and tc Mrs. Roosevelt when she came here to board the yacht Mayfower in April.
 Flags are at half.mast at National Park headquarters and draped flags are seen everywhere here.
 ENTIRE STATE MoURNS.