Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-02-03

low. 4Al0 1doAOl WdS 0CuSldl ilSh
~ Lee (called Light Horse Harry
of.Revolntionasy fame. y
His. father died when Robert was
boy, and therefore his training
was leftstc his mother. She was a
good woman and,lfaised her son to
be adevout Chistian man. She was
"a member.of the Carter family, and
both the Lees and Carriers had long
been among the foremost ! families
sof Virginia in social standing and
influence. ::
: When. Robert was not at school
he spent his leisure time with his
mother. Heobeyed her eve.y wish,
and from her received the true prin-
oiples of truth, morality, and relig-
ion.
At eighteen he received an ap-
pointment as cadet to the United
States Military Academy at West
Point,and after four years graduated
second in a class of forty-six, with
q commission as second lieutenant in
: s;;ffke Corps of Engineers. While at
West Point his conduct was perfect
his habits were excellent, and he did
mot receive demerit in the whole
four years. 1t is said, He was "a
model cadet. His clothes always
looked nice and new. His cross
belts, collars and summer trousers
were sas white as the driven snow
mounting guard upon the mountain
top, and his breast and waist plates
were mirror to reflect the. image
of the inspector.
During all this period, in all that
sshe did, he was characterized by thor
onghness, and a great capacity for
work. "a -
III 1881 Lee married Mary Curtis
ash
ingson' s wife. On the death of Mr..
Curtis, Mrs. Lee inherited that mag
ni6cent estate, Airing gton, which du-,
Z :. = : o. s.lls
ring the war, was taken from the
Lees by the Federal government.
During the Mexican war Lee did
excellent service as an engineer, for
which he received high praise and
promotion.
Probably no subordinate officer
came ont of the war with a reputa
tion so greatly enhanced; from that
time he was regarded as one of the
ablest, and by many regarded as the
ablest of the younger officers of the
United States Army. Soon after
tn. VI M,xican war, h,was made Super
intendent of the United States Mil
tary Academyat West Point which
he held for three years; (ls53 to 1s-
55). He was made lieutenant!
Colonel March, 1875, and was sta
toned in Texas from ls5G'6l, after
February 1850, rs the commander of
the department. of Texas, being call.
ed upon to prot.cs the settlers
against the Indians. and in ls6 50,
val tly attem pting fof five months
to capture the notorious brigand
Cortinas.
While at Arlington, on leave of
absence, in 1859, he commanded the
Unitei States troops, which over
cam. and cap5ured John Brown at
Harper's Ferry.
Shortly after this the Southern
States Seeded. Lee was opposed to
secession, and tn erefore it was IL
great blow to him when his native
Sttte, Virginia, decided to leave the
Union; but he did not hesitate about
obeying her call.
For 81 years Lee had served in
the army of ths United States, ana
it was a struggle for him to leave its
service; bat he never failed to do
what he thought was his duty.
Lees position at this time whelt
war between the North and South
seemed certain was a very delicate
and trying one. Although he loved
the Union, and had the high honor$
given him by the Union, he could
not think of fighting against his
state and kinsmen. 1t is true Lee
hada.hard time answering the above
question, because he had spent most
of his time in the Union and in
soma ways was under obligations to
H:s
Though himself!a slave holder, he
had long believed that slavery was
an evil, both for the blacks and the
whites. In 1856 he had written,
There are few, ! believe, in this en-,
liglftsned age, who will not acknow-.
ledge that slavery as an institution
is a moral and political evil in any.
country. / think it a greater evil to
the white than to the black race"
He regarded the freeing of slaves as
certain to come in time, but believed
that it would sooner result from the
mild and melting ways of Christian