Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-07

retary of war TO
FRED o. GRANT on the part Of the
United states, which will be officially
presented to him by General Clement
A. Evans of Georgia, commander-ln-
chief of the United Confederate Neter-
ans; Colonel George r. Peck of Cm-
cago will be the orator OF the day, ana
Henry Watterson of Kentucky, the
veteran editor of the Louisville Cour-
ier-Journal. viii be master of ceremo-
nies and preside on the ausplclous oc-
casion.
In the siege of Vicksburg General
Lee won his spurs as a commander
The closing period of his life was de-
voted to the perfection of the great
national military park here. General
Lee died at Vicksburg May rs, 1908,
and it is peculiarly fitting that the
South's memorial statue to him should
be erected on the spot which he loved
so well. On the same day another
monument to his memory, though
smaller. will be unveiled at the state
agricultural and mechanical college at
Starkville Miss, as he was the f1rs0
president of that institution. This me-
mortal, though of lesser importance
than the Vicksburg statue, neverthe-
less emphasizes the universal aftecuoh
of the people of MISSISSIPPI ioT nm.
Another monument will be placed az
the grave in Columbus where the OLD
commander sleeps in everlasting rest.
Many of the surviving generals OF the
Confederacy and other eminent men
will be present Secretary of war Ja-
cob M Dickinson, who was a 1elloW
fownsman of General Lee at Colum-
bus. has expressed his keenest regrets
that official duties would prevent MIN
from being present.
The well known sculptor, Henry
Hunsdon Kitson of Quincy, Mass. VINO
designd the statue, will be present 10
direct the placing of his handiwork.
He is the creator of many handsome
monuments of various northern states
already completed and dedicated in the
icksburg National Military park. He
knew General Lee, then one OF the
marx commissioners. and put his best
efforts into this statue.
Vicksburg to Give Welcome
The unveiling of the monument will
occur at 8 O'Clock in the afternoon III
the national military park Hosplt55-
BILE Vicksburg will welcome tnousaI !ls us
of Mississippians and Louislahlahs
within her gates. Governor Noel OF
Mississippi and Sanders of LOUISIANA,
with their respective staffs, will be
present and the division officers of the
Confederate organization VIII arrive
from Memphis on Friday morning.
Already the Vicksburg people nave
thrown heart and soul into the work
of assisting in the exercises, In an eI
fort 10 make 1t one of the most mem
orable occasions since the siege OF tne
historic city. Citizens committees
have arranged for every detail, the
local military companies will fire sa-
lutes and hundreds Of school chllureh
will Join in patriotic songs.
The statue is life size and represents
General Lee in a moment of triumph
after one of his victories in sklr-
mish about Vicksburg. Lee was theh
IN the full development of young man
hood, and the pose is both nopIe ana
heroic. The statue cost $1,000. 1t Is a
tribute of affection from his only SON.
Blewitt Lee of Chicago Captain VIII
liam T. Rigby, chairman of the Nicks-
burg National Military park commits
sion. and hundreds of veterans of the
south, who followed the late general
in battle, and others who admired him
Marks Spot for Statue
Rigby, although a northern soldier
horn in Iowa. was associated with Cen
eral Lee when the latter was chairman
of the park commission. In constant
association he grew to love the modest
southerner, whose declining years We're
devoted to cemeuting the ties of broth
erhood between the north and south. A
little time before his death General
Lee. Captain Rigby and Colonel John
c. Everest of Chicago, three members
of the park commission, were making
an inspection of the beautiful park
when they reached the railroad redoubt
where General Lees greatest victory
was won As they stood upon this
eminenee Captain Rigby went to Cen
eral Lee and asked him to stand again
upon the spot where he had directed
the movements of his troops, explain
to him that years later when he had
passed away, he wanted a monument
erected upon the very spot to com
memorate his triumph. General Lee
yielded to the request and said: Rig
by, you are very good to me-" Cap
tain Rigby marked the spot, and it IS
there the statue to General Lee will
stand forever as a memorial
Among the contributors to the statue
fund was former President Roosevelt
who admired General Lee.
Ordered Firing on Sumter
General Stephen Dill Lee was born
at Charleston S. c., September %,
1885, and spent his boyhood in the
Carolinas. He was graduated from
West Point in 1854 as first lieutenant
of artillery. He was assigned to the
Fourth United States artillery and was
connected with that arm of the mill
tary service until he resigned in 1851
to cast his fortunes with the south, TO
whose cause he offered his heart and
sword. He was one of the two officers
sent by General Beauregard to demand
the surrender of Fort Sumter, and
when the order was refused command
ed the nearest water battery to open
fire. He was captain in Hampton's
legion, where he served until Novem-
ber, 1861, when he was commissioned
major of artillery, and in 1862 was ap-
pointed lieutenant colonel and gained
distinction at Seven Pines and the
battles of the Wilderness.
In the Pope campaign in 1852 he was
promoted to be colonel. Late in that
year he was appointed brigadier gen
eraI by President Jefferson Davis and
assigned to duty in the western di-
vision Of the Confederate states. He
was thereafter engaged in all the cam
paigns and movements that preceded
the investment and fall of Vicksburg.