The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1909-05-27

ambled quietly about, keeping his
eye upon everything pertaining to the
care ana defense of his army. "Trav-
eIer was no pedigreed, wide-nos-
trlled' gazelle-eyed thoroughbred.
he was a close-coupled. round-bar-
reled' healthy, comfortable, gentle
mans saddle-horse. Gray. with black
points, he was sound in eve. wind
and limb, without strain. sprain.
SPAWN, or secretion of any sort; ready
to go, and able to stay.
When General Lee rode up to our
headquarters, or elsewhere, he came
as unostentatjously as if he had been
the mead OF a plantation, riding over
MS helds TO inquire and give direc-
uons about plowing or seeding. He
appeared to have no mighty secrets
concealed from his subordinates He
assumed no air Of superior author-
lty. He repelled no kindly INQUIRIES
ana was capable of jocular remarks.
lie did not hold himself aloof in soli-
tary grandeur. His bearing was that
or a friend having a common inter
est IN a common venture with the
person addressed, and as if he as
sumed that his subordinate was as
deeply concerned as himself in IFS
success. Whatever greatness was ac-
corded to him was not of his own
seeking. He was less of an actor
than any man l ever saw. But the
impression which that man made bv
MS presence, and by his leadership.
upon all who came in contact with
him, can be described by no other
term than that of grandeur. When
nave stood at evening, and watched
the great clouds banked in the west
and tinged by evening sunlight:
when, on the Western plains. | have
looked at the peaks Of the Rocky
mountains outlined against the sky:
when, in mid-ocean, l have seen the
ilmltIess waters encircling us, un-
bounded save by the infinite horizon
the grandeur, the vastness of these
nave invariably suggested thoughts of
General Robert Il. Lee.
OF General Lees military great
ness, absolute or relative. | shall not
speak; OF his moral greatness L need
not The former, in view of the con
dltions with which he was hampered
must leave great deal to speculation
and conjecture; the latter is acknowl-
edged by all the world. The man
VINO could so stamp his impress upon
his Nation, rendering all others in
significant beside him, and vet die
without an enemy; the soldier who
could make love for his person a sub
Stltute Tor pay and clothing and food
and could, by the cOnstraint of thar
love, hold together a naked. starvinp,
band, and transform it into n fight
ing army; the heart which. after the
failure OF its great endeavor, could
Dreak IN silence, and die without the
utterance OF one word of bitterness
such 4 man, such a soldier, such q
heart, must have been great indeed
great beyond the power of euIogy.
In the official record of the war
between the States, taken from Union
and Confederate sources, and Dub-
lished by authority OF Congress, NAV
be seen the following dispatches:
Headquarters Army Of Northern Vir-
ginia.
February %, 1865.
Honorable John c. Breckenridge. Sec
re;ary of War:
General Early reports that Lieu
tenant McNeill, with thirty men. on
the morning of the 21st entered Cum
berland. captured and brought out
Generals Crook and Kelley, the Ad-
Jutant-General of the Department.
two privates, and the headquarters
flags. without firing a gun, though a
considerable force is station in vicin- |
ity. Lieutenant McNeIl and party
deserve much credit for this bold ex-
plot Their prisoners will reach
Staunton to-day. r. e. LEE.
Cumberland, Md,
February 81, 1865.
Major-General Sheridan, Winchester.
Va:
This morning about three O'Clock |