The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1909-06-11
FITTING MEMORIAL TO ONE
OF SOUTHS GREAT LEADERS
Statue of Late General Stephen Dill Lee to Be
UnUeiIed Next Friday at Nicksburg--NOrth,
South, East and West to Do Honor to
Memory of this Great MGn--StGtue
to Be Life Size.

/ stands on a redoubt in the military
park near the Alabama and Vioks-
burg railroad on a commanding inn
minence. He was then In the full de-
velopment of young manhood and the
pose is both noble and heroic. The
statue cost $1,000. IL is a tribute of
affection from his only son, Blewitt
Lee, Of Chicago, Captain William T.
Rigby. chairman Of the Vieksburg ma
tional military park commission, and
hundreds of veterans of the south,
who followed the late general IN battle
and others Who admired him Rigby,
although a Northern soldier, born IN
Iowa, was associated with General Lee
when the latter was himself chair.
man of the park commission. In con-
stant association he grew TO love the
modest southerner whose declining
years We're devoted to cementing the
ties of brotherhood between the north
and south A little time before his
death General Lee, Captain Rigby and
Colonel John G. Everest, OF Chicago
three members Of the park commits.
sion, We're 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 imminenee Captain
Rigby went 10 General Lee and asked
him to stand again upon the spot
where he had directed the movements
Of his troops, explaining 20 him that
years later. when he had passed away.
he wanted a monument erected upon
the very spot TO commemorate his
triumph. General Lee yielded 20 the
request and said "Rigby. you are all
very good To me" Captain Rlgby
marked the spot and II is there the
statue 20 General Lee will stand for
ever as a memorial.
Among the contributors to the sta
tue fund was former President Roose-
welt, who admired General Lee.
| General Stephen Din Lee was born
at Charleston. South Carolina. Septem.
Der %. 1885, and spent his boyhood
in the Carolinas lie graduated from
West Point in 1854 as FIRST lieutenant
OF artillery He was assigned to the
Fouth United States artillery and was
connected with that arm of the mili.
tary service until he resigned IN 1861
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 10 demand
the surrender Of Fort Sumter aud
when the order was refused command.
ed the nearest water battery TO open
fire He was captain IN Hamptons
legion where he served until Novem-
ber. 1861, when he was commissioned
major Of artillery and IN lsG2. was
appointed lieutenant-colonel and gain.
ed distinction at Seven Pines and the
battle Of The Wilderness. In the Pope
campaign IN 1862 he was promoted to
be colonel Late IN that year he was
appointed brgadier general by
President jefferson Davis and assign.
ed to duty In the western division OF
the Confederate states. He was there
after engaged IN all the campaigns
and movements that preceded the IN
vestment and fall Of Yicksburg. After
the surrender at vicksburg he was
paroled and later exchanged In the
latter part Of 1863 he was named
major general and the following year
was made lieutenant general. being
given command Of The department of
Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and
Eastern Louisiana. and at the close
Of the war was campaigning in North
Carolina
After the war be was elected a state
senator from Lowndes county, Missls.
sippi, where he made bis home. lie
resigned from that position to become
first president Of the agricultural and
mechanical college at starksyille. lie
retired from this position when com.
mlssioned a member OF the Yicksburg
national military park BY President
Mckinley and became chairman Of
that body. lie led a busy and active
life IN connection with the perfection
Of the great park system Of which he
was one Of the founders