The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-06-07

memorable occasions since the Siege
0i the historic ollD. (Ntizena com
mktees have arranged for every sle.
tail the local military companies will
fire salu&as. aud hundreds Of school
children Will JOIN In patriotic songs
The statue Is OF re size and rep.
resente General Lee In moment q
triumph after one OF his Victories ii
a sklimtsh about Ylckeburg. II
stands on redoubt IN the Military
park near the Alabama ana Vicks
burg railr0ad on commanding I'm.
mlnence He was then IN the full
Developments OF young manhood and
the pose Il both noble and heroic
The statue cost $4,000. II IL a
tribute OF affection from dlis only
son. Blewitt Lee. Cs Chicago; Capt
William T. Rlgby chairman Of the
vlckshurg National Military Park
comnisslon and hundreds OF veter.
ans 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 chairman 0f
the Park commission. IN constant
association he grew 70 love the mod
eat S0uthenner whose declining years
were devoted to eemonllng the Ties
of brotherhood between che North
and South. A little sAme before his
death General Ice. Captain Righy
and Cob john G.. Everest OF Chica.
20, three menibers. Of the park com.
mission, were making RD inspection
81 tlae beautiful park when they
reached the Taalroad redOubt where
General Lees greatest victory was
won. As they stood upon this I'M.
minence Capiadn Rlgby went to Ger.
eral Lee and asked him TO stand
upon the spot where ne had direct.
ed the movements Of his troops ex.
planning to him that years later. when
he had passed away, he wanted a
monument erected upon the very
spot 10 commemorate his triumph.
General Lee sdelde,l to the request
and said "Righy, you are All very
good 10 me-" Captain Rlghy marked
the rpot and Il As there the statue
10 neral l,ee win stand forever as
10 memorial.
Among the contributors to the
statue fund was former President
Roosevelt. who admired General Loo
General stephen DIN Lee was born
al Charleston, South Carolina, Sep
tember ~, 1885, and spent hls boy.
hood IN the Carohna's. Ne Hradu-
ated from West Point IN 1854 az first
lieutenant of artillery. He was as.
signed 10 ahe Fourth United States
artillery and WAS connected with that
arm OF the military service until he
resigned IN 1861 to cast his fortunes
wltlh che South TO whose callse DE
offered his heart and sword He
WIS one OF The two officers sent bg
General Beauregard 10 demand the
surrender Of Font Sumter and when
the order was refused commanded
the nearest wateT. battery 10 open
fire. He was captain IN Hampt0n'a
legion whare ha served until No
vemher. 1861, when he was commis.
stoned major OF afdllery. and IN 1869.
was appointed lieutenant colonel and
gained distinction at Seven Pines aud
the baatleg OF the Wilderness. in
TIE Pope campaign dn 1862 ne was
promoted To be colonel. Late in that
year he waa appointed q brlgadier
general by President Jefferson Davis.
and assigned to duty IN the western
division Of the Confederate states
He WIS thereafter engaged IN all the
and movements that pre-
ceded the investment and fall Of
After the surrender nt
he WIS par0led and later
exchanged. IN the latter part OF 1863
be was named major general and lHs
year was made lieutenant
general, being given command 0f The
department. Of Mississippi Alabama,
and Eastern Louisiana
and az the close OF the war was cam
ralgning In North Carolina.
After the war he Was elected a
state senator from Lowndes county,
where be nude bis home.
He resigned from that position to
become the flrst president uf elm
Agricultural ana Mechanical college
NJ siarkyllle, He retired from this
position when commissioned mem
Der Of the WsNsbrg Nationel Mill
iar park hy President Mckinley and
became chairman Of thlt body. Hel
leo a busy and active llfe IN eonnee
tion with the perfection Of the great
park system OF which he was one ol
NE founders.