The farmer and mechanic., 1910-02-22

II
ed IN my then youthful mind
he Raleigh News and Observer
performed a good deed in publishing
the article of the 18th January. fur
nlshed by Mr.. Walter f. Harris. sent
from Washington City 1t gave the
estimates of the surviving Generals Of
the Southern Confederacy as to who
was the greatest of all Southern Gen
erals. 1t showed great unanimity of
opinion as General Lee received 35
votes OF As given. General Jackson
received but four votes, while the
great military genius, Major General
Bedford Forest, received not one.
General Joseph f. Johnston held he
was the greatest. See the work on
him by Brigadier General Johnson, of
Maryland. 1t is sound judgment given
by the thirty-tivc Generals. The voice
of the greatest English military au-
thorities heretofore biven by men in
this paper, showed that the best
equipped of the British soldiery was
favorable to Lee above all Americans.
The famous paper written moro than
thirty years ago by Col. Chesney, Of
tie British army, and then it's highest
authority upon war matters, Tor
'Blackwood's'' old and celebrated
Ma gazine" gave Lee the first place.
He said that the three greatest of
soldiers of the English speaking race,
were Marlborough, Wellington, Lee.
l long ago also gave in these columns
what General Lord Garnett Wolseley,
at the head then Of the British army
had said of Lee, that he was q
greater soldier than even the Duke of
Wellington. In the long article above
referred to in the News and Observer,
the opinion of Lord Wolseley is given
not the one l refer to here by Cen
eral Marcus J. Wright with his in-
dorsement, at the end--"l fully con-
cur in that opinion General Wright
is distinguished.
Lord Wolseley's opinion reads:
Il believe all will admit that General
Lee lowered far above all men on
either side IN the great struggle. i
believe he will be regarded not only
as the most prominent figure OF the
Confedcracy. but as the great Amef1-
can Of the nineteenth century, whose
statue is worthy to stand on the equal
pedestal with Washington, and whose
memory is equally worthy to be en-
shrined of all his countrymen"
Col. HendersOns very excellent
Life of General Stonewal Jackson,
says that Lee was the greatest soldier
in the Confederate army. Col. Hen
derson was British soldier of dis
tinction and his fine work on Gen
eral Jackson reveals his skill as a
writer and biographer. Unfortun-
ately he died q few years ago. LORD
Nolselev won his high distinction
and rank as Field Marshal and COM
mander- inc l1ief OF the British army
in six different wars Of his own coun-
try, and he places General Lee above
the great Duke Of Wellington, who
fought Napoleon. Any one who
knows of Waterloo and the Peninsular
war will be able to understand Lord
WolseIey's wise Judgment.
A few years ago I saw not far from
my home on Fifth street, the excellent
city engineer. Mr.. Joe McRec. doing
some surveying with two or three at
tendants with him. J. know him we'll
and went to where he stood. Address
ing him l said, which is the highest
point in the city? Looking south
ward directly down the street the
streets, with the exception of Third
and Market. all being ninety-nine
feet in width, he pointed and said,
''Where you see that white, sandy
point on this street (Fifth, lying some
five or six squares distant, ! SUPPOSED,
is the hiohest. hnt it is MT ,ised FOR
residential purposes at present. The
highest point in Wilmington is close
to Your own home. 1t is on Orange
ct~oot near vcu and whore pishoD
Strange's residence is, is Pr, badly the
prescrjse point in the city where
homes are found" The adjoini ng
homes on Orange and Fifth are nearly
&c high 4S the PiehnDs raSt 7anne IS
situate, there not being probably more
than two feet difference in any OF
them. | asked of Mr.. NcCree IS to
the actual altitude above the ocean
of this section Of the city IS said, if