The Washington herald., 1910-01-16

Nv LIEUT.. COL. j. 4. WAIROJS'
For nearly four years I hoped for the
vinging or the capture Of the south's
greatest soldier. Gen. Robert E. Lee,
In a battle to the left Of Petersburg
in Gen. Grants closing campaign, one
Of Gen. Lees soldiers shot my horse. and
a dozen more Of them, a few feet away
with guns aimed where they would do me
most harm. if discharged. demanded a
surrender.
Within three-quarters Of an hour I stood
face 10 face with the great Confederate
soldier.
When. in a gentle voice, fun Of sympa-
thy. he looked at wounded New York
major and asked: Are you badly wound
ed. major?" and the major said he was,
and Lee replied, I am sorry. am sorry,
major; take good care Of him, gentle
men" I joined in saluting the enemy 5
leader, a great man with a gentle, kindly
heart
a moment later the idol of the Confed-
eracy. with his stan and escort. was
hurrying TO the field where a portion Of
Cen. Warrens Fifth Corps was driving
the Confederate Gen. McGowan's d.
vision back to White Oak road.
The next morning, while our detected
band Of prisoners was on its way 10
Petersburg, Gen. Lee, his staff and escort
were met. They We're riding rapidly, for
already Sheridan had begun his successful
attack at Five Forks. recall my feeling
as / looked into the troubled. anxious
face of the speeding general that fore
noon in 1860, when I said 10 a friend Il
hope Gen. Lees army viii be soundly
whipped to-day, and that our folks will
DO nothing worse than capture him."
I have related these incidents for the
purpose Of saying that while they led to a
growth of admiration for the man Lee
and the General Lee, the man and the
general. who at the most critical moment
of his military life could ask dying sol
der what he asked the New York major.
and then, with as much sympathy as a
fond mother might address a dying son,
say II am sorry. I am sorry" has moth
ing whatever 10 90 with my firm belief
that no Northern soldier or citizen should
raise voice or put an obstacle in the
way Of placing a statue Of Gen Lee in
the Hail. of Fame at Washington There
are many reasons why give expression
10 this belief In the first place the law
Of Congress gives each State the right To
place in the Hall of Fame statues Of two
persons chosen by the State Nothing is
said as 20 how the statues shall be made
how clad. What pleased Illinois should
have been accepted. Wisconsin chose
Pere Marquette, and in the garb of a
Catholic missionary priest. A few people
criticised Wisconsin for the selection. par
ticularly the garb in which the statue
appeared, but Wisconsin had her way, as
she should have done.
Virginia, without a dissenting voice
chose George Washington and Robert E
Lee Does it not go without saying that
these are two Of the greatest Virginians
It is insisted by some that the statue
OF Gen. Lee would not exhibit the Con
federate uniform. Virginia chose Lee fl
his uniform and Washington in his. Both
it is true wore the uniforms fighting
their respective countries.
PROFESSIONALLY it was source Of rea
pleasure 10 every Virginian who served
of Cen. Lee should not exhibit the Con
federate soldier. and the South, generally
that Virginia d"e'red that the statue Of