Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1910-06-03
THE OTHER LEE

rounded Consul General e each n
demanding of him when war would II
be declared. IL
General Lee was evasive ana v
enallv. to check the fioed OF ques- I
tons, dropped into "reminiscences I
of the civil war. II
..You boys don't seem to realize {
he said, THAT this is a sad an !
niversary for me. Yet in We" Oh
-n-y.hng that has happened ~
don,t know why l should call it sad
While | am proud of the strugsie
we of the south made and while, had
we to do it over again, history would
repeat itself, l am glad today that
Cod reigns and the government
at Washington still lives,
.It is just thirty-three years ago
tonight that / led my cavalry IN
forlorn hope south of Richmond
II has been said that | left the army
with nv men without the consent
and approval of my uncle, General
Robert E. Lee. That is % true
although it is true that he sent for
me TO return when he earned tha'
General Grants generous terms
depended upon his ability to sur
render the entire army.
The last stand had been made
and we fought the last fight we
were capable of entering. For
months we had seen the end aP
proaeh, hoping against hope that I
miracle would intervene to save TIT
confederacy. At last it became I"
parent that the end could 9ccr ~
be delayed. When &C. btaiDed
nounced to US hiA / asked apd
the best terrBbim permission to =,
n s4ihhond with my cavalry, or n
Twas left of it, and make my =,
say south, cutting a road through of
Union forces if necessary. dc
II was very young man in those I.
days and hope died hard. Ny na
thought was if l could take my boys ny
out of the trap we might form a to
nucleus about which the south -
could once more rally. -,
My uncle expressed the opinion al
that the adventure was foolhardy. p,
but finally gave a reluctant consent =,
So it happened that just thirty "a
three years ago tonight with my Il,
men ] rode south and by daybreak fo
was safely beyond the Union lines. ws
AS ] have said, in those days ] tv
vas a very young man. | thought On
had something of a corner in the mr.,
market. Even the H.,
'ough, hard knocks that had come hi.
me during the war had been 90,
to drive the conceit out of N
my head. / received a mental Jolt .,
that morning, however, that started do
ne along the right path and soon f.,
placed me where | was willing to f.,
Omit there were others who were n
t least fully as wise as myself. Iltbe
ad always held my uncle in the wb
cry highest respect. l still regard rea
linn as the military genius of the wb
but at that time l thought | fo,
could see mistakes he had made. de
1T was just at break of day, bo
while we were riding down a rough mr.
country road, the dust of which %,
lad been laid by a heavy shower. q ,
hat we came upon an old southern on,
Perhaps, she belonged to If
he poor white class, but her know an,
edge of men was profound. She do
TODD in front Of a cabin, and | wb
rev up and asked for a drink. As nro
he handed me the gourd of water evo
ne inquired for news from Rich. tor
lond. -.
""insa an over aunty, nec
eplied. We are going home.
General Lee has surrendered.
No, he hasn't was the quick
esponse. Perhaps that no count.
niftless. trifln' General Fitzhugh
zee has surrendered, but not orr
General Robert l.. Lee. | know he ing
not surrendered and the war is raz
ended Even under the coat nan
tan that had accumulated during Tue
y four years of service | could mat
el my face flush MS | heard my bah
'mpanions' fruitless efforts to he {
Ippress their merriment. to I
We rode on. and we're perhaps dow
miles south of Richmond when cam
courier from General Lee over. his