The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-01-26
GEN. R0BT. E. LEE
As Seen by a Gallant Union Soldier
While a Prisoner of War
GEN. LEES FAME FIXED

Their Senseless Censures OF an !ac-
complished Fact Brings Ridicule
on the Grand Army OF the Re
public, Says Lieut.. Col. Walrous.
the Union Soldier Referred To.
The following graceful tribute to
Gen. Ro5t. e. Lee is paid by Lieut..
Col. Walrous. who was gallant
Union officer during the war. in
letter to the Louisville Courier
Journal Lieut., Col. Walrous says:
In battle TO the left Of Peters
burg, II Gen. Grants closing cam
paisn. one OF Gen. Lees soldiers
shot my horse. and dozen more OF
them. few feet away. with guns
aimed where they would do NE the
mos, harm. II discharged. demand
cd a surrender.
Within three-quarters o! an hour
stood face 10 face with the great
Confederate soldier.
Then, IA gentle voice. full OF
sympathy. be looked at wounded
New York major and asked: Are
you badly wounded. major? and
the major said he was. and Lee re-
piled: Il am sorry. ! am sorry.
major: take good care OF him. gen
t.emen." joined in salutias ;ae
enemy's leader. great man with q
gentle. kindly heart.
A moment later the idol OF the
Coneederacy. with his staff and es-
co-t. was hurrying to the field where
portion OF Gen. Wa-ren's Fifth
corps was driving the Confederate
Gen. McGowan's division back 70
White Oak road.
have related these incidents fnr
the purpose OF saying that while they
led to growth OF admiration 10:
the man Lee and the Gen. Lee. the
man and the genera! who at the
| most critica! moment OF his military
! life could ask a dying soldier wha;
he asked the New York major. and
then. with as much sympathy IS q
fond raothe. might address dying
son. say. - am sorry. l am soIry.
| has nothing whatever to do with my
Arm belief that no Northern soldie!
or citizen should raise voice or put
an obstacle IN the way ct placing
q statute OF Gen. Lee in the hall Of
fame at Washington. There are
many reasons why give expression
to this belief. In the drst place
the law OF congress gives each Stat:
the right to place in the hal! o.
fame statutes OF two persons choser
by tho State Nothing is said as tc
how the statutes shall be made
how clad. what pleased Illinoi:
should have been accepted. Wiscon
sin chose Pere Marquette. and il
the garo OF a Catholic missionar!
priest. A few people criticised Wis
consin for the selection. particular!
the sarb TO which the statue appear
ed, but Wisconsin had her way. a
she should have done.
Virginia. without dissentini
voice. chose George Washington ant
Robert E. Lee. Does 1t not so with
ou, saying that these are two O
the greatest Virg:nians?
It Is insisted by some that th'
statue OF Gen. Lee should no ex
hibit the Confederate uniform. Fir
s!R;a chose Lee in his Uniform anc
Washington IN his.
| Jnouestionably It was a sourc'
OF real pleasure to every Virginia'
who served under Gen. Lee. ant
to every living Confederate soldier
and the South generally that Vlr
sin!a desired that tie statute o.
Gen. Lee should show IN he uni
from OF the grea. general they lit
tie less than wo.shiped and hel
soldiers willingly fought under
AS . Northern soldier l am frank
10 say that IN this late day. nearly
half 2 century after Gen. Lees sur
render at !Appomatto1. where ne and
| his soldiers were SO generousl!
treated by another great American
general, to whom he surrendered ths;
| I am glad to see the old ConfedeC.
ates who followed Lee made glad
What harm can come from making
| them glad? What danger IS there
In the gray Uniform? 1t is but a
memory. 1t makes Gen. Lee none
the less one OF the very first gen
| erals Of the American republic. o!
the world. who. before wearing that
uniform. had honored the United
States as but few officers Of his rank
had ever hono7ed It.
Il have long been OF the belief
that 1t was good thing for the
country 10 make that gigantic test
OF the SOS. ! do not cenSure NY
self for strongly advocating the al
lowing or Virginia 10 do just as
she pleases. under the law. in the
matter OF the two statues in the
Hall OF Fame. I do not censu-e my
self: FOR being glad that the statues
OF those two great men. great SOL
diers. and the best known type OF
Christian gentlemen. gladdens n"
hearts OF Lees soldiers and the
South generally. do no, cersure N.Y.
self; for sincerely regre;t;ng the &C.
ton OF members o; the Michigan
Loyal legion In urging congress NOT
20 permit the statue OF Gen. Lee. in
the Confederate uniform. 10 be un-
yelled IN tbs Hall OF Fame. I do
net censu.e myself. With deep re-
g-et I lament the uawise. not to say
unpatriot!c. action Of handful Of