Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-06-01
HE DOUBTS STATEMENT
Gen. Gusts Lee Questions Re-
mark Attributed to His Father
DOES NOT SOUND LIKE HIM
Never Called Gen. Grant Greatest
Military Genius

g. W. c. Lee regarding the recent
statement that his father considered
Grant the greatest general in all
history, In part it says:
Il doubt whether my father ever
made the declaration that he consid-
cred General Grant the greatest mil
itary genius the world had ever
seen. My father did lot make per-
sonal comparisons and was not in
the habit OF using words OF that
kind. He had very high opinion
OF General Grant, but il he ever de
clared that Grants superior could
not be found in all history the fact
was never before brought to my at
tention. "
With elaboration, weighing his
statements carefully, the enc living
man who was in closest association
with General Robert f. Lee after
the peace Of Appomattox transform
ed the sword into a plowshare, thus
discredits the statement of a well
known historical work purportiug
to credit General Lee with having
declared General Grant was without
superior among the great military
heroes OF the world. The statement
fcomes from General George Wash
ington Gusts Lee. the eldest son OF
the great military chieftain of the
Confederscv.
After the close of the war General
Robert K. Lee retired to Lexington,
Va, where he was president of
Washington aud Lee University.
For five years, from 1865 until his
death in 1870, General Lee met his
son, General George Washington
GUSTS Lee, almost daily at Licking
ton. The latter was professor of
civil and military engineering at
the Virginia Military Institute from
the end OF the war until the death OF
his father. The son then succeeded
the father as president of Washing
ton and Lee and IS now it's presi-
dent emeritus. He lives in golden
retirement at the beautiful estate of
the Lees, know as Raven. worth in
Fairfax county, Virginia.
The opinion of General Gusts Lee
was sought today because historical
controversy has arisen over the state
ment that staff officer of General
Robert K. Lee is authority for the
assertion that has crept into a we'll
known Life OF Grant," to the effect
that Lee once delivered such glow
ing eulogy of General Grant. Up IN
the theory that General GUSTS Lee,
by reason of his near relationship
and close association with Robert E.
Lee, might be able to directly con-
firm or deny the declaration attri.
buted to his father. a representative
of the Sun visited him at Ravens
worth,
Il know that General Lee had a
very high opinion of General Grant.
But l doubt whether my father ever
said anything like the rest of the
supposed statement which purports
to quote him as having declared
that it would be difficult to find
Grants superior in all history.
My father was quiet. reserved,
self-contained gentleman, replied
the son. He was not in the habit
OF making broad assertions. He did
not indulge in the use of superla-
tives. l met him only occasionally
during the war, but after Its close.
while he was president of Washing
ton and Lee. l met him daily. was,
during these five years, a professor
at the Virginia Military Institute. |
frequently took tea with him in
the evenings. During all that time
no never spoke to me of the war.
nor did he ever give me his estimate
OF the military career of Gen. Grant.
have no doubt that my father
thought most highly of General
Grant, but he never spoke to me
about it. We did not talk about the
war. l helped him in getting to-
gether some of the reports and
papers dealing with the operations
OF our side In the war. never