The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-09-03
MR.. G.
OF r. e. LEE
An Eminent Historian Thinks the
Noyclist's Book More Interesting
Than Adequate.

Y A@OOA
Than Adequate.
1Mr. William E. Dodd. the North
Carolina historian who has been in
yestigating and teaching Southern his
tory at the University OF Chicago the
asst three or four years. and who has
written a number Of authoritative
books in his chosen field, has written
the following review of Thomas Nell
son Pages Robert E. Lee: Man and
Soldier" (Charles Scribner's Sons) for
the Friday Literary Review OF n
Chicago Evening Post. For this
literary supplement-, one Of the best
in the United States. Mr.. Dodu writes
frequent reviews. Mr.. Dodd is at
present engaged, as editor and writer.
on a four-volume history of the
United States, referred to in the
Familiar Talks on page l OF the last
issue.-Editor.1
Mr.. Page has written many books.
and some OF them are worthy of a
place in our literature. OF recent
years he has turned his pen to his
torical subjects. This is the second
biography Of General Lee he has pub
Eshed during the last few years. He
worships the great confederate general
and in this many give him full SYM
pathy. But a biography which makes
it's appeal to the sober sense Of all
classes Of men and which is apt to
be quoted many a hence ought
not to be merely a process Of incense
Pages book Of 700 pages-interest-
ing. well written as they are.
General Lee. the greatest Of tho
military leaders brought forward by
the civil war. perhaps the greatest
OF all the military men the United
States has produced, a not yet
found a b~iographer. though many
panegyrists. Long and White and
Bruce and Page and others have
written good books about Lee, but no
one has taken up the great subject
sight and industry. This is to be re-
GREETED: and it is unfortunate that
Mr.. Page has not proved to be the
right man for the task. He knows
Virginia. is a part Of it. he has a
national reputation and he knows
how to write the English language,
an accomplishment none too common
in our day.
Let Us examine the book in hand
for a moment to see whether it meets
thu requirements of a great biOgra-
ply. In the important matter OF
Lees environment and inherited
traits the distiction is not drawn be-
tween the group which produced the
great soldier and the dominant ele-
ment in Virginia. Lees father was
a federalist Of the strictest school: he
hated Jefferson and all his teachings.
Lees brother wrote books and
pamphlets in defense of the father
against the great Virginia Democrat.
Lees mother. Ann Carter. was the
daughter Of Hill Carter, who was a
staunch Wing and an opponent of
the Democratic state rights school
his sister married Of the Mar
shalls, who was a most decided
nationalist. and who. with his son,
Lees nephew. fought against Virginia
and the South. Finally. Lee married
a Miss Gusts. a member of the
Washington family. and thus came
more closely into touch with the
nationalist tradition In Virginia. Lee
was Of all Virginians OF 1850 the
tionalist school OF thought, and he
was in the habit OF speaking of seces-
Sion as revolution. 1t could not have
been. a right Of Virginia to Withdraw
from h Union in 1861 in his view,
but it must have been a revolt and
the leader Of a revolt is a rebel.
This n much more might be said
oA 1AA pOAAAIs ola lO1IO4QS IL cSldOllSU
the view hat he was naturally in
sympathy with the idea of nationality
Mr.. Page has not examined this sub
ject carefully and he has not been
logical in what he a written.
On the question of the OF
the South the author is eloquent blu,
I%unconvincing. If. as he contends
the disparity of men and resources
was SO great n so overwhelming
how a he make out q case oj
craftsmanship for the leaders of thu
secession movement? No wise MAJ
commits himself and his family and
his country to a movement which has
no chance to succeed. Charles
Francis Adams contends for the same
hopeless fatalistic view about seces-
sion. Would it not be better 70,
students to take into account all The
conditions OF the case? Then they
would find that fho nb,r,ao -o.