The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1912-01-26

ed greatness. Perhaps this can hest
be done by contrast. Recall .or a
moment the great soldiers Of ancient
and modern times. Alexander was
great as conquering king, but he
was man of dissolute habits, and
died in drunken spree, after having
murdered his most intimate friend.
Caesar was the most successful gen
eral of ancient times, but he was a
bloody, ambitious despot, and in his
campaigns in Gaul he ruthlessly slew
more than a million of his fellow
men. Victor Hugo halls Napoleon
as the Archangel of war. All his
tory has accorded him that distinc-
ton. However, as the incarnation
of selfish ambition he became 1.-The
scourge of Europe" kind of univer-
sal human butcher. Upon one occas-
ion Gen. Lee was approached on the
subject of his being elected president
Of the Copfederacy, upon the expira-
ton Of Mr. Davis term. He discour-
aged the idea, and said that whatever
talents he had were distinctly militia
ry talents. 81 think the military ana
civil talents are distinct and full; du-
ty in either sphere is about as mucn
as one can qualify himself to per-
form" Reminded of Caesar, Freder-
lex and Napoleon being statesmen as
well as generals, Lee promptly re-
piled: land great tyrants." Washing
ton was urged, when with beautiful
smile he responded: Washington
was an exception to all rules and
there was none like him." There
fore, if Gen. Lee does not call him into
the forum we too will pass him by.
And when we come to Grant he was
essentially soldier, his talents were
distinctly military. Even the immor-
tai Stonewall Jackson was primarily
a fighter, and a failure off the battle
field. Now competent authority has
placed Lee as the equal, if not the SUI
perior, of any of these great captains,
and nowhere is he outranked as pa
triot, citizen or educator, that is il
the primary purpose of education
Lee had no lust for war. He led
armies to battle only through sense
of duty, and in response to patriotic
impulses. In December, '62 he writes:
You have no idea what a horrible
sight battlefield is" Christmas
day of that year from Camp Freder-
icksDnrg, in the course of a letter to
his daughter, Mildred, he says:
But what cruel thing is war!
To separate and destroy families and
friends, and mar the purest joys and
happiness God has given us in this
world, and to fill our hearts with ha-
tired instead of love to our neighbors,
and to devastate the. fair face of this
beautiful world. | pray that on this
day when only peace and good will
are preached to mankind, better
thoughts may fill the hearts of our
enemies, and turn them to peace"
An anecdote will serve to give us
an idea of the estimate the opposing
generals had of Lees military abili-
ty. Almost Immediately after the
surrender, Gen. Meade called on Gen.
Lee, and in the course of the CONVEX
sation remarked:
Nov that the war may be consid-
cred over, l hope you will not deem
1t improper for me to ask, for my
information, the strength OF
your army around Richmond and Pc
tersburg."
Gen. Lee replied "At no time did
my forces exceed $4,000 men, often
was less"
With look of surprise, Gen. Meade
answered: General, you amaze me!
We always estimated your forces at
about 10000 men," &
Gen. Lee had been an associate of
Meade's in the engineers in the old
army, and he turned to him and said
Meade, years are tell
ing on you; your hair is getting quite
gray"
"Ah! General Lee" was MeaGe's
'eply. ut is not the work of years.
you are responsible for my gray
1airs"