The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-07
ThEBO0K SHELF
By THE BIBLIOPHILE

ROBERT E LEE. MAN AND SOL
 DEER"
 REVIEWED FOR THE BOOK SHELF BY DIR. CHILES CLIFTON TERRELL. (By Thomas Nelson Page. With Por- trait and Maps. Charles scribner's Sons, New York.)
 This. s.-recitai of southern valor must thrill every southern heart, even as it thrilled the hearts of the Athenians when Herodotus read to them his description of the battles of Marathon, Salamis and Mycale, or when the ''Persians'' of Aescbylus was acted before their eyes. MT. Pages account of the campaigns in which the Army of Northern. Vir- ginia took part is not only free from technical language, but clear and at ltractively written. He seems to have tried to get at the facts in every in- stance and to have recorded them faith fully without allowing his imagination as story writer to color .them He nsd nc advantage of personal letters rsfl' some of the actors in tine great . 5i&1aa The reviewer has had access sn few recent authorities, but he has tuned to the article on "The Amer lean Civil War" written for the new edision of "The Encyclopedia Brittanfca" DN Caarles Francis Atkinson, formerly scholar of Queens college, Oxford, and now captain in the Royal Fusiliers and believes 1t bears out Mir Page in his statements.
 The author of Robert E. Lee. Man and Soldier, repeatedly pays tribute to the ability and magnanimity of General IGrant.s He praises the skill of the fed- eral officers and the bravery of the men.
 As for the Confederate generals, he ap- pears to give honor in every case where Honor is due.
 But these soldiers of the south What was tho secret of their unexampled he- roism in the face of such overwhelming odds? MT. Page finds it in "the in- spiration that, sprnging from love of country, and nourished by love of liD- rty. sninates the breasts of those who, hrm in their conviction of right, fight pn their own soil for their homes and Eheir firesides." 1t was lafgely due to he personality of their peerless leader. Like his father Robert F.. Lee was soldier from his mothers womb The Fcenes among which he was born and he traditions among which he was rear ed quickened the military spirit within him. His ideal character was close at hand from his earliest boyhood His earliest days were spent In a region iled with traditions of him who. having consecrated his life to duty had with he fame of great soldier attained the
 
 5tratford was Wakefield, where Wash ngton was born, and not a great way Diff was Mount Vernon. Roberts boy hood was spent at Alexandria, which was ich in memories of the father of his ountry.
 When Virginia "seceded'' Lee had to make his choice, and it was indeed the choice of Hercules. He sacrificed the most brilliant prospects to his sense Of uty to his native state. All broad minded nen now agree that he was animated this by the noblest motives. In his hrge hearted tribute Charles Francis dams said in substance: If I had been ituated as he was, should doubtless. ave done as he. did" If Lee was q raitor, Cromwell was a traitor Wash 1gton was traitor, and-Jesus Christ tas a traitor'
 Some historians say Lee was a general be enough for defense; but he was niformly defeated when he took the or- fnsive; therefore he must be classed mong captains of the second rank only. Fage dsposes effectually of this view, rowing by numerous instances that Lee as not only a brilliant strategist, who ould divine every move of the enemy, ut also a general of remarkable audacity, though overwhelmed by vastly superior imbers, crippled by lack of supplies. nd hampered by the Confederate authori- eS at RlchmOnd, he repeatedly accom- ishsd the impossible. The reviewer lotes from leader in the London Stand d. "No one pretending to understand in e least. either the general principles
 military science or the particular con- tious of Ne American war, doubts that enerat IAeSgave higher prooofs of mil- ry Hent24 knd soldership than any or s o01lQ4XI He was outnumbered from rst 1Hnd all his victories were linG 4k greatly superior forces. bd GfU01ps deficient in every neces- ryH kcept courage and discipline.
 B was so much achieved
 So terrible" The author Jf
 f Robert Edward Lee. in the
 "The Encyclopedia Britain
 kBy his achievements he won ISTTR amongst fthe great generals Though hanfpered by lack Of N by political necessities. his
 daring always. and he never
 take the eravest risks. On