The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-09
GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE
DR.. Lafferty in Nashville Advocate.

wealth accumulated IN the family OF
Mrs. Lee.
While he was on the hither bank of
the distant Rio Grande. guarding the
settlers from the forays of banditti
lurking in Mexico and the fierce
ADaches, the tenn pest of Civil war was
gathering Lee never erred in mis- gauge
OF the evil darkenIng the horizon
lie held that secession would amount
70 revolution, provoking war TO be
fought with dire consequences. He was
summoned TO Washington by the
Secretary OF War. Events FASTENED.
Southern States had formed Con-
federacy. The attempt to REINFORCE
the garrison at Fort Sumter, in the
harbor of Charleston. caused the
Confederates TO destroy that fortress
with cannon Lincoln called On the
States for troops 10 invade the Con-
federated commonwealth. Virginia
had not seeded 1t must now furnish
its quota of armed men TO shoot down
their Southern kinsmen. or join them.
1t left the Union and attached itself
to the Confedsracy- Lee must now
decide He did not hesitate In d
letter TO his sister. who held the opin-
ions of her observation-disclosures to the
South-Lee said: Il have not been
able TO make up my mind to raise my
my home"
To secure Lees sword for the
Northern ferries OF States the supreme
prize OF military ambition was held
out TO him Mr.. Francis Preston
Blair in the name OF Mr. Lincoln.
OF those States remaining in the old
Union
We. have fullest information that
Il
was not iustled from an accurate esti-
mate OF the force and herceness Of the
two thunder clouds sure TO vent their
furr lie knew they were not masses
OF INST. but hurricane storms. sur
charged with death and devastation.
Ignorance, the offspring of distance
and lack Of rapid INSTRUMENTATION
between the sections. gave birth to
prcjudices and wild follies. Lee had
resided in the North as Superintend-
en-. at West Point and engineer at New
York lie was familiar with tho re-
sources of those States He said We
are al Americans of warrior races.
In "a letter TO Mrs. Lee he warned her
OF any thought of q quiet residence at
Arlington OF hope OF return We have
his settled views that a long war OF
ten years with hidcous train OF
blood and horrors. was approaching
He had gravest doubts If the South
could successfully cope with the re-
sources Of the North without foreign
aid
NfarshaIing the facts of Lees en-
vironment and counting in his convic-
tions a. 20 the ability of the South to
win against numbers 80 vast. consId-
ering the uncertainty OF his military
rank in the Southern army for 10
already had its gcncralsi and the Ger
tasntv OF ruin 20 his vast estate. and
the shscow OF scanoid IL failure was
the fate OF the Confcdcracy. has his
tory peer 10 such q display Of moral
majesty We'll has 10 been said that
not since The son OF Man stood on
tho exceeding high mountain and had
the offer Of the kingdoms OF earth has
there been such q temptation. such a
bribc % ambition
Not IN all this broad land, not within
the confines OF civilization. l. thcrc a
man. knowing the career Of Ice. who
would not boot the hint that this
round earth had lever or lodcstonc
potent TO curve such a character.
In the army portfolio OF General Lee
were found. after hts death. a number
OF brief observations. on loose sheets.
one Of these reflections IL the honor
rnerifcd by tho patriotic warrior Til.
warmcst instincts OF every mans soul
declare the glory Of a soldiers death.
The homage paid 70 the veteran Of tn
battlefield las its taproot IN the sccc
sacrifice FOR fcfiow-unen. Tho praisf
% warIike men IN an innate impulse Of
admiration for valor and scif-abnc-
CATION
only a single characteristic OF the
great American has been fetched 20
the ffonf-fhc imperative claim Of
duty. IL seemed Citing just nov to