The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-19
GENERAL G. w. c. LEE.


For tho truo clements OF greatness
that were his, and for his unsclfsh de-
votion TO her rs a soldier and citizen
virginia mourns the death Of General
George Washington Gusts Lee. The
eldest son OF u great SIRE having many
Of his finest traits. lie was tho pos
SCISSOR of uncommon abilities and of
noble qualities OF character. To him
as a soldier, his contemporaries. both
in tho ''old army" OF the United States
and in the Confederate army, pay high
tribute. \ first honor graduate OF
West Point, he served in the United
States Army with distinction until the
hour came when, like his father, he
offered his sword TO Virginia Re
strained by staff duties in Richmond.
he saw little service in the field until
toward the final years OF the strug
Gle, but as a soldier in action he served
with such distinguished conduct rs to
entitlo him 10 even loftier rank than
the major generally which lie received.
Modesty in the highest degree was q
characteristic of both General Robert
Z Lee and his son who died yesterday.
Neither sought promotion nor 'repu-
tation even in the lannon's mouth;
both always forgot self to think OF
others. IT was the fathers desire from
tho first that his son should be sol
der in the field as ii was tile sons.
hut ii was the will OF President Davis
that the son should serve as one OF
his staff officers. and SO it came about
that in the greater part of the war
q. w c. Lee was on staff duty, fire.
Quen,ly acting as the method Of COM
munication between the Confederate
President and Lee, the elder. In the
spring OF 1861. President Davis
through q distinguished general. sent
n message 10 General Lee saying that
he would order the son TO n certain i'm
portant command, and would make him
majors general or lieutcnant-Genc AT
the same time expressing an exalted
opinion OF the ability of the son as "a
soldier. but the father replied: - am
very much Obliged TO the Presidcnt for
his high opinion Of GUSTS Lee, and l
hone that If GUSTS has the oppor-
,unity he Will prove himself not en-
trely unworthy OF the Presidents high
opinion. But he is an untricd man
Against his Will and my own the Pres
idcnt has kept him on his staif-and I
Will not take untried man and pro-
mote him over my veteran officers, es-
reciallY when that man is my own
SON. When General Ewell. after
Sailors Creek, protested that the dis
ciplne preserved by General G. w. Q
Lee in camp and on the march, and
the manner In which he handled his
troops in action. fully tustihed the re-
quest had made for his promotion"
President Davis replied that the only
obstacle 10 be overcome was Lees OBJ
lection 10 receiving promotion" In
the same connection Mr.. Davis refers
to his valuable services" as 4 CON
nander OF the local troops for the de-
fcnsc OF Richmond
His offer TO the Union government
10 substitute himself for his brother,
General ". II. L. Lee, when the latter
was held aga hostage of war under
sentence II Death, because the latter
had wife and children. while he had
none, was characteristic of the man. AS
was his attempt to give Arlington TO
his father and mother when 1t had
been willed TO him
For more than three decades he en-
listed himself in the cause OF oduca-
ton in the South For tho first I'VE
years after Appomattox lac was pro.
lessor OF mechanics and engineering
At tho Virginia Military Institute. in
ls.i he succeeded his father as prcsi-
dent of Washington and Lee, ana until
1887 administered that institution In
an cminently satisfactory manner.
largely upon The lines laid down by
his father.
lie served the nation that was and
tho nation that is, faithful through All
To- his State. lie did lis duty simply
and quietly wherever he found it Yin
GINA holds his memory i'll enduring
honor.