The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-01-26
WORTHY TRIBUTE
TO R0BT. {. LEE
The Hero OF "Century Of
Centuries"
A man OF TYPE ABOVE GRANT
A Brave Southern General
Whose Deeds Will Never
F0rSake Memory.
SOLDIERS LOVED HIM DEARLY

Last Wednesday was the birthday
anniversary of Gen. Robert e. Lee,
and in commemoration of the event,
the Louisville Times published the
following worthy tribute to his men,
DRY, contributed blythe undersigned:
When Lee Met Grant.
Forth from it's scabbard never hand
Drew sword from stain so free;
Nor purer sword led drawer band.
Nor drawer bled for a brighter land,
Nor brighter land had cause so grand
Nor cause a chief like Lee.
There are various lines of meeting
mental, sentimental and physical.
On the two first lines Lee never met
Grant at all. He scared so far above
Grant that the latter never moved
even in a parallel course. They be-
gan life with their backs together
and got farther apart to the end.
In all divine attributes which form
the Hero of the Century of all GEN.
turtles, Robert E. Lee stands first
Ulysses S. Grant was the typical rep
resentative Of brute force. He finally
wore Lee out as rough milestone
may grind diamond to powder.
1t is almost impossible to say
where Lee met Grant at points of
personal contact. During the early
years of the Civil War he put so
many leaders of the Federal army
out of commission that it makes the
head swim to think of it. McClel-
land, Mcdowell, Hooker, Burnside.
Banks, Pope and few lesser lights
went out like snuffing out so many
tallow dips. He had invaded Mary
land and Pennsylvania, where he
won battles, and failed at the Geth-
semane of Gettysburg, before meet
ing Grant later when mis- forces had
been reduced to a handful in COM
parison. "On to Richmond was the
watchword and reply of the entire
North, till, overwhelmed by num-
bers, Richmond fell and Lee retreat
ed south to Lynchburg and Apo
mattox, where he was surrounded by
the myrmidons of conquest.
At Gettysburg, as everywhere else,
Gen. Lee displayed the highest quail
tiles of man. He had ordered
Longstreet with his corps to attack |
the enemy at l p. m. that fatal July |
day, 1868. That tardy commander
waited till p. m. before moving. |
AS, late from his brave assault, Gen.
George B. Pickett's division came
Keeling back from the breastworks,
commander was there to comfort
and to cheer.
Its all my fault-it's all my
fault! General, | am sorry to see
you wounded-it's all my fault. Col
onel. | am sorry to see you suffer.
Captain, it's all my fault"
And so with words of sympathy
and self-blame, down to the heroic
privates in the ranks.
Its all my fault" But the god
of battles knew it was not his fault,
and so does the world-and history.
Was there ever a man like Lee?
What soldier, North or South. has
not known army commanders, corps,
division, brigade and even regiment
al officers to openly impart the
blame to some brother officer for the
loss of a battle? 1t was more COM
mon during our great war than re-
ciprocal commentator.
His soldiers loved him as a man
and a leader with a devotion un-
equaled in all the annals of time.
when he rode down the lines at
rest, on either side the way. every
soldier would rise to his feet, hat in
hand, to exclaim: Here comes
Marse Bob" AS he uncovered his
head and bowed In acknowledgment
the response would ring: God bless
that head! God bless that great
head and cover 1t in the hour of bat
tle!"
Lee certainly never met Grant |
while the latter was receiving like
distinction from his own army!
1t is conceded that the terms OF
surrender at Appomattox were gen.
erous; at the same time he was as
happy to quit, as he well might be,
for he had tried Southern mettle
before.
1t seems to have escaped the con-
ception of the historians. but Apo
mattox was Lees greatest victory
his victory as military chieftain. as
patriot and man. No one but hero
would have surrendered--any other