The Palatka news and advertiser., 1916-01-21

army at the commencement OF the |
IInion advance. The confidence In
Grant of many officers and men hao
been shaken"
At Spottslyvania Nicolay and Hay,
authors of the Life of Lincola, say
"Grant was completely checkmated
That It's is true is evident from
the fact that turning aside from the
direct route to Richmond, with Lees
army in front of him, which army
announced in the beginning OF the
campaign as his objective, he march
ed toward the James River, which he
crossed in the effort to capture Pc
tersburg by surprise.
The army of Lee was, however, at
Petersburg in time, and there held
Grant at bay for nine months of the
summer and winter of ga and '65.
As far as the Confederates were
concerned, the annals of the siege OF
Petersburg might well be termed the
annals of starvation, exposure and
misery. True to its colors, the army
of Lee was starving to death. The
Commissary General reported that
"the Army of Northern Virginia was
living literally from hand to mouth" :"
Beef sold for Sc per pound and flour
at $1,000 a barrel. At one time,
pleading with his government for
food. Lee said that for three days his
men had been in line of battle and had
not tasted meat.
In the early spring of 1865, after
nine months of persistent effort. Grant
with 10000 men, well fed, clad and
armed, broke through the lines de-
Tended by Lees force of $4,000 veter-
ans, half starved, ragged and most Of
them shoeless.
l Then came the end at Appomattox,
where on April 8, 1865, the remnant Of
this once .agnifcent army, now num-
bering less than $4,000 (of which only
$4,000 were carrying arms) surren-
dered, and the Confederacy was no
more.
Upon this worlds stage no more pa
thetic scene, no more heroic incident
has ever been witnessed. With what
pride the generations yet unborn shall
claim descent from those who, true to
their sense of duty, which Lee him
self said was "the sublimest word in
the English language" fought under
the banner of this immortal soldier
and died on those victorious fields, or
surviving, stood true to his colors at
Appomattox.
In his farewell address to his ar
my he said "You will take with you
the satisfaction that proceeds from
the consciousness of duty faithfully
performed; and l earnestly pray that
a merciful God will extend to you His
blessing and protection. With an un-
ceasing admiration of your constancy
and devotion to your country and d
grateful remembrance of your kind
and generous consideration of myself
| bid you an affectionate farewell"
, Soon after the surrender he accept
ed the presidency of Washington Col
lege at Lexington, Va. He had re-
fused large proffers of money for hi.
: service or the use of his name for va
rious enterprises. He declined then
, all, saying he felt it his duty to liv,
with his people and to endeavor il
6 educating the youth of the South t.
, do all in his power to aid in the res
! toration of peace and harmony an
: the acceptance of the policy of tn
! State or general Government.
Through war in all ages and wit
;, all people arouses that which is wors
! in human nature, and though bloodli
y. est and bitterest is internecine war,
still seems difficult to believe eve
:, after the lapse of so short time a
;. forty years that for the part this nc
;. BILE man took in obedience to his con
: viction of duty Andrew Johnson, the
! President of Duty Andrew johnson
:, President of the United State:
y obtained his indictment for treason
' Against this unwarranted and igno
BILE act the great soldier Grant aros
and stayed the hand of malice an
:, persecution. 1t seems equally incredi
! BILE to conceive that within two month
=. of the death of Lee, which took plac
:, on October IL, 1870, speaking to
resolution which had for its objec
the return of the estate of Airing
ton to the family of Lee, Charles Sum
mer said in his place in the SeGate
eloquent Senators have alread.
; characterized the proposition and tn
traitor it seeks to commemorate.
; am not disposed to speak of Genera
Lee. 1t is enough to say that h,
! stands high in the catalogue of thos'
: who have imbued their hands in theiI
country's blood. l hand him over t.
the avenging pen of history"
AS man and soldier "the, avenging
pen of history" has already write,
this of Lee: In nobility of character
in moral gradeur, attested by his hu
manitv, he lived "the model for all fu
ture times" In the annals of wal
his place is with the greatest.
What OF, this charge of treason ans
! what kind of traitor was Lee? A dis
KTFIIT m TnMF