Woman's enterprise., 1922-03-10

service April 1901 10 ueheIa1 oeo'''
when his native state had seeded
from the Union, he wrote from Ar
lington. Virginia, letter accompany
ing his resignation, in which ne SAID
"Save in defense Of my state, never
desire again to draw my sword" Inc
RESIGNATION was accepted, and three
DAYS later his commission as COM
mander of all forces in Virginia was
confirmed by the State Legislature.
Then followed the long four years
CT the War between the States, IN
which Robert E. Lee became the COM
mander-in-chif of all the Armies OF
the Confederacy, and with it all its
horrors and privations.
New Years day 1865 witnessed
sad and pitiful spectacle in the de-
voted army of General Lee. On every
hand he was threatened with ruin,
land with him the cause Of the South.
Food was scarce, the men were IN
sufficiently clad in their tattered uni
Iforms. and disease and death lurked
|everywhere. The confidence Of the
people was loosing ground. Lee was
the only man in the South in whom
| the populace had not lost faith, But
the time for hope and faith was pass
linz, General Grant with his well
equipped, and we'll fed army, was
pushing the half-starved Confederates
further South. Richmond and Peters
burg had surrendered after the des-
perate fighting and the great sacrl-
8 flee of blood that had been made to
o save them, Lee retreating to Farm
: vile was completely hemmed in,
: (which forced the Confederates to give
y |up the struggle. Lee surrendered to
f General Grant at Appomattox Court
o House April 9th, 1865.
! Peace was restored, Lee the main
!. lstay of the Southern Cause, had beer
g vanquished by the Overwhelming
:. numbers of the enemy, but ne hat
fought valiantly, and in accordance
with his conscience. He maintained
10 to the last moment that he was still
N capable of resisting, but had sur
\. rendered in the interest Of peace
at and to save further blood shed.
D. After the surrender Lee returne
q. Ito his home in Richmond, his wit
o. was always with him in Richmon
in during the Confederate war; and az
a. |companied him to Lexington whe
]v he took charge of Washington Un
he versity. Mrs. Lee had strong inte
u. |lectual powers, and persistently faN
ored the Confederate cause. LIZ
no remained quietly at home, where
an was visited by thousands, who calle
rs to express their admiration OF h
,;s abilities as a warrior. Federal O
. ficers passing on to the North att
y the war called on him to shake h
hand, and they were received vii
II dignifed kindness. He was placed
II charge of Washington University,
|l|Lexington, Va, where after mar
years. service in the education of tt
southern youths, he died October LIT
1870, after brief illness, which can
/ upon him suddenly in the form
nervous postration. His wife al
children were with him when he pas
ed away. Three days after Gener
|||Lee's death his remains were buri
beneath the Chapel of the Universe
at Lexington. His funeral ceremo
was simple in accordance to
wishes.
Not only the South, but the VIII
nation mourned his death; for
ability and worth was everywht
recognized.
February 1871, his eldest S
d George Washington Gusts Lee, 81
ceeded him as president Of Washil
ton University (now Washington 8
Lee University. He also had a n
itary education, and had served
Confederate army during the ent
war. On June 25th, 1868 he
commissioned Brigadier- General.
There is monument to Lees me
ory in Richmond, Va, also recr
bent statue by Valentine over
grave, and full-life bronze sta
i on a column at Lee Circle in New
leans.
There is a portrait Of him in
Senate Chamber in Richmond,
another at the University of Virgil
and one at the Louisiana State
versity, at Baton Rouge, La.
Arlington, Virginia, his spler