The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-01-21
Robert Edward Lee.

Robert Edward Lee was born at
Stratford, Westmoreland county,
Virginia. His father was Light
Horse Harry Lee of Revolutionary
fame, and he was a descendant Of
two signers Of the Declaration of
independence. Patriotism was a
tradition Of the family. SO it was
natural that he should be educated
for the army He graduated from
West Point in 1929, entering the
engineering branch Of the service
At % he married Mary Curtis,
great granddaughter Of Martha
Washington and heiress Of tie
beautiful estate OF Arlington On
the Potomac, opposite Washington
City. Fortune seemed to have
marked him for its own. To birth,
wealth, cultivated mind, courtly
manners, a fine physique and hand
some face We're added personal
happiness and eminence in his pro-
fession. AS chief engineer OF the
army in the Mexican War he won
distinction: as superintendent OF
West Point in the fifties he intro
duccd the best methods known in
Europe. At the beginning Of the
Civil War he had only the rank of
Il colonel, bat General Winfield
Scott, head Of the national forces
was too old to take the field, and
he looked upon Lee as his most
probable successor.
In 1852, in entering his own son
at West Point, Lee said to him.
Duty is the sublimest word in the
language; You cannot do more
than your duty; you should never
wish to do less" Now the question
OF duty confronted Lee himself.
From the Very beginning Of our
government the question OF state
sovereignty versus the Union was a
matter Of debate. The south had
generally advocated the principle
Of state sovereignty. Lee was
'outherner. He felt that his fdel-
ity belonged first TO Virginia. In
a IL
decided for tie federal govern
ment. In remembering Lees de-
cision, it must be remembered that
his interest lay with the govern
ment. where immediate promotion
awaited him, with protection for
his home and family within the
Notifications of the capital There
is a reason TO believe, now, that
he knew that the union must
triumph, so that ne consciously led
q lost cause from the beginning.
Beautiful Arlington, his wife's
birthplace, his own home for thir-
~ years. and his children's ances-
tral inheritance, was lost immed-
lately. 1t lay on the natural line
Of defense Of the capital, and be-
came the first camping ground Of
the northern army. His fortune
was lost when he resigned his COM
mission and offered his services
TO the south. In the spring Of 1862
he was placed in command Of the
armies operating in defense of
Richmond. The mastery strategy
which Lee displayed in the Seven
Days. battles around Richmond
showed him TO be q commander Of
the highest order of ability. The
same may be said Of his movements
in opposition to General Pope
few weeks later. Lees success
against Mcclellan and Pope en-
boldened him TO attempt an in
vaSion OF Maryland in the fall Of
1862. This campaign was termina-
ted by>the battle of Antietam.
fought on the 10th and 18th Of
September. Not being pursued by
Mcclellan after this battle Lee re-
crossed the Potomac unmolested,
and then turned up the Shenandoah
valley Of the Rappahannock, talk
| ing position near Culpepper court
house. Mcclellan at length fol-
lowed, but on the 7th day Of No
vember, was superseded by Cen
eral Ambrose +. Burnside. Soon
after assuming command Of the
army, Burnside moved up the Rap
; pahannock. intending to cross the
river at Fredericksburg and pro-
| ceed from that point to Richmond;
but. when he reached Fredericks-
burg, he found Lee in position
ready to dispute his passage. After
some delay Burnside succeeded IN
crossing the river and attacking
Lee, but was defeated with con-
siderable loss. He succeeded, how
ever, in recrossing the river, and
4 few days later was relieved OF
his command and General Joseph
Hooker was appointed in his place.
After considerable time spent in
preparation Hooker moved against
Lee; but was defeated and driven
back at the battle Of Chancellors-
vile. May "a. Lee soon gathered
together lis available forces and
moved northward. his campaign
ending with the battle OF Gettys-
burg, which took place on the first
three days of July 1869. On the
first two days Of this battle the adj
vantage seemed TO rest with Lees
army. but on the third day be stalk
ed the issue in y grand charge.
which was completely repulsed, and
he WAS compelled 10 order 4 re-
treat. He succeeded in recroSsinS
the Potomac, and was again sale III
Virginia.
No operations OF importance were
undertaken by either army durinS
the winter OF iS63-6i, but early
IN My lNEi ioufcNAnf-( icnrral