Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-01-23
ROBERT E. LEES
BIRTHDAY
BY John T. BOIFEUILLET

the earth from which he sprang and worthy
of the heaven to which he aspired" The
fruits of his goodness will be enjoyed by
mankind forever and ever, and his deeds
will shine brighter and brighter till the
perfect day.
Time will never dim the luster of his
genius which triumphed at Chancellors-
Vile, the brilliancy of his valorous prodi-l
gies at the Wilderness, and the grendeur
of the equanimity with which he met APP
pomattox, but as his fame grows older 1t
will Justify the measure of his greatness,
and cit will become the heroes of the
world to fashion their renoWn according
to the smilitude Of Lee" Unborn ages
will add to the millennium of his glory.
There was but one such man, and the
vacancy made by his passing has never
been filled. Millions are proclaiming
his shining virtues and unparalleled achieve
ments which never chanted them before.
He Iiveth and. reigneth in southern hearts
as the most sublime figure in all the
shifting scenes that constitute the tran
scendent drama of American life. The
south challenges history and the world to
produce another like Lee. He typified all
that was noblest and best in human ma
ture. He possessed perfect character in
all the moral virtues and in all the Chris
tian graces.
The calm judgment of the world has
marked him as the first soldier of any
race and all ages, if mighty accomplish
ments be contrasted with limited resources.
The following sentiment of a noble South
ern leader finds responsive echo in the
breast of every living hero who followed
the great commander, and the truth and
pride of the words are felt by all the sons
and daughters of the south: eve feel
today, more than ever, the honor that
comes OF being able to say, I fought under
Lee We are proud that he is ours. The
world will claim his deeds, but they were
for US. The world will eulogize his mem
DRY, and in that will praise u.s.
The hearts of all southerners thrill with
pride in the thought that the splendor OF
Lees valor and the glory of his deeds
form a monument of the common gran
deur of the Confederacy. He is greater
in his grave today than he was amid the
brilliant and enchanting scenes Of his
dazzling career which has shed undying
luster upon American chivalry, heroism
and character. His tomb is Shrine where
patriotic feeling may catch new inspiration
and life, new dignity and purpose.
Famous Statesman's Tribute
When Lee CROSSED over the river more
than a half century ago, to crest under
the shades of the trees" with Jackson, and
the south was bathed in tears and her
people were plunged into mourning, the
great Alexander H. Stephens, vice president
of the late Confederacy, eloquently said:
Lees deeds are his best eulogy-the only
one that is entirely fitting-and they will
go laundering down the ages, eloquent and
true, bidding history make room for one
who is peer Of the peerless, and breathing
a new song upon the Tyre of poesy. I'M
mortality might we'll covet such treas
ure, and history rejoices that he belongs
to her for evermore."
The life and death of Lee furnish lofty
illustration of the truth that 1t Is the
glory of Christianity to erect It's trophies
on the tomb The glorious virtues and
priceless merits of Lee are more deeply and
richly appreciated since he has entered into
the dreamless sleep of death. In passing to
the vo1celess land, he has left his country
men legacy Of hope, an example to follow,
a model of surprising excellence for the
coming ages to initiate and admire, and
which shall never cease to stir the purest
and tenderest sensibilities of human nature
Some of Lees Victories
The following comment of high praise is
taken from Nelson's encyclopaedia, whose
editor-in-chief is a northern man: lice Is
generally regarded by military critics as the
greatest leader on either side during the
Civil war, and one of the greatest leaders
of the nineteenth century in any country
His greatness, however, was a greatness OF
character even more than ability; and in
many respects he reminds one of Washing
ton"
1t is historically recorded that during the
war of the Revolution, Washington never
won a single battle, whereas, Lee achieved
numerous brilliant victories in the Civil
war, and in each of his numerous wonder
full engagements the army of the enemy was
always more than twice as large as that Of
the matchless Virginian.
It is impossible within the limitations of
this article even briefly to mention all of
the series of marvellous and daring opera
tions which immortalized the name of Lee
as commander of the grand old army of
northern Virginia. Be it sufficient to say,
by way of illustration, that at the very out
set of his command Of this superbly heroic
force he drove McClellan's vast army from
around Richmond to the James river, where
it took shelter under the federal gunboats.
Two hundred thousand union soldiers fled
ingloriously before Lees sixty thousand
warriors.
| Pope's army of $4,000 men met disaster
| at the second battle of Bull Run, being
scattered like chaff before the wind by
Lees army of scarcely sixty thousand.
Burnside, with his las, 900 soldiers, was
| terrifically repulsed around the heights of
| Fredericksburg by Lee, who led only $4,000
| braves
Lee achieved the most brilliant victory
of his unrivalled career when, with $4,000
! Confederates, he vanquished Hooker at
! Charlottesville, with his splendid force of
| 1872, 900.
A Mighty Battle
=; When Gettysburg was fought it became
! famous in history as one of the mightiest
| battles in the annals of modern warfare
| There Lee repulsed Meade on two successive