Evening star., 1924-05-18

face of great odds when opposed to
Grant in Virginia. His knowledge
stood him in good stead.
After his marriage TO Miss Mary
Parke Custis, the granddaughter OF
Washingtons stepson. whose estate
looked down from the sloping Nir-
ginia hills of Arlington upon the Po-
tomac. he was employed upon coast
defenses and harbors, so that later
he was able to make the coastal cities
of the Carolinas impervious to the at
tackS Of the Union fleet He was
placed on the board of visitors of the
national military academy. and as a
result of this was. after the Mexican
war. made superintendent of that in
stitution.
The Mexican war gavs Lee oppor-
tunity to rise in his profession OF
arms. and Gen. Scott saw to it that
this officer should find recognition. lie
made him chief of his staff.
An incident in the Mexican campaign
- OF note. for after the surrender of
Gen. Lee at Appomattox d friend
asked Grant how he felt as he went
into the presence OF Gen. Lee. Was
he not sensible of a great clation
over his achievement" Grant replied
that. on the contrary, he was sensible
rather OF humiliation. When he found
Lee in full-dress uniform. while he
was himself in simple fatigue suit
a private's blouse. with only
| a generals straps to denote his rank
and with his boots spattered 10 the
| tops he was afraid that Lee
might imagine that he intended a dis
courtesy to him because of the Incl
dent that had occurred in Mexico
Gen. Scott was. he said. exceed
ingly particular as to all matters OF
etiquette and had given orders that
no officer should appear at headquar-
ters without being in full dress. On
some occasion thereafter Grant had
gone to headquarters in an ordinary
fatigue uniform and that not as neat
as it should have been, and had re-
ported to Lee. who was at the time
serving on Scott'S staff After the
business had been transacted. Lee
said: Il feel it my duty, captain, to
call your attention TO Gen. Scott's or
ders that an officer reporting to head =
quarters should be in full Uniform"
This incident said the general sud-
denly flashed across his mind and
made him uncomfortable lest Lee
should recall it also and ina gine that
he intended to affront him. DR. For
dyce Barker is the authority for this
story.
At the age of fifty-four, Col Lee
had to make the most momentous de-
ri iSin of i
himself to the service of his country
with a high sense of duty directing
his every act. Would he fight against
his loved Virginia in the civil war
that was inevitable. or would he re-
main with the army he. had so long
served? He would have to invade
Virginia, the home of his family
Could he do that? He believed sIav-
cry was wrong, but at the same time
he was duty bound to act with his
state, for the individual was subject
to her wishes and decisions. So when
he was proffered the command of the
forces of the United States, he de-
clined and resigned from the Army
Almost Immediately he was ap
pointed TO command the troops of
Virginia, and was, on the evening of
the day of the comforting of the new
rank, persuaded to resign in order not
to stand between the Confederacy and
his state, that had not yet Joined the
seeding commonwealths.
X \ X
LIS position was for a time most in
significant, for he drilled and or
ganized troops to be used by Gen. J.
E Johnston. It is a glimpse into the
unselfishness of Lee. Yet his heart
chafed at the inactivity; he was
chained to a desk, and hes wanted
service in the field.
The western part of Virginia Qater
West Virginia) was showing a dis
position to turn to the Union SIDE.
The Confederacy made a futile at
tempt to hold it. On the day that Gen.
Mcclellan left this field to supersede