Newspapers / The Durham Recorder (Durham, … / Aug. 24, 1864, edition 1 / Page 1
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Vol. XLV. HILLSBOROUGH, N. C, AUGUST 24, 1864; No. 2260.- REMINISCENSES OF GEN. LEE. A correspondent of tho Index, writing fruin the army of Northrn'jrginia. fur nishes l lie following reminiscences of the great chieftain Robert E. Lee : About the 20th of April, 1861, when Fort Sumter had just fallen, the Virginia convention hail paused tho ordinance of secession, and the whole country was ablaze with excitement. I happened at a little village on the Virginia Central Rail loud, where a bice crowd liaJ collected to get the news from the passing train. On the arrival of the train it was whispered around that Col. Robert E. Lee " was aboard on his war to tender his services to the authorities of his native State. There ' was an immediate call fur him which was persistently repeated until at last a modest. pleudid looking man, about five feet eight inches high, medium size, slightly grey ,hair and moustache and apparently about forty years old, made hjs appearance at the window of the baggage car, where he had taken reluge from rudegazen, bwed his acknowledgements amidst the shouts of H crowd, and hastily retired, 1 knew but little ot "Col. Lee-" before, but a single glance sufficed to show that be was no or dicarv man. I did not see him again for over twelve months.' The regiment to which I belonged was attached to Gen. Joseph K. Johnsion'a " Army of the She nandoah" until after the evacuation of Ma nassas in the Spring i f 62 when it went tnlollow " Stonewall Jackson" in his me inorable " valley campaign" and marched with him to thoe glorious victories which raited. the siege of Richmond. While the battle of Gaines's Mill was at its height a staflT officer (lathed up to a croup where I was standing not far io the rear of qur lines of bettle and inquired for Gen. Lee. Some one pointed to a tree not far ft un der which reclined an apparently old man, wnn utmie nair ami wniutn, wnom inau liken for some old citizen, drrssrd as lie was in a simple grev suit with no mark of 'ofiice and unattended at the time by even a single aid. But when the message was delivered he ruicklv mounted hi horse and, at with erect carriage and fiashins ove, he galloped towards the front. 1 thought that .he was the noblest looking man Iliad ever seen. Over twelve months of hard sen ice and pressing ores had wrought a great change in his personal ap pearance, whitening Ma hair and giving kirn a weather-beaten look but they had net lessened the elaticity of his mote caenti, or the nobility of soul which shines 'Out in his features. To see Gen. Lee qui tly sitting in church a stranger wouli take him for s-rae "father in Israel," but to see hi lii -on horseback reviewing his troops or directing a battle no one would . - l' . i till io pronounce mm - every men a ! tlier" the fitleader of the noble army up on 'whose banners victory hat so often herrhed. But one must know him in order fatly to appreciate his character. In the dis charge of liis duties he is prompt and de tided, and all who have businew with him must learn to be "short and to the point." Trailed upon him on one occasion in be half of a friend and beginning to tnke a !erhap( tedious statement, the Genera quietly reminded' me of "the point" to te decided, and questioned me clnelv up n those. Upon another occasion I went id ICC llllll Mimiuri wi a vimjn iiiij committee, and as the chairman was fjoing x into an introduction to the subject the General politely interrupted him by the question, What arc the points ? " ami on being told be took theui up-one at a time and briefly hut clearly gave his views on ' each. Yet while thus insisting upon brevi ty he extends to all who visit him a courtesy and kindness which certain subalterns I wot of would do well t9 imitate. A plain old fanner told me the other day that he , had less embarrassment in in interview with Geo. Lee than with certain Captains and Majors he had dealing! with, lie hit a fine memory and rarelv forrets a fact. name, or the smallest detail of business Saw tfter he took command of the Virgin ia forces Rev. A. K. Dickinson, Gen. Supt. of the Va. Bap. Col. Board, applied to him lor a general passport. Being busy at the lime, lie told him to call at. the " Ballard l'use at a certain hour and he would write it for him. Not knowing the Gene ral brother I), supposed that this was pro bably a polite way of declining, and thought no more about it until a year afterwards the General met him on the streets ol Charleston, S. C, recognized him, asked why he did not meet him at tlie " Ballard louse to get his passport, and offered to write it for him then. He does not like displav but frequently dresses in citizen's clothes, (he usually wears a plain uniform,) and rides about unattended. During one of the seven days fighting around Richmond in the summer o ') he was quietly resting under a tree when a surgeon rotle up and said: "Old man i have selected that tree for my hos pital and you must leave." "There is room enough for both of us, Dr., until the wounded come." .meekly responded the General ; but the surgeon was beginning to order him off again when an aid rode up and addressed nun an urn. Lee. To the surgeon's profuse apologies he only re plied, " There is room enough for us both, Doctor." He is of very even temper, and has been rarely known- to exhibit signs of impatience and then in the most quiet manner. While in rennvylu.ma some trops, utulerjhe eyes of their officers, violating his order against the destruction of private property, he rode over to where they wie and du mount't'ir from his horse begun with his own hand to put up a fence that had been thrown down his staff followed his.exam. pie, and as soon as the soldiers raw him 4 a a a ft titer fell to work with a yell and soon hail .... .. M the fence r'builj. Alter the anair at uris towe last Ftl he is sid to have been in i bad humor for a week, but gave few visi ble evidences of it. Un theTeturn across the Rappahannock seeing a crovd of idlers gathered where the pontoon bridge was be ing bum he seized hold ot a bam witn me remark, " I reckon I shall have to do eve rything." It is needless to add that all . - - " a . a a ' . the idler took litdd and the bridge was soon built. Uis habits are as simple as his dress, lie never makes' his headquarters in a house and olteu bivouacts out with the men. lie told ine not long since that even the tent which he used fur his winter quar ters, wis too dose for him, and that his health is always better when he is roughing in an active campaign. He is ever willing to share the fare of his men and is satisfied with whai they get. While camped near Hamilton's Crossing, when rations were very sliort, he invited his youngest sun then a privste in the Rockbridge Artillery, to take dinner with him. The bill of fare was beef and bread and bread and beef, " and young Lee aked, " Father i thi the best you can do at headquarters? " "Yes," replied the General, it is the best we can do at present, and 1 am satisfied since it is the Life of my nun." Young Lee then invited hi falhe.' to dine with his mess on a certain day, and by the aid of friends in the tiei;hborhood they had an elegant din ner picpared which the General pronounc ed too luxurious fofcamp." On a visit to Richmond lat January, at which time there was great crciy of rations in the army, he declined all invitations to dinsers and sugpers on the ground that he " could not consent to be letting while his men were on half rations." And at a dianer near Oramje C. II. he passed by the luxu ries with which the table was loaded and dined on ,: beef and bread," remarking that the fare of his soldiers was good enough for him. " In the same 'Spirit he declined the beautiful residence offered him for his family by. the citr council of Richmond, sating that "if they had funds to use for the ucneni oi soiuiers no mmcu wj wvmu . .1 ft i M. f t . .! ppropriate them for the benefit of his pri vates who were more needy end more de serving than himself. . , I shall not attempt to review the military career of the treat chieftain, since it it fresh ia the memory et an. or is ne a were military man-' of broad views, tho-! rough culture, and wide general reading, he is at noma, on well nigh every subject. A distinguished statesman visited him not ung since on a mauer of grave State poli cy, and altera lengthy interview remarked to a friend, " uen. Leo is not only the best General but she greatest statesman of the South." it . ' But the crowning 'glory of this noble man's character is tnat he is an humble, devoted christian. His piety is not uf so active a type as was Jackson's, but no one who has witnessed his bumble walk, or conversed with him at all upon the subject ot vital godliness, would doubt tor a single moment that it is equally sincere. He is said to be never so busy that he "cannot find time to st-udy bod a word, and oner earnest prayer for Divine guidance and strength. On being told that the chaplains of the ar my had the highest regard for him, and that some ot the most earnest prayers offered at their association, were in his behalf, his eyes glistened with tears as he replied, " I can only say that I need all the prayer thev can offer." His orders announcing victories, or summoning the army to fast ing and prayer, are models not only for their classic purity of style but also for the evangelical spirit which ther breathe, giv ing the glory of victory to tod, or callinj on " the defenders ot a jus cause" to " confess theirins and seek through Christ purity of heart." He has ever been the last friend of the chaplains, aoJ manifests the liveliest interest in their works. A frequent attendant at the chaplains' meet ings he exhibits the higheU gratification as some humble laborer in the camps tells of 'how the Lord is prospering his' work aod converting souls. A regular atten dant upon religious services when his du ties will permit, his eye kiudles at the more m - .&a . I . . J !i .a! auevting iruxns oi uie gospci, iuu u is ci dent to all that he is more than a mere idle listener. With such a character it would seem superfluous to say that Gen. Lee (or Marse Robert." as the'bovs familiarly call hinO is universally love J by the army.. He does not, perhaps, excite that enthusiasm wnicn Jackson 'did, but every one, from the Lieu- tenant General to the humblest private, has the most, unbounded confidence in him as a leader and love for him as a man. The world's" history affords no mure touching evidence. of the devotion of troops to their leader than the refusal of our boys to be led bv him in a charge which would so greatly imperil his valuable hie. Surely we should thank God for such a leader, while continued prayer.ascends that he mav be snared to the clo?e of this con- llict to reap the rich reward oi nis price less services.. From the Raleigh ConfcJertte. HAUEAS CORPUS. Uwi. . Cunninggim vs. Piter Multcll. P. H. Wixrros, U. G. Lxwis,? Count el Wr Petitioner. 'This is a proceeding under a writ of ha btas corpus, in which the petition, retun and proof, present the following cae : ' The petitioner is, and has been for five of six yearn, a local preacher ot liiCAlelho dit Episcopal Choreh, South, duly licens ed as such, according to the rules of hN church. It isapait ol the discipline o this church that the license of a loca preacher must be given by the Quarterly Conference, and signed by the President of the Conference, and must be renewed every ecclesiastical year. A local preacher is a minister of his church, and his duty is to'prcach and perform such other duties . ' . ! J! tl I .. - as may ue assigned uy nis presiding jciuer or preacher in charges but until ne is or dained as a deacon, he cannot administer the sacraments of his church. He is noi entitled to any salary or-payfor preaching or for the performance of his other minis- terial duties. The petitioner was, prior to the 17th day of February last, and has been ever since that time, located at the city of Raleigh, and has been constantly snd regularly engaged in prcichingevery Sunday, alternately, to two congregations in the country near the city,' and at the hospitals; and also performing other minis terial duties, by attending class meetings, &c, all umjer the superintendence of Dr. craven, ins preacher in .Charge, lie has received no salary or pay from his church or nis congregations, but1 has supported himself from the income of a hotel in the city of Raleigh, of which he is the owner and manager. Haying been enrolled as a conscript and carried1 to Camp Holmes, the petitioner claims to be discharged under an act of the Confederate Congress, ratified on the ITth. day of February, 1364, which grants an pxpmntinn frnm mililarv cprviro in ib ai. ny of the Confederate "States, lb "every minister ot religion authorized to preach according to the rules of his church, and . who at the passage of this act, shall be regularly employed in the discharge of his ministerial duties." The commandant of conscripts for this State. denies his right, and insists upon regaining him in custody' as a conscript under a regulation adopted by theliureau ot Conscription, to the fol lowing effects " If the party is a regular licensed minister, authorized to preach ac cording to the rules of his sect, and that is his only business, he is entitled to exemp tion. If, however, he depends for support on any other business, even if he should preach regularly, he is not entitled to ex- emption." . That the case of the petitioner is obvi ously within the letter of the act of Con gress, cannot be denied. He is, according to the policy of his church, a minister of religion duly authorized to preach, and he was aitne time or me passage ot the actot Congress regularly employed in the dis charge of this ministerial duties. He is, therefore, entitled to be exempted from performance of military service, unless the liureao of Uonscription is authorized, by. law, to make . a regulation other than that prescribed in the act of Congress, by which he shall be held as a conscript, or in con struing the words of. the act, the Bureau has adopted a construction which is in ac cordance with its spirit, though not within its strict letter. I cannot find in the act any authority conferred upon the Bureau of Conscription to frame regulations upon, this subject; and I cannot suppose that it saI on a rl.tim.trt an inflnpnr!nt nnvpr of legislation. In making protision for. carrying the act into effect, the Bureau must ascertain its meaning, and in doing so, must necessarily put a construction unon its I&nnjre. That ronstruction. i . or . though, is not conclusively binding upon the persons upon whom the act is io spe rate, for thy have an undoubted right jt appeal to the courts of law for redress, and it is the decisions ot inch courts alone which can finally settle the disputed point. The true and only inquiry before me, then, is whether the Bureau of Conscription has adopted the proper constructiorfof the act in question, according to the iBtention of those who framed it that is, according to the reason and spirit of it ? I have already remarked that the case of the petitioner.is obviously within the letter of the act of Congress. This being ao, it js incumbent upon the government to show ihat it is not also within its reason and spirit, for it is the first among the funda mental rules for the interpetration of laws, tOfonstrnp words in their usual and most known signification. If the words be dubi ous, then we may resort to other means for ascertaining the will of the Legislature ; among which is that of considering the reason and spirit of the law, or the cause which moved the Legislators to enact it. See! Blac. Con. 59 and CI. Supposing, then, that there is some dubiousness in the meaning of the act under consideration, let us inquire what was tho mstive which' induced members of Congreos to pass it? About that there cannot be the slightest doubt. Most manifestly, it was to afford to all who should not be' cajled into the field, to the men, women and children who should remain at home, the services of all the ministers of religion, of every grade' in .i'i fffiAmin9tSnrt uh. a.rl flilltf alia thorized to preach, and who, when the act .
The Durham Recorder (Durham, N.C.)
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Aug. 24, 1864, edition 1
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