Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 14.djvu/502

 496 Southern Historical Society Papers.

And with a beautiful smile, he said: " Washington was an excep tion to all rule, and there was none like him."

I could find no words to answer, but instantly I said in thought: Surely Washington is no longer the only exception, for one like him, if not even greater, is here.

Lee sometimes indulged in satire, to which his greatness gave point and power. He was especially severe on newspaper criticisms of military movements — subjects about which the writers knew nothing.

" We made a great mistake, Mr. Hill, in the beginning of our struggle, and I fear, in spite of all we can do, it will prove t» be a fatal mistake," he said to me, after General Bragg ceased to com- mand the Army of Tennessee, an event Lee deplored.

" What mistake is that, General ?"

"Why, sir, in the beginning, we appointed all our worst generals to command the armies, and all our best generals to edit the news- papers. As you know. I have planned some campaigns and quite a number of battles. I have given the work all the care and thought I could, and sometimes when my plans were completed, as far as I could see, they seemed to be perfect. But, when I have fought them through, I have discovered defects, and occasionally wondered I did not see some of the defects in advance. When it was all over, I found, by reading a newspaper, that these best editor generals saw all the defects plainly from the start. Unfortunately, they did not communicate their knowledge to me until it was too late !" Then, after a pause, he added, with a beautiful, grave expression I can never forget: " I have no ambition but to serve the Confederacy, and do all I can to win our independence. I am willing to serve in any capacity to which the authorities ma}' assign me. I have done the best I could in the field, and have not succeeded as I could wish I am willing to yield mv place to these best generals, and I will do my best for the cause editing a newspaper."*

Jefferson Davis was as great in the cabinet as was Lee in the field. He was more resentful in temper, and more aggressive in his nature than Lee. His position, too, more exposed him to assaults from our own people. He had to make all appointments, and though often upon the recommendation of others, all the blame of mistake was charged to him, and mistakes were often charged by disappointed

the speech at La Grange in March, 1865.
 * Since making this address, I find that I repeated this same anecdote in