Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 18.djvu/139

 Robert Edward Lee. 139

proclamation had accomplished what the appeals of her sister States had failed to bring about and driven Virginia to secession, he was compelled to choose between that Union and his native State.

THE WAY DUTY POINTED.

No one knew better than he the vast power and resources of the North; none more fully comprehended the magnitude of the im- pending contest and the sacrifice which he would make in casting his fortunes with the South; for Arlington, with all its sweet and cherished memories, lay smiling in the beauty of the opening spring, and he had but to reach forth his hand and grasp the baton of supreme command in the grand army which Lincoln was marshalling for the conflict ; but he heeded not the voice of friendship nor the prompt- ings of ambition; he heard not the pleadings of self-interest; he hesi- tated only long enough to decide which way duty pointed, and deciding that his first allegiance was due to his native State, promptly drew his sword in her defence. And

" Never hand waived sword from stain as free, Nor purer sword led braver band, Nor braver bled for a brighter land, Nor brighter land had cause as grand, Nor cause a chief like Lee."

And when after the most tremendous conflict the world has ever witnessed that brave band laid down its banners, heavy laden with the weight of glory and worn with fighting and weary with victory yielded at last to hunger and want and when that bright land was darkened with the black pall of despair and that grand cause crushed to earth by the weight of a host in arms well-nigh a million strong, he returned that sword to its scabbard as pure and stainless as when it first flashed in the face of the foe.

This is neither the time nor the occasion, were I competent for the task, by close analysis of his character and deeds, to approximate the place of Lee in the Pantheon of the great.

As a soldier he must yield precedence to Alexander, and Caesar, and Frederick, and Napoleon; but he was nevertheless a great captain, and as an accomplished English critic has written, "In strategy mighty, in battle terrible, in adversity, as in prosperity, a hero, indeed."

The bloody battles before Richmond, when, like a lion springing from his lair, he took the offensive, and hurling his army like a thun- der-bolt on the legion of McClellan, he defeated him at Cold Harbor