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15 - Recollections And Letters Of General Robert E. Lee by Robert E. Lee, Jr. · Recollections And Letters Of General Robert E. Lee

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  Speaker 1: Chapter fifteen of Recollections and Letters of General Robert E.
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  Speaker 1: Lee by Robert E. Lee Junior. This LibriVox recording is
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  Speaker 1: in the public domain. Chapter fifteen Mountain Rides, an incident
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  Speaker 1: about Traveler, the General's love for children, his friendship for
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  Speaker 1: ex President Davis, a ride with his daughter to the
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  Speaker 1: peaks of Otter. Mildred Lee's narrative Missus Lee at the
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  Speaker 1: White Sulfur Springs, the great attention paid her husband there
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  Speaker 1: his idea of life. Since the arrival of Lucy Long,
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  Speaker 1: My father was generally accompanied by one of my sisters
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  Speaker 1: in his rides, whenever the weather and the condition of
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  Speaker 1: the roads admitted of their going. It took very severe
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  Speaker 1: weather to keep him in, though often he could not
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  Speaker 1: spare the time, for during the winter months the days
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  Speaker 1: were very short. Every Monday afternoon there was a faculty meeting,
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  Speaker 1: and the vestry meetings of his church were held two
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  Speaker 1: or three times a month. Whenever I was in lecky Xington,
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  Speaker 1: I rode with him, and when he was prevented by
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  Speaker 1: any of the above mentioned causes, he would ask me
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  Speaker 1: to take Traveler out and give him a gallop, which
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  Speaker 1: I was delighted to do, and I think I had
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  Speaker 1: my revenge for his treatment of me on that ride
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  Speaker 1: from Orange to Fredericksburg in the winter of eighteen sixty two.
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  Speaker 1: My father's affection for his horses was very deep and strong.
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  Speaker 1: In a letter written from the springs one summer to
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  Speaker 1: his clerk in Lexington, he says, how is Traveler tell him?
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  Speaker 1: I miss him dreadfully and have repented of our separation
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  Speaker 1: but once, and that is the whole time since we parted.
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  Speaker 1: I think Traveler appreciated his love and sympathy and returned
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  Speaker 1: it as much as was in a horse's nature to do,
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  Speaker 1: as illustrative of his bond between them. A very pretty
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  Speaker 1: story was told me by missus S. P. Lee footnote,
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  Speaker 1: daughter of General W. N. Pendleton, Chief of Artillery of
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  Speaker 1: the A. N. Virginia, and widow of Colonel Edwin gray
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  Speaker 1: Lee d CSA and note. One afternoon in July of
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  Speaker 1: this year, the General rode down to the canal boat
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  Speaker 1: landing to put on board a young lady who had
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  Speaker 1: been visiting his daughters and was returning home. He dismounted,
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  Speaker 1: tied Traveler to a post, and was standing on the
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  Speaker 1: boat making his adieu when someone called out the traveler
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  Speaker 1: was loose. Sure enough, the gallant gray was making his
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  Speaker 1: way up the road, increasing his speed. As a number
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  Speaker 1: of boys and men tried to stop him. My father
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  Speaker 1: immediately stepped ashore, called to the crowd to stand still, and,
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  Speaker 1: advancing a few steps, gave a peculiar low whistle. At
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  Speaker 1: the first sound. Traveler stopped and pricked up his ears.
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  Speaker 1: The General whistled a second time, and the horse, with
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  Speaker 1: a glad whinnie, turned and trotted quietly back to his master,
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  Speaker 1: who padded and coaxed him before tying him up again.
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  Speaker 1: To a bystander. Expressing surprise at the creature's docility, the
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  Speaker 1: General observed that he did not see how any man
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  Speaker 1: could ride a horse for any length of time without
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  Speaker 1: a perfect understanding being established between them. My sister Mildred,
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  Speaker 1: who rode with him constantly this summer, tells me of
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  Speaker 1: his enjoyment of their long rides out into the beautiful,
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  Speaker 1: RESTful country. Nothing seemed to delight him so much. I
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  Speaker 1: have often known him to give rein to traveler and
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  Speaker 1: go at full speed to the top of some long hill,
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  Speaker 1: then turn and wait for me, jogging along on Lucy,
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  Speaker 1: calling out with merry voice, come along Miss Lucy, Miss
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  Speaker 1: Lucy Lucy Long. He would question the country people about
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  Speaker 1: the roads, where they came from, where they led to,
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  Speaker 1: and soon knew every farmer's name and every homestead in
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  Speaker 1: the county. He often said, I wish I had a
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  Speaker 1: little farm of my own, where we could live in
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  Speaker 1: peace to the end of our days. You girls could
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  Speaker 1: attend to the dairy and the cows and the sheep,
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  Speaker 1: and wait on your mother and me, for it is
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  Speaker 1: time now for us old people to rest and for
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  Speaker 1: the young people to work. All the children in the
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  Speaker 1: country round were devoted to him and felt no hesitation
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  Speaker 1: in approaching him after they once knew him. He used
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  Speaker 1: to meet his favorites among the little ones on the street,
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  Speaker 1: and would sometimes lift them up in front of him
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  Speaker 1: to give them a ride on traveler. That was the
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  Speaker 1: greatest treat he could provide. There is a very pretty
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  Speaker 1: story told of Virginia Lee Letcher, his god daughter, and
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  Speaker 1: her baby's sister Fanny, which is yet remembered among the
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  Speaker 1: Lexington people. Jenny had been followed by her persistent sister,
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  Speaker 1: and all the coaxing and the commanding of the six
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  Speaker 1: year old failed to make the younger return home. Fanny
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  Speaker 1: had sat down by the roadside to pout. When General
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  Speaker 1: Lee came riding by, Jenny at once appealed to him,
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  Speaker 1: General Lee, won't you please make this child go home
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  Speaker 1: to her mother. The General immediately rode over to where
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  Speaker 1: Fanny sat, leaned over from his saddle, and drew her
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  Speaker 1: up into his lap. There she sat in royal contentment,
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  Speaker 1: and was thus grandly escorted home. When Missus Letcher inquired
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  Speaker 1: of Jenny why she had given General Lee so much trouble,
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  Speaker 1: he received the naive reply, I couldn't make fan go home,
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  Speaker 1: and I thought he could do anything. Footnote daughters of
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  Speaker 1: Governor John Letcher, the war governor of Virginia. And note
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  Speaker 1: there was a little boy living with his mother who
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  Speaker 1: had come from New York. His father had been killed
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  Speaker 1: in our army. The little fellow, now Colonel Grier Munroe
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  Speaker 1: of New York City, was much teased at his playmates,
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  Speaker 1: calling him yankee when he knew he was not one.
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  Speaker 1: One day he marched into my father's office in the college,
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  Speaker 1: stated his case, and asked for redress. The next boy
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  Speaker 1: that calls you yankee, send him to me, said the General, which,
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  Speaker 1: when reported, struck such terror into the hearts of his
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  Speaker 1: small comrades, that the author defence was never repeated. There
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  Speaker 1: was another little boy who was accustomed to clamber up
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  Speaker 1: by the side of my father at the morning chapel exercises,
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  Speaker 1: and was so kindly treated that whenever he saw his
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  Speaker 1: distinguished friend, he straightway assumed a position beside him. At
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  Speaker 1: the college commencement, which was held in the chapel, the
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  Speaker 1: little fellow glided from his mother's side and quietly stole
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  Speaker 1: up to the platform. Soon he was nestled at the
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  Speaker 1: feet of the dignified President, and, resting his head upon
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  Speaker 1: his knees, dropped asleep. General Lee tenderly remained without moving,
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  Speaker 1: preferring to suffer from the constrained position rather than disturb
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  Speaker 1: the innocent slumberer. This boy is now the Reverend Carter
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  Speaker 1: Jones of the Baptist Church. About this time Ex President
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  Speaker 1: Davis was freed from the confinement of his prison at
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  Speaker 1: Fortress Monroe, where he had been for about two years.
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  Speaker 1: There was a warm personal friendship between these two men,
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  Speaker 1: dating from the time they were cadets at West Point together,
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  Speaker 1: and as his unjust and unnecessary imprisonment had pained and
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  Speaker 1: distressed none more than my father, so his release gave
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  Speaker 1: him corresponding joy. He at once wrote to him the
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  Speaker 1: following letter, full of feeling and sympathy. Lexington, Virginia, June one,
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  Speaker 1: eighteen sixty seven. Honorable Jefferson Davis, My dear mister Davis,
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  Speaker 1: you can conceive better than I can express, the misery
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  Speaker 1: which your friends have suffered from your long imprisonment and
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  Speaker 1: the other afflictions incident there too. To no one has
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  Speaker 1: this been more painful than to me, and the impossibility
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  Speaker 1: of affording relief has added to my distress. Your release
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  Speaker 1: has lifted a load from my heart which I have
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  Speaker 1: not words to tell. My daily prayer to the Great
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  Speaker 1: Ruler of the world is that he may shield you
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  Speaker 1: from all future harm, guard you from all evil, and
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  Speaker 1: give you that peace which the world cannot take away.
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  Speaker 1: That the rest of your days may be triumphantly happy.
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  Speaker 1: Is the sincere and earnest wish of your most obedient,
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  Speaker 1: faithful friend and servant, R. E. Lee. Though my father
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  Speaker 1: would take no part in the politics of the country,
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  Speaker 1: and rarely expressed his views on questions of that nature
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  Speaker 1: then occupying the minds of all, nevertheless, when he deemed
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  Speaker 1: it necessary and to the proper person. He very plainly
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  Speaker 1: said what he thought. The following letter to General Longstreet,
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  Speaker 1: in answer to one from him written about this time,
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  Speaker 1: illustrates what I have said in this connection and explains itself. Lexington, Virginia,
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  Speaker 1: October twenty ninth, eighteen sixty seven. General J. Longstreet, twenty
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  Speaker 1: one carn de Lay Street, New Orleans, Louisiana. My dear General,
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  Speaker 1: when I received your letter of the eighth of June,
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  Speaker 1: I had just returned from a short trip to Bedford
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  Speaker 1: County and was preparing for a more extended visit to
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  Speaker 1: the White Sulfur Springs for the benefit of missus Lee's health.
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  Speaker 1: As I could not write such a letter as you desired,
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  Speaker 1: and as you stated that you would leave New Orleans
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  Speaker 1: for Mexico in a week from the time you wrote,
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  Speaker 1: to be absent some months, I determined to delay my
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  Speaker 1: reply to my return. Although I have been here more
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  Speaker 1: than a month, I have been so occupied by necessary business,
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  Speaker 1: and so incommoded by the effects of an attack of illness,
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  Speaker 1: from which I have not yet recovered, that this is
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  Speaker 1: the first day that I have been able to write
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  Speaker 1: to you. I have avoided all discussion of political questions
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  Speaker 1: since the cessation of hostilities, and have in my own
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  Speaker 1: conduct and in my recommendations to others, endeavored to conform
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  Speaker 1: to existing circumstances. I consider this the part of wisdom
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  Speaker 1: as well as of duty. But while I think we
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  Speaker 1: should act under the law and according to the law
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  Speaker 1: imposed upon us, I cannot think the course pursued by
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  Speaker 1: the dominant political part the best for the interests of
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  Speaker 1: the country, and therefore cannot say so or give it
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  Speaker 1: my approval. This is the reason why I could not
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  Speaker 1: comply with the request in your letter. I am of
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  Speaker 1: the opinion that all who can should vote for the
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  Speaker 1: most intelligent, honest and conscientious men eligible to office, irrespective
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  Speaker 1: of former party opinions, who will endeavor to make the
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  Speaker 1: new constitutions and the laws passed under them, as beneficial
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  Speaker 1: as possible to the true interests, prosperity and liberty of
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  Speaker 1: all classes and conditions of the people. With my best
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  Speaker 1: wishes for your health and happiness, and my kindest regards
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  Speaker 1: to missus Longstreet and your children, I am with great
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  Speaker 1: regard and very truly and sincerely yours R. E. Lee.
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  Speaker 1: This summer, my father paid a visit to the Peaks
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  Speaker 1: of Otter, a famous group of mountains in the Blue
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  Speaker 1: Ridge Range situated in Bedford County, Virginia. He rode traveler
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  Speaker 1: and my sister Mildred accompanied him on Lucy Long. After
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  Speaker 1: visiting the peaks and ascending the summit, which is four
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  Speaker 1: thousand feet in height, he rode on to Liberty now
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  Speaker 1: Bedford City, ten miles distant, and spent the night at Abenal,
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  Speaker 1: the home of the Berwells, who were friends and connections
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  Speaker 1: of his. From there the writing party went to Captain Buford's,
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  Speaker 1: about twelve miles distant, where they spent the night and
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  Speaker 1: the next day. The Captain was a farmer, a great admirer,
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  Speaker 1: and a staunch upholder of his native state, Virginia in
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  Speaker 1: her fight for constitutional liberty from sixty one to sixty five.
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  Speaker 1: He had sent his sons into the army and had
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  Speaker 1: given of his substance freely to support the troops, as
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  Speaker 1: well as the poor and needy, the widow and orphans
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  Speaker 1: who had been left in wont by the death in
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  Speaker 1: battle of their natural protectors and by the ravages of war.
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  Speaker 1: In the early years of the struggle, my mother and sisters,
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  Speaker 1: when refugeeing, had boarded as they thought and intended at
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  Speaker 1: the time, at his home. But when they tried to
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  Speaker 1: induce him to accept pay for the shelter and food
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  Speaker 1: he had given them for a month or more, he
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  Speaker 1: sternly refused. His was a patriotism that hesitated at no sacrifice,
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  Speaker 1: and was of a kind and character that admitted of
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  Speaker 1: no self consideration. This trait, so strongly developed in him
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  Speaker 1: attracted the admiration and respect of my father. The visit
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  Speaker 1: he paid him was to thank him in person for
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  Speaker 1: the kindness extended to his wife and daughters, and also
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  Speaker 1: for a very large and handsome horse, which he had
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  Speaker 1: sent my father the last year I think of the war.
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  Speaker 1: My sister Mildred tells me what she can recollect of
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  Speaker 1: this ride. It is a source of endless regret to
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  Speaker 1: us that we cannot recall more. His companionship was at
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  Speaker 1: all times delightful to his children, and on an occasion
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  Speaker 1: of this kind, invigorated by the exercise, inspired by the
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  Speaker 1: bright skies, and relieved of all harassing cares, he became
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  Speaker 1: almost a boy again. My sister Mildred says, we started
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  Speaker 1: at daybreak one perfect June day, Papa on traveler I
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  Speaker 1: on Lucy long, our saddle bags being our only bluggage.
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  Speaker 1: He was in the gayest humor, laughing and joking with
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  Speaker 1: me as I paced along by his side. On quiet
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  Speaker 1: Miss Lucy Traveler seemed to sympathize with his master, his
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  Speaker 1: springy step, high head and bright eye clearly showing how
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  Speaker 1: happy he was and how much interest he took in
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  Speaker 1: this journey. He had to be constantly chided for his restlessness,
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  Speaker 1: and was told that it would be well for him
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  Speaker 1: to reserve some of his too abundant energy for the
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  Speaker 1: latter part of his trip. At midday, we dismounted and
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  Speaker 1: tying our horses while resting on the soft grass under
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  Speaker 1: a wild plum hedge by the roadside, ate our lunch.
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  Speaker 1: We then rode on and soon came to the James
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  Speaker 1: Ray River, which was crossed by a ferryboat. The ferryman
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  Speaker 1: was an old soldier, who of course recognized Papa and
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  Speaker 1: refused payment, nor could he be induced to take any
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  Speaker 1: further on the road. As our horses were climbing a steep,
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  Speaker 1: rocky ascent, we met some little children with very dirty
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  Speaker 1: faces playing on the road side. He spoke to them
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  Speaker 1: in his gentle, playful way, alluding to their faces and
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  Speaker 1: the desirability of using a little water. They stared at
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  Speaker 1: us with open eyed astonishment, and then scampered off up
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  Speaker 1: the hill. A few minutes later, in rounding this hill,
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  Speaker 1: we passed a little cabin. When out they all ran
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  Speaker 1: with clean faces, fresh aprons, and their hair nicely brushed,
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  Speaker 1: one little girl exclaiming, we know you are General Lee.
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  Speaker 1: We have got your picture. That night, about nine o'clock
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  Speaker 1: we reached the little mountain inn at the foot of
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  Speaker 1: the peaks, ate a hearty supper, and soon went to bed,
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  Speaker 1: tired out by our thirty mile road. Our bedrooms seemed
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  Speaker 1: to be aloft and the beds were of feathers, but
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  Speaker 1: I at least slept without turning. Next morning, at dawn
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  Speaker 1: of day we set out, accompanied by the master of
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  Speaker 1: the house, and rode for a long time up the
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  Speaker 1: mountain side, Lucy following closely behind traveler. Finally it became
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  Speaker 1: impossible to proceed further on horseback, so the horses were
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  Speaker 1: fastened to some trees and we climbed the rest of
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  Speaker 1: the way to the summit on foot. When the top
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  Speaker 1: was reached, we sat for a long time on a
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  Speaker 1: great rock gazing down on the glorious prospect beneath. Papa
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  Speaker 1: spoke but a few words and seemed very sad. I
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  Speaker 1: have heard there is now a mark on that rock
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  Speaker 1: showing where he sat. The innkeeper, who accompanied us all
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  Speaker 1: the way told us that we had ridden nearer the
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  Speaker 1: top than any other persons up to that time. Regaining
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  Speaker 1: our horses, we proceeded on our second day's journey, which
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  Speaker 1: was to end at Liberty, some ten miles distant. We
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  Speaker 1: had not ridden far when suddenly a black thundercloud arose,
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  Speaker 1: and in a few minutes a heavy shower broke over us.
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  Speaker 1: We galloped back to a log cabin we had just passed.
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  Speaker 1: Papa lifted me off of lucy and dripping with water,
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  Speaker 1: I rushed in while he led the horses under an
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  Speaker 1: adjacent shed. The woman of the house looked dark and
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  Speaker 1: the glum on seeing the pools of water forming from
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  Speaker 1: my dress on her freshly scoured floor, and when Papa
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  Speaker 1: came in with his muddy boots, her expression was more
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  Speaker 1: forbidding and gloomy. He asked her permission to wait there
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  Speaker 1: until the shower was over and praise her nice white floor,
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  Speaker 1: Regretting that we had marred its beauty. At this praise
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  Speaker 1: so becomingly bestowed, she was slightly appeased and asked us
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  Speaker 1: into the best room, which was adorned with colored prints
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  Speaker 1: of Lee, Jackson, Davis, and Johnston. When the shower ceased
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  Speaker 1: and Papa went out for the horses, I told her
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  Speaker 1: who he was, poor woman. She seems stunned and kept
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  Speaker 1: on saying, what will Joe say? What will Joe say?
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  Speaker 1: Joe was her husband and had been, like every other
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  Speaker 1: man in the country, a soldier in the Army of
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  Speaker 1: Northern Virginia. The shower over and the sun shining brightly,
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  Speaker 1: we rode along joyously through the refreshed hills and dust
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  Speaker 1: laid roads, arriving at Liberty in good time, and went
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  Speaker 1: to Avenal, the pretty home of the Burwells. The comforts
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  Speaker 1: of this sweet old place seemed very delicious to me
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  Speaker 1: after my short experience of roughing it. Papa was much
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  Speaker 1: amused when I appeared in Crinoline, my hoops having been
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  Speaker 1: squeezed into the saddle bags and brought with me. We
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  Speaker 1: remained there the next day Sunday, and the day after
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  Speaker 1: rode on some twelve miles to captain Buford's The Captain,
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  Speaker 1: in his shirt sleeves, received us with open arms, seemed
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  Speaker 1: much surprised at my full growth, and said, why General,
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  Speaker 1: you called her your little girl, and she is a
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  Speaker 1: real chunk of a gal. He showed us his fine
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  Speaker 1: Jersey cattle, his rich fields and well filled barns, and
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  Speaker 1: delighted in talking of the time during the war when
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  Speaker 1: Mamma Mary and Agnes paid him a visit. He overflowed
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  Speaker 1: with kindness and hospitality, and his table fairly groaned with
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  Speaker 1: the good things. Papa afterwards constantly quoted his original sayings,
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  Speaker 1: especially one on early rising, which was made on the
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  Speaker 1: eve of our arrival. When he told us good night,
• 18:36
  Speaker 1: Papa asked him what time he must be ready for
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  Speaker 1: breakfast next morning. Well, General, said the Captain, as you
• 18:43
  Speaker 1: have been writing hard, and as you are company, we
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  Speaker 1: will not have breakfast tomorrow until sun up, which meant
• 18:49
  Speaker 1: in those June days, somewhere about five o'clock. After a
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  Speaker 1: day spent pleasantly here, we started next morning. Early. On
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  Speaker 1: our return, halting for a short time in Buchanan, we
• 19:02
  Speaker 1: stopped at Colonel Edmund Pendleton's, who then lived there in
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  Speaker 1: an imposing white pillared edifice, formerly a bank. Missus Pendleton
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  Speaker 1: gave us some delicious apricots from her garden, which my
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  Speaker 1: father enjoyed greatly. We then proceeded on the road to Lexington,
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  Speaker 1: going by the Natural Bridge, where we had another short rest,
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  Speaker 1: and reached home the same night about ten o'clock after
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  Speaker 1: a forty mile ride. Shortly after this visit, Captain Beauford
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  Speaker 1: sent me a fine jersey cow on condition that I
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  Speaker 1: would get up early every morning in milk her and
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  Speaker 1: also send him a part of the butter I made.
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  Speaker 1: After my father returned from this trip, he began his
• 19:46
  Speaker 1: arrangements for taking my mother to the Greenbrier White Sulfur Springs.
• 19:50
  Speaker 1: He hoped that the waters and the change might be
• 19:53
  Speaker 1: of service to her general health, even if they should
• 19:56
  Speaker 1: not alleviate the severity of her rheumatic pains. About the
• 20:01
  Speaker 1: first of July, my mother, sister Agnes, and miss Mary Pendleton,
• 20:05
  Speaker 1: with my brother Custus in charge, set out for the
• 20:08
  Speaker 1: White Sulfur Springs. My father, with Professor J. J. White,
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: decided to make the journey to the same place on horseback.
• 20:16
  Speaker 1: They started a day in advance and were at Covington
• 20:19
  Speaker 1: when the ladies, traveling by stagecoach to Goshen, thence by
• 20:24
  Speaker 1: rail arrived there, after spending the night at Covington. The
• 20:28
  Speaker 1: passengers were put into as many stage coastes as were necessary,
• 20:33
  Speaker 1: and the long rough drive over the mountains by Callahans commenced.
• 20:37
  Speaker 1: General Lee, on traveler, was at once recognized, and when
• 20:41
  Speaker 1: it was found out by his fellow travelers that missus
• 20:43
  Speaker 1: Lee was with him, attentions and services of all kinds
• 20:47
  Speaker 1: were pressed on her party, and a most enjoyable lunch
• 20:50
  Speaker 1: was sent to the stage reserved for her. Seeing that
• 20:54
  Speaker 1: the other stages were much crowded, while the one reserve
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: for his wife had vacant seats, my father insisted that
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: some of the others should join his party, which they
• 21:03
  Speaker 1: very gladly did. He and Professor White went ahead of
• 21:07
  Speaker 1: the stages on their horses at the White Sulfur Springs.
• 21:11
  Speaker 1: The Harrison Cottage in Baltimore Row had been put at
• 21:15
  Speaker 1: my father's disposal, and the entire party was soon most
• 21:18
  Speaker 1: pleasantly established there. Mister W. W. Corcoran of Washington, Professor White,
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: Miss Mary Pendleton Agnes, and my father and brother had
• 21:29
  Speaker 1: a table together almost every day. Some special dainty was
• 21:33
  Speaker 1: sent to his table. My mother, of course, had her
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: meals served in her cottage. Her faithful and capable servant,
• 21:40
  Speaker 1: Millie Howard, was always most eager for her to appear
• 21:44
  Speaker 1: at her best, and took great pride in dressing her
• 21:47
  Speaker 1: up so far as she was allowed in becoming caps etc.
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: To receive her numerous visitors. My father's usual custom while
• 21:55
  Speaker 1: there was to spend some time in the morning in
• 21:58
  Speaker 1: the large parlor of the hotel before taking his ride
• 22:01
  Speaker 1: on traveler. After dinner he went again to the parlor,
• 22:05
  Speaker 1: and also after tea. Among the company were many old
• 22:09
  Speaker 1: friends and acquaintances from Baltimore, who could not sufficiently testify
• 22:14
  Speaker 1: their pleasure in this renewal of intercourse. Whenever he appeared
• 22:18
  Speaker 1: in parlor or ball room, he was the center of attraction,
• 22:21
  Speaker 1: and in vain the young men tried to engage the
• 22:24
  Speaker 1: attention of the young ladies. When General Lee was present
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: during his visit, a circus came to Dry Creek, a
• 22:32
  Speaker 1: neighboring settlement, and gave an exhibition. The manager rode over
• 22:36
  Speaker 1: to the springs, came to my father's cottage and insisted
• 22:40
  Speaker 1: on leaving several tickets, begging that General Lee would permit
• 22:43
  Speaker 1: him to send carriages for him and any friends he
• 22:46
  Speaker 1: might like to take to his show. These offers, my
• 22:49
  Speaker 1: father courteously declined, but bought many tickets, which he presented
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: to his little friends at the springs. During the morning,
• 22:57
  Speaker 1: he rode over to Dry Creek, where the crowds of
• 22:59
  Speaker 1: country people, many of them his old soldiers, feasted their
• 23:03
  Speaker 1: eyes on him, to the neglect of the circus. That night,
• 23:07
  Speaker 1: a special exhibition was given by the manager to General
• 23:10
  Speaker 1: Lee's friends, who were taken to seats draped with Confederate
• 23:14
  Speaker 1: colors red and white. After the return from the circus,
• 23:18
  Speaker 1: my father invited a large party to his cottage to
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: partake of a huge watermelon sent him by express from mobile.
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: It weighed about sixty pounds, and its producer thought the
• 23:30
  Speaker 1: only fitting way he could dispose of it was to
• 23:33
  Speaker 1: present it to General Lee. Every possible attention that love, admiration,
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: and respect could prompt was paid my father by the
• 23:41
  Speaker 1: guests at the springs, each one seeming anxious to do
• 23:45
  Speaker 1: him homage. My mother and sisters shared it all with him,
• 23:49
  Speaker 1: for any attention and kindness shown them went straight to
• 23:52
  Speaker 1: his heart. After spending three weeks at the White my
• 23:56
  Speaker 1: father's party went to the Old Sweet Springs, where they
• 24:00
  Speaker 1: were all made very comfortable, one of the parlors being
• 24:03
  Speaker 1: turned into a bedroom for my mother, so that in
• 24:06
  Speaker 1: her wheeled chair she could go out on the verandahs
• 24:09
  Speaker 1: and into the ball room. He was taken quite sick there,
• 24:13
  Speaker 1: and though he rode over from the White Sofur Springs,
• 24:16
  Speaker 1: was unable to continue his early rides for some time.
• 24:19
  Speaker 1: His room was on the first floor, with a window
• 24:22
  Speaker 1: opening on the end of the building. One morning, when
• 24:25
  Speaker 1: he was very unwell and it was important that he
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: should not be disturbed, Miss Pendleton found a countryman cautiously
• 24:32
  Speaker 1: opening the shutters from the outside. She quickly interfered, saying,
• 24:37
  Speaker 1: go away, this is General Lee's room. The man dropped back,
• 24:41
  Speaker 1: saying mournfully, I only wanted to see him. On another occasion,
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: some country people came to the Springs with plums and
• 24:49
  Speaker 1: berries for sale. Catching sight of him on the piazza,
• 24:53
  Speaker 1: they put down their baskets, took off their hats, and
• 24:56
  Speaker 1: hurrod most lustily for Mars Bob. They were his old soldiers.
• 25:01
  Speaker 1: When he acknowledged their loyalty by shaking hands with them,
• 25:05
  Speaker 1: they insisted on presenting him with their fruit. About the
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: first week in September, my father wrote back to Lexington
• 25:12
  Speaker 1: on traveler custus, taking my mother and Agnes back over
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: the same deedious journey by stage and rail. There have
• 25:20
  Speaker 1: been preserved very few letters from him at this time.
• 25:23
  Speaker 1: I find one to me full of kindness, wholesome advice
• 25:27
  Speaker 1: and offers of aid, in which he sends his thanks
• 25:31
  Speaker 1: to the President of the York River Railroad for a
• 25:34
  Speaker 1: courtesy tendered him White Sulfur Springs, Greenbrier County, West Virginia.
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: August five, eighteen sixty seven. My dear son, I receive
• 25:44
  Speaker 1: today your letter of the twenty eighth ault inclosing a
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: free ticket over the Richmond and York River Railroad from
• 25:52
  Speaker 1: its president, mister Dudley. Please present him my grateful thanks
• 25:56
  Speaker 1: for this mark of his esteem. I am very glad
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: to hear that the road is completed to the White House,
• 26:01
  Speaker 1: and that a boat connects it with Norfolk. The convenience
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: of the community and the interests of the road will
• 26:08
  Speaker 1: be promoted thereby. It is a difficult undertaking in these
• 26:12
  Speaker 1: times to build a road, and I hope the company
• 26:14
  Speaker 1: will soon be able to finish it to West Point
• 26:17
  Speaker 1: I suppose you have received before this the letter from
• 26:21
  Speaker 1: your mother and Agnes announcing our arrival at this place
• 26:25
  Speaker 1: and informing you of the company. The latter has been
• 26:28
  Speaker 1: much increased, and among the arrivals are the danger fields, Axels, Capertains,
• 26:34
  Speaker 1: Miss Bell Harrison, et cetera, et cetera. I told Agnes
• 26:38
  Speaker 1: to tell you how much we wished you were with us,
• 26:40
  Speaker 1: and as an inducement for you to join us if
• 26:43
  Speaker 1: you could leave home, if you would come, I would
• 26:46
  Speaker 1: pay your expenses. I feel very sensibly in my old
• 26:50
  Speaker 1: age the absence of my children, though I recognize the
• 26:54
  Speaker 1: necessity of every one's attending to his business, and admire
• 26:58
  Speaker 1: him the more for so doing. I am very glad
• 27:01
  Speaker 1: that you and Fitch Hugh have so far escaped the fever,
• 27:05
  Speaker 1: and hope you may avoid it altogether. Be prudent. I
• 27:09
  Speaker 1: am very sorry that your harvest promises a poor yield.
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: It will be better next year, but you must continue
• 27:15
  Speaker 1: systematically the improvement of the land. I know of no
• 27:19
  Speaker 1: better method than by lyming, and if you wish to
• 27:22
  Speaker 1: prosecute it and are in need of help, I will
• 27:25
  Speaker 1: aid you to the extent of last year, or more so,
• 27:29
  Speaker 1: make your arrangements and let me know your wishes. A
• 27:32
  Speaker 1: farmer's life is one of labor, but it is also
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: one of pleasure, and the consciousness of steady improvement, though
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: it may be slow, is very encouraging. I think you
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: had better also begin to make arrangements to build yourself
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: a house. If you can do nothing more than prepare
• 27:49
  Speaker 1: a sight, lay out a garden, orchard, et cetera, and
• 27:52
  Speaker 1: get a small house partly finished so as to inhabit it,
• 27:56
  Speaker 1: it will add to your comfort and health. I can
• 27:59
  Speaker 1: help you in that too. Now think about it. Then too,
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: you must get a new wife. I do not like
• 28:05
  Speaker 1: you being so lonely. I fear you will fall in
• 28:08
  Speaker 1: love with celibacy. I have heard some very pleasing reports
• 28:12
  Speaker 1: of fits you. I hope that his desires, if beneficial
• 28:16
  Speaker 1: to his happiness, may be crowned with success. I saw
• 28:20
  Speaker 1: the lady when I was in Petersburg and was much
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: pleased with her. I will get Agnes or your mother
• 28:26
  Speaker 1: to tell you what occurs at the springs. There are
• 28:29
  Speaker 1: some five hundred people here, very pleasant and kind, but
• 28:33
  Speaker 1: most of my time is passed alone with traveler in
• 28:36
  Speaker 1: the mountains. I hope your mother may derive some benefit
• 28:40
  Speaker 1: from the waters, but I see none. Now it will
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: at least afford her some variety and give her some pleasure,
• 28:47
  Speaker 1: of which there is a dearth with us. Now give
• 28:51
  Speaker 1: much love to fitz Hugh. All unite in love to
• 28:54
  Speaker 1: you God, Bless you, my son, Praise your affectionate father. R. E. Lee.
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: Early in September, my father sent my mother and sister
• 29:03
  Speaker 1: home to Lexington, while he mounted traveler and rode back
• 29:08
  Speaker 1: by way of the Hot Springs Healing and Rockbridge alam.
• 29:12
  Speaker 1: He was detained by indisposition a day or two at
• 29:15
  Speaker 1: the healing and writes to my mother a little note
• 29:18
  Speaker 1: from that place Healing Spring, September twelve, eighteen sixty seven.
• 29:23
  Speaker 1: My dear Mary, I arrived here on the tenth and
• 29:26
  Speaker 1: had expected to resume my journey this morning, but did
• 29:29
  Speaker 1: not feel able. Should nothing prevent I will leave here tomorrow,
• 29:33
  Speaker 1: but I fear I shall not be able to reach
• 29:35
  Speaker 1: the Rockbridge Alum, which I am told is twenty nine
• 29:39
  Speaker 1: miles distant. In that event, I will halt on the
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: road and arrive there on Saturday, lie over Sunday, and
• 29:46
  Speaker 1: reach Lexington on Monday. I am very anxious to get
• 29:49
  Speaker 1: to Lexington, and think nothing on the route will benefit me,
• 29:53
  Speaker 1: as I feel much concerned about the resumption of the
• 29:56
  Speaker 1: college exercises. Mister John Stewart, Missus mah and Marion, mister
• 30:01
  Speaker 1: Price and his daughters came over from the hot yesterday
• 30:04
  Speaker 1: to see me. The Stuarts are there on a Miss
• 30:07
  Speaker 1: Bell's account. Give much love to everybody. I hope you
• 30:11
  Speaker 1: reached Lexington safely and comfortably, and that all are well.
• 30:15
  Speaker 1: I hope to see you Monday. Till then, farewell, very
• 30:19
  Speaker 1: truly and affectionately, are e lee. It is to be
• 30:23
  Speaker 1: regretted that we have no accounts of these rides, the
• 30:26
  Speaker 1: people he met and what he said to them, where
• 30:28
  Speaker 1: he stayed, and who were his hosts. He was very
• 30:32
  Speaker 1: fond of horseback journeys, enjoyed the quiet and rest, the
• 30:36
  Speaker 1: freedom of mind and body, the close sympathy of his
• 30:39
  Speaker 1: old war horse, and the beauties of nature which are
• 30:42
  Speaker 1: to be seen at every turn in the mountains of Virginia. Ah.
• 30:46
  Speaker 1: If we could only obtain some records of his thoughts
• 30:49
  Speaker 1: as he rode all alone along the mountain roads, how
• 30:53
  Speaker 1: much more it would help us all in our trials
• 30:55
  Speaker 1: and troubles. He was a man of few words, very
• 30:58
  Speaker 1: loath to talk about himself, Nor do I believe anyone
• 31:02
  Speaker 1: ever knew what that great heart suffered. His idea of
• 31:06
  Speaker 1: life was to do his duty at whatever cost, and
• 31:09
  Speaker 1: to try to help others do theirs. End of Chapter fifteen,