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20 - 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 twenty 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 twenty. The new home in Lexington,
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  Speaker 1: numerous guests, further sojourns at different baths, death of the
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  Speaker 1: General's brother, Smith Lee, visit to Ravensworth in the White House,
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  Speaker 1: Meetings with interesting people at White Sulfur Springs, death of
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  Speaker 1: Professor Preston. On my father's return to Lexington, the new
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  Speaker 1: house was ready. It adjoined the one he had been occupying,
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  Speaker 1: so the distance was not great and the transfer was
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  Speaker 1: easily accomplished. It was much larger and more comfortable than
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  Speaker 1: the one given up. My mother's room was on the
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  Speaker 1: first floor and opened out on the verandah extending three
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  Speaker 1: sides of the house, where she could be rolled in
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  Speaker 1: her chair. This she enjoyed intensely, for she was very
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  Speaker 1: fond of the open air, and one could see her
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  Speaker 1: there every bright day, with Missus Ruffner, a much petted cat,
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  Speaker 1: sitting on her shoulder or cradled in her lap. My
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  Speaker 1: father's favorite seat was in a deep window of the
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  Speaker 1: dining room, from which his eyes could rest on rolling
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  Speaker 1: hills of grass and grain, bounded by the ever changing mountains.
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  Speaker 1: After his early and simple dinner, he usually took a
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  Speaker 1: nap of a few minutes, sitting upright in his chair,
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  Speaker 1: his hand held and rubbed by one of his daughters.
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  Speaker 1: There was a new stable, warm and sunny for traveler
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  Speaker 1: and his companion Lucy long a cow house, wood shed, garden,
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  Speaker 1: and yard, all planned, laid out and built by my father.
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  Speaker 1: The increased room enabled him to invite a great number
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  Speaker 1: to visit him, and this summer the house was full.
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  Speaker 1: In answer to a letter from me on business which
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  Speaker 1: reached him during Commencement week, he writes, Lexington, Virginia, June nineteenth,
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  Speaker 1: eighteen sixty nine, My dear son, I have just received
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  Speaker 1: your letter of the tenth and have only time for
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  Speaker 1: a word. I hope all things are going well with
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  Speaker 1: you both. With the improved movements of your farm, proceeds
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  Speaker 1: will increase, and with experience, judgment and economy will augment greatly.
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  Speaker 1: You will have to get married if you wish to prosper,
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  Speaker 1: and must therefore make arrangements to build your house this fall.
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  Speaker 1: If I live through this coming week, I wish to
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  Speaker 1: pay you and f a visit the week following about
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  Speaker 1: July first. I am trying to persuade Custus to accompany me,
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  Speaker 1: but he has not yet responded. I am very much
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  Speaker 1: occupied with examinations, visitors, arrangements, et cetera. All are well
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  Speaker 1: and would send love if accessible. Mildred is full of
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  Speaker 1: housekeeping and dresses, and the house is full of young ladies.
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  Speaker 1: Missus Jones, Albert Burwell, Fairfax and Wickham others in expectation.
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  Speaker 1: Good Bye affectionately, your father are E Lee Robert E.
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  Speaker 1: Lee Junior. Ten days later, he writes to his son Fitzhugh,
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  Speaker 1: giving up his proposed visit to him at this time,
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  Speaker 1: expressing his regrets at the necessity, and telling his reasons
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  Speaker 1: for so doing. Lexington, Virginia, June thirty, eighteen sixty nine.
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  Speaker 1: My dear Fitzhugh, this is the day that I had
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  Speaker 1: proposed to visit you, but I find it impossible to
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  Speaker 1: get away. I find a great deal to do in
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  Speaker 1: closing up the past session and in preparing for the new.
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  Speaker 1: In addition, our college officers have all been changed Proctor, Clerk, treasurer, librarian,
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  Speaker 1: and the new incumbents enter upon their duties tomorrow. I
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  Speaker 1: shall have to be with them some days to initiate
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  Speaker 1: and install them. That would only delay me. But then
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  Speaker 1: on the fifteenth Proximo, the Educational Association of Virginia will
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  Speaker 1: meet here, and I should not be able to return
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  Speaker 1: in time, as I have never attended any of their
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  Speaker 1: meetings when elsewhere. If I were to go away when
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  Speaker 1: appointed here, it would look as if I wished to
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  Speaker 1: avoid them, which is not the case. After that is over,
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  Speaker 1: I must locate your poor mother at the baths footnote
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  Speaker 1: Rockbridge baths en note which she has made up her
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  Speaker 1: mind to visit, and prepare to go myself to the
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  Speaker 1: White Sulfur, the waters of which I want to drink
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  Speaker 1: for three or four weeks. So I do not see
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  Speaker 1: how I could get to the Pamucky before the fall.
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  Speaker 1: I want to get there very much to see you all,
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  Speaker 1: and as far as my personal predilections are concerned, would
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  Speaker 1: rather go there than to the White. But the doctors
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  Speaker 1: think it would not be so beneficial to me, and
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  Speaker 1: I am obliged now to consider my health. I propose, therefore,
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  Speaker 1: that you bring tab and the baby up to the
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  Speaker 1: mountains and leave them either at the baths with the
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  Speaker 1: mim or with me. If you cannot remain. Tell Rob
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  Speaker 1: if he can, he must also come and see us.
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  Speaker 1: If he were here now, he would find a very
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  Speaker 1: pleasant company. Missus Jones, Albert, Kirkland, Berwell, Fairfax, and Wickham
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  Speaker 1: all in the house with others out of it. They
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  Speaker 1: are so much engaged with the collegiates that custus and
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  Speaker 1: I see but little of them. But he could compete
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  Speaker 1: with the Yurler, which we cannot tell. My daughter tab
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  Speaker 1: her father is here very well and dined with us yesterday.
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  Speaker 1: Give my much love to grandson. He must not forget me.
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  Speaker 1: I have a puppy and a kitten for him to
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  Speaker 1: play with. All send love truly your father, are E Lee.
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  Speaker 1: General William H. Fitzhugh Lee. In a letter dated Lexington, Virginia,
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  Speaker 1: July ninth, he gives a further account of his plans
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  Speaker 1: for the summer. I have delivered your letter to Mildred,
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  Speaker 1: who has just returned from a visit to the University
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  Speaker 1: of Virginia, where she saw a great many persons and
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  Speaker 1: met with a great deal of pleasure She ought to
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  Speaker 1: be And I believe he is satisfied with commencements for
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  Speaker 1: this year, having participated in three I am sorry to
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  Speaker 1: tell you that I cannot go down to the Pammokey
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  Speaker 1: this summer as I had intended. I had hoped to
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  Speaker 1: be able after the conclusion of the commencement exercises of
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  Speaker 1: Washington College to visit the Pammokey and to return by
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  Speaker 1: the fifteenth Instant, so as to be present at the
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  Speaker 1: Convention of the Teachers of Virginia, which assembles here on
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  Speaker 1: that day. But I was detained here so long that
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  Speaker 1: I found I would be unable to accomplish what I desired. Custus,
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  Speaker 1: who was to have accompanied me, will go down in
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  Speaker 1: a day or two. About the twentieth of this month.
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  Speaker 1: I shall go to the Rockbridge Bass with missus Lee,
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  Speaker 1: who wishes to try the waters again, and after seeing
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  Speaker 1: her comfortably located, if nothing prevents, I shall go with
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  Speaker 1: Mildred and Agnes to the White Sulfur for a few weeks.
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  Speaker 1: It is delightfully quiet here now. Both institutions have closed,
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  Speaker 1: and all are off enjoying their holiday. I should like
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  Speaker 1: to remain if I could. Colonel Ship and Harding have
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  Speaker 1: gone to get married, report says Colonel Lyle, and Captain Henderson,
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  Speaker 1: it is said, will not return. Captain Preston, having been
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  Speaker 1: appointed professor at William and Mary. We shall necessarily lose him,
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  Speaker 1: but Colonel Allen will be back, and all the rest
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  Speaker 1: we are as well as you left us. The girls
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  Speaker 1: had several of their friends at commencement. All have departed
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  Speaker 1: except Miss Fairfax and Miss Wickham. The election is over
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  Speaker 1: and the town is tranquil. The quiet and rest which
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  Speaker 1: he so much desired, and which he was enjoying when
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  Speaker 1: he wrote, did not long remain his. He had just
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  Speaker 1: gotten my mother comfortably settled at the baths when he
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  Speaker 1: received the news of the sudden death of his brother Smith.
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  Speaker 1: He went at once to Alexandria, hoping to be in
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  Speaker 1: time for the burial. From there, he writes my Mother, Alexandria,
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  Speaker 1: July twenty five, eighteen sixty nine, My dear Mary, I
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  Speaker 1: arrived here last evening, too late to attend the burial
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  Speaker 1: of my dear brother, an account of which I have
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  Speaker 1: clipped from the Alexandria Gazette and enclosed to you. I
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  Speaker 1: wish you would preserve it. Fits and Mary went up
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  Speaker 1: to Ravensworth the evening of the funeral services Friday twenty third,
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  Speaker 1: so that I have not seen them, but my nephew
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  Speaker 1: Smith is here, and from him I have learned all particulars.
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  Speaker 1: The attack of his father was short, and his death
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  Speaker 1: apparently unexpected until a short time before it occurred. Mary Footnote,
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  Speaker 1: General Lee's eldest daughter end Note was present, and I
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  Speaker 1: hope of some comfort to her uncle. An assistant to
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  Speaker 1: her aunt, Fitz, came here the afternoon of his father's
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  Speaker 1: death Thursday the twenty second, made all arrangements for the funeral,
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  Speaker 1: went out to Ravensworth to announce the intelligence to our aunt.
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  Speaker 1: He carried down Friday morning on the steamer Missus Cooper
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  Speaker 1: and Jenny to stay with his mother, and returned that
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  Speaker 1: afternoon with his father's remains, which were committed to earth.
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  Speaker 1: As you will see described, John returned the next morning
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  Speaker 1: yesterday in the mail boat to his mother, with whom
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  Speaker 1: Dan stayed. Robert arrived this morning and has gone to
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  Speaker 1: Ravensworth to announce my arrival. I shall remain here until
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  Speaker 1: I see or hear from Fits, For as you will
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  Speaker 1: see by the gusezesz that account, the last resting place
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  Speaker 1: of the body has not been determined. Upon Fits, I
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  Speaker 1: understand wishes it interred at Hollywood Richmond. Nannie at the
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  Speaker 1: cemetery here where her father, mother and daughter are buried,
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  Speaker 1: and Missus Fitzhugh at Ravensworth. I think Nannie's wishes should
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  Speaker 1: be consulted. I shall probably leave to day or tomorrow,
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  Speaker 1: and after seeing all that remains to us of our
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  Speaker 1: dear brother, deposited in its last earthly home, and mingling
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  Speaker 1: my sorrow for a brief season with that of his
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  Speaker 1: dear wife and children, I shall return to you. Please
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  Speaker 1: send this letter after perusal to Agnes and Mildred, as
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  Speaker 1: I shall be unable to write to them. I am
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  Speaker 1: staying at the mansion house. Our aunt Maria did not
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  Speaker 1: come down to the funeral services, prevented I fear by
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  Speaker 1: her rheumatic attack. May God bless us all and preserve
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  Speaker 1: us for the time when we too must part the
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  Speaker 1: one from the other, which is now close at hand.
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  Speaker 1: And may we all meet again at the footstool of
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  Speaker 1: our merciful God, to be joined by his eternal love,
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  Speaker 1: never more to separate. Most truly and affectionately are e Lee,
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  Speaker 1: Missus m Seale. The loss of his brother was a
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  Speaker 1: great sorrow to him. They were devoted to each other,
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  Speaker 1: having always kept warm their boyish love Smith's admiration for
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  Speaker 1: and trust in my father were unbounded, and it was
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  Speaker 1: delightful to see them together and listen to the stories
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  Speaker 1: of the happy long ago they would tell about each other.
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  Speaker 1: No one could be near my uncle Smith without feeling
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  Speaker 1: his joyful influence. My sister Mary, who knew him long
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  Speaker 1: and well, and who was much attached to him, thus writes,
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  Speaker 1: no one who ever saw him can forget his beautiful face,
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  Speaker 1: charming personality, and grace of manner, which joined to a
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  Speaker 1: nobility of character and goodness of heart, attracted all who
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  Speaker 1: came in contact with him, and made him the most
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  Speaker 1: generally beloved and popula of men. This was especially so
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  Speaker 1: with women, to whom his conduct was that of a
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  Speaker 1: prier chevalier, the most chivalric and curtius. And having no
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  Speaker 1: daughters of his own, he turned with the tenderest affection
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  Speaker 1: to the daughters of his brother Robert. After all the
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  Speaker 1: arrangements connected with this sad event had been completed, my
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  Speaker 1: father went up to Ravensworth to see Aunt Maria, who
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  Speaker 1: had always been a second mother to his brother. There,
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  Speaker 1: amid the cool shades of this lovely old home, he
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  Speaker 1: rested for a day or two from the fatigues of
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  Speaker 1: travel and the intense heat during this visit, as he
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  Speaker 1: passed the room in which his mother had died, he
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  Speaker 1: lingered near the door and said to one present, forty
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  Speaker 1: years ago I stood in this room by my mother's
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  Speaker 1: death bed. It seems now but yesterday. While here, He
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  Speaker 1: determined to go back to Lexington via Richmond, and to
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  Speaker 1: run down thence to the White House to see his grandson.
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  Speaker 1: He arrived there on Friday, July thirtieth. On Sunday, he
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  Speaker 1: wrote to my mother, White House, New Kent, August first,
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  Speaker 1: eighteen sixty nine. My dear Mary, I arrived here on
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  Speaker 1: Friday last and found them all well. Our daughter Tab
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  Speaker 1: has not been altogether well and shows its effects. Her baby,
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  Speaker 1: I think would also be improved by Mountain air. I
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  Speaker 1: have therefore persuaded her to accompany me and join you
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  Speaker 1: at the baths. We shall leave Richmond if nothing prevents,
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  Speaker 1: on Tuesday morning, third instant, and hope to reach the
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  Speaker 1: baths that evening. In the stage from Goshen, I have
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  Speaker 1: written to mister Peyton requesting him to prepare a good
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  Speaker 1: room for Tab and her little family as near you
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  Speaker 1: as convenient, and trust we may reach there in health
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  Speaker 1: and comfort at the time appointed. I hope I shall
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  Speaker 1: find you well and comfortable, and markye in the enjoyment
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  Speaker 1: of every good. How are the poor little children? My
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  Speaker 1: previous letters will have informed you of everything important. I
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  Speaker 1: will supply all over missions when I see you. Custus
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  Speaker 1: is here much improved. I have not yet seen rob
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  Speaker 1: Farmers here are threshing out their wheat, which occupies them closely.
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  Speaker 1: Fitz Hughes is turning out well, and he hopes to
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  Speaker 1: gather of fair Kropp Robert came up last Wednesday with
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  Speaker 1: his friend mister Dollom, and went down Thursday. He was
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  Speaker 1: very well. Custus arrived Saturday week. Mister Kepler is here
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  Speaker 1: and will preach at Saint Peter's this morning. I hope
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  Speaker 1: to attend. Mister Kepler says his health is much improved.
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  Speaker 1: Fitz Hugh doses him with kolokog goodbye, affectionately, Yours, R. E. Lee.
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  Speaker 1: Saint Peter's was the old colonial church a few miles away,
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  Speaker 1: in which General Washington and Missus Custus were married about
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  Speaker 1: one hundred years prior to this time. Mister Kepler, the pastor,
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  Speaker 1: preached there twice a month he lived in Richmond, and
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  Speaker 1: to keep him free from fever and agu my brother
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  Speaker 1: dosed him freely with whenever he came down into the
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  Speaker 1: malarial country. I came up from Romancoke Sunday morning, arriving
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  Speaker 1: in time to be present at the christening of my nephew,
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  Speaker 1: which ceremony was decided on rather hurriedly in order that
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  Speaker 1: the grandfather might stand as godfather. After returning from the
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  Speaker 1: morning service at Saint Peter's, where we all went, it
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  Speaker 1: was decided that the mother and child should go to
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  Speaker 1: the mountains with my father, as there were some preparations
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  Speaker 1: for the summer to be made. His daughter and her
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  Speaker 1: baby went to Petersburg that afternoon, agreeing to meet the
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  Speaker 1: General in Richmond Monday night and start for the Rockbridge
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  Speaker 1: Baz Tuesday morning. On Monday, he writes to a friend
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  Speaker 1: with whom he had intended to stop for a day
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  Speaker 1: on his way back to Lexington, White House, New Kent, County,
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  Speaker 1: August first, eighteen sixty nine. I had promised myself the
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  Speaker 1: pleasure of seeing you on my way to Lexington, of
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  Speaker 1: spending with you one short day to cheer and refresh me.
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  Speaker 1: But I shall travel up the in a capacity that
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  Speaker 1: I have not undertaken for many years, as escort to
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  Speaker 1: a young mother and her infant, and it will require
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  Speaker 1: the concentration of all my faculties to perform my duties,
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  Speaker 1: even with tolerable comfort to my charge. I go up
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  Speaker 1: with my daughter. I may say this time too, my
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  Speaker 1: youngest daughter footnote his daughter in law, missus W. H. F. Lee,
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  Speaker 1: and note to place her with her Mamma at the
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  Speaker 1: Rockbridge Baths, the waters of which I hope will invigorate
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  Speaker 1: both mother and child, who have been wearied and weakened
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  Speaker 1: by the long attack of whooping cough from which the
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  Speaker 1: latter has suffered. I came down from Richmond to spend
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  Speaker 1: Sunday and was fortunate enough to find here my three sons.
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  Speaker 1: But I am sorry to say but one daughter, most
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  Speaker 1: truly yours, R. E. Lee. Monday night was spent in Richmond.
• 15:52
  Speaker 1: It was soon known that General Lee was at the
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  Speaker 1: Exchange Hotel, and great numbers came to call upon him,
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  Speaker 1: so that he was compelled to hold an informal reception
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  Speaker 1: in the large parlors. The next day, with his new
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  Speaker 1: daughter and her baby, he started for the baths, where
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  Speaker 1: they arrived safely the same night. Then he proceeded to
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  Speaker 1: carry out his original plan for the summer, and went
• 16:15
  Speaker 1: with his two daughters to the White Sulfur Springs. From there,
• 16:19
  Speaker 1: he writes to his wife, White Sulfur Springs, Greenbrier County,
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  Speaker 1: West Virginia, August tenth, eighteen sixty nine. My dear Mary,
• 16:27
  Speaker 1: I received this morning your addenda to Annie Wickham's letter
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  Speaker 1: enclosing custoses. I also received by same mail a letter
• 16:35
  Speaker 1: from mister Richardson reiterating his request to insert my portrait
• 16:39
  Speaker 1: in my father's memoirs, saying that it was by the
• 16:42
  Speaker 1: desire of many mutual friends on the ground of its
• 16:45
  Speaker 1: giving additional interest to the work and increasing its sale,
• 16:50
  Speaker 1: that may or may not be so at any rate.
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  Speaker 1: I differ from them. Besides, there is no good portrait
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  Speaker 1: accessible to him, and the engraving in the Lee family
• 17:00
  Speaker 1: I think would be an injury to any book. His
• 17:04
  Speaker 1: recent proposition of inserting my portrait where the family history
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  Speaker 1: is given takes from it a part of my obligation,
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  Speaker 1: and if it were believed that such an addition would
• 17:14
  Speaker 1: add to the interest of the book, I should assent.
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  Speaker 1: I have so told him and that I would write
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  Speaker 1: to you for your suggestions and to ask whether you
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  Speaker 1: could send him a portrait worth inserting. What do you
• 17:26
  Speaker 1: think there is to be a grand concert here tonight
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  Speaker 1: for the benefit of our church at Lexington. It is
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  Speaker 1: gotten up by Miss Mary Jones and other kind people here,
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  Speaker 1: and the proposition is so favorably received that I hope
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  Speaker 1: a handsome sum will be realized. The girls are well.
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  Speaker 1: I do not know how long they will continue, so
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  Speaker 1: they seem to be foot free. A great many visitors
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  Speaker 1: were turned off last night, no room for them. A
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  Speaker 1: grand ball in honor of mister Peabody is to come
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  Speaker 1: off tomorrow, after which it is supposed there will be
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  Speaker 1: more breathing space. I have seen mister and missus Charles
• 18:03
  Speaker 1: Ridgley of Hampton since I wrote, also numerous other acquaintances.
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  Speaker 1: I should prefer more quiet. How is my daughter? Tab
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  Speaker 1: mother and son are improving, I trust, I hope you
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  Speaker 1: and Marquis are also doing well. No change in myself
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  Speaker 1: as yet. The girls would send love if I could
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  Speaker 1: find them affectionately. Yours are e Lee, Missus R. E Le.
• 18:27
  Speaker 1: A few days later, he writes White Sulfur Springs August
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  Speaker 1: fourteenth eighteen sixty nine. My dear Mary, I received last
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  Speaker 1: night your letter of the thirteenth, very prompt delivery, and
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  Speaker 1: I am very glad to learn of the well doing
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  Speaker 1: of all of you. I am particularly pleased to hear
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  Speaker 1: that our daughter and grandson are improving, and should you
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  Speaker 1: find them not benefiting, I wish you would urge them
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  Speaker 1: to try some other springs, for I have it greatly
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  Speaker 1: to heart that they would receive all possible advantage from
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  Speaker 1: their summer trip. I hope Marquis will be benefited by
• 18:59
  Speaker 1: the red sweet The water is considered a great tonic,
• 19:03
  Speaker 1: but I fear none will be warm enough for her
• 19:05
  Speaker 1: but the hot. If I cannot get over to see her,
• 19:09
  Speaker 1: I will notify her of our departure from here, which
• 19:12
  Speaker 1: will be in about two weeks. I have received a
• 19:15
  Speaker 1: letter from fitz Lee saying that Mary would leave Richland's
• 19:19
  Speaker 1: last Tuesday tenth instant for Ravensworth, which I presume she did,
• 19:24
  Speaker 1: as his letter was postmarked that day at Accaiat's Creek
• 19:28
  Speaker 1: and was probably mailed by him or one of the
• 19:31
  Speaker 1: boys on putting her aboard the mail boat. You will
• 19:34
  Speaker 1: be glad to learn that the proceeds of the concert
• 19:37
  Speaker 1: for our church at Lexington netted six hundred and five dollars,
• 19:41
  Speaker 1: which has been subsequently increased to eight hundred and five
• 19:45
  Speaker 1: by Messrs Corcoran and Peabody, with a donation of one
• 19:48
  Speaker 1: hundred dollars from each. For all of this, I am
• 19:51
  Speaker 1: extremely grateful. As regards the portrait for mister Richardson, you
• 19:56
  Speaker 1: must do as you please. I shall not write to
• 19:58
  Speaker 1: him any more on the subject unless the portrait is
• 20:01
  Speaker 1: good and pleasing. I think it will be an injury
• 20:04
  Speaker 1: to the book. I have had a visit since commencing
• 20:07
  Speaker 1: this letter from a Missus William Both of New Orleans,
• 20:11
  Speaker 1: who showed me a wreath made in part. She says
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: of my your and Mildred's hair, sent her by you
• 20:18
  Speaker 1: more than two years ago. She says, she sent you
• 20:21
  Speaker 1: a similar one at the time, but of this I
• 20:24
  Speaker 1: could tell her nothing, for I recollect nothing about it.
• 20:28
  Speaker 1: She says, her necessities now compel her to put her
• 20:31
  Speaker 1: wreath up to raffle, and she desired to know whether
• 20:34
  Speaker 1: I had any objection to her scheme and whether I
• 20:37
  Speaker 1: would head the list. All this, as you may imagine,
• 20:40
  Speaker 1: is extremely agreeable to me, but I had to decline
• 20:43
  Speaker 1: her offer of taking a chance in her raffle. Miss
• 20:47
  Speaker 1: Mary Jones has gone to the suite. Tell miss Bell
• 20:50
  Speaker 1: I wish she were coming here. I shall be glad
• 20:53
  Speaker 1: to see Missus Caskey. Mildred has her picture. The girls
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: are always busy at something, but never ready the Stewards
• 21:01
  Speaker 1: have arrived. Missus Julia is improving very perceptibly. Love to all. R. E. Lee.
• 21:08
  Speaker 1: The marquie referred to in each of the above letters
• 21:11
  Speaker 1: was Martha Custus Williams, a great niece of my grandfather,
• 21:15
  Speaker 1: mister Custus, who had for many years lived at Arlington
• 21:19
  Speaker 1: with her uncle. The little children were her motherless nieces,
• 21:22
  Speaker 1: whom she had brought that summer to the mountains for
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: their health. General Lee had been engaged for some time
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: in bringing out a third edition of his father's memoirs
• 21:32
  Speaker 1: of the War of seventy six in the Southern States.
• 21:35
  Speaker 1: It was now in the hands of his publisher, mister
• 21:37
  Speaker 1: Richardson of New York. To this edition, he had added
• 21:41
  Speaker 1: a sketch of the famous lighthorse Harry, written by himself.
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: It was to his publisher's proposition of placing his portrait
• 21:49
  Speaker 1: in the introduction to the new work. That he at
• 21:52
  Speaker 1: first objected and then agreed, as stated in the two
• 21:55
  Speaker 1: letters just given. The season of sixty nine is still
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: noted in the annals of the White Sulfur as having
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: had in its unusually large company so many noted and
• 22:06
  Speaker 1: distinguished men. Mister George Pete Body and mister W. W. Corcoran,
• 22:11
  Speaker 1: the two great philanthropists, were among them, and helped to
• 22:14
  Speaker 1: enlarge the receipts of the concert for the benefit of
• 22:17
  Speaker 1: the Little Episcopal Church in Lexington, of which General Lee
• 22:20
  Speaker 1: was a member and a vestryman. By the last of
• 22:23
  Speaker 1: August he was back again in Lexington, making arrangements for
• 22:27
  Speaker 1: the homecoming of his wife and her party from the baths.
• 22:30
  Speaker 1: Here is part of another letter written soon after his
• 22:34
  Speaker 1: arrival home, some lines of which apparently relating to the servants,
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: have been partially obliterated by time. Lexington, Virginia, August thirty one,
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: eighteen sixty nine. My dear Mary, I received this evening
• 22:48
  Speaker 1: your note by Miss Mays. You had better come up
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: whenever agreeable to your party. We can only try them
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: and make the best of them. Alice, when she gets well,
• 22:58
  Speaker 1: will return if wanted, if cousin Julia footnote missus Richard
• 23:03
  Speaker 1: Stewart of Cedar Grove, and note will return with you.
• 23:07
  Speaker 1: You can see her here as well as there, and
• 23:10
  Speaker 1: we can all have that pleasure. If she will not,
• 23:13
  Speaker 1: you had better remain with her as long as she
• 23:15
  Speaker 1: will stay. Missus Pratt died to day at twelve thirty
• 23:19
  Speaker 1: p m. I received a letter to day from Edward
• 23:22
  Speaker 1: Child saying that he and Blanche would leave Liverpool in
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: the Java on September fourth, and, after spending a few
• 23:30
  Speaker 1: days in the North, would come to Lexington. He will
• 23:33
  Speaker 1: probably reach Boston about September fifteenth, so that they may
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: be expected here from the twentieth to the thirtieth of September.
• 23:41
  Speaker 1: I am anxious for them to see our daughter and
• 23:43
  Speaker 1: grandson and all our sons. Give my best love to
• 23:47
  Speaker 1: all with you. The girls would send love, but a
• 23:50
  Speaker 1: yearling and a leader of the herd occupy them footnote
• 23:56
  Speaker 1: yurling was a term that originated with us just after
• 23:59
  Speaker 1: the war, when many of the students were ex soldiers.
• 24:03
  Speaker 1: To distinguish the real boys from the confeds. From that expression,
• 24:07
  Speaker 1: a professor came to be called a leader of the herd.
• 24:10
  Speaker 1: It was a form of speech that we had kept
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: up amongst ourselves, and note affectionately yours R. E. Lee,
• 24:18
  Speaker 1: Missus M. C. Lee. This session of Washington College opened
• 24:23
  Speaker 1: with very favorable prospects. The number of students was larger
• 24:26
  Speaker 1: than ever before, every southern and some northern states being represented.
• 24:31
  Speaker 1: The new chairs of instruction which had been instituted, were
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: now in good working order, their professors were comfortably established,
• 24:39
  Speaker 1: and the entire machinery of the institution was running well
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: and smoothly. The President commenced to see some of the
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: results of his untiring energy and steady work. He had
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: many plans which lack of funds prevented him from carrying out.
• 24:54
  Speaker 1: One of them was a school of Commerce, in which
• 24:56
  Speaker 1: a student, while following the branches which would discipline a
• 24:59
  Speaker 1: coll stivate the mind, might also receive special instruction and
• 25:04
  Speaker 1: systematic training in whatever pertained to business in the largest
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: sense of the term. Another was a school of Medicine,
• 25:12
  Speaker 1: the plan for which, with full details, was drawn up
• 25:15
  Speaker 1: under his eye and kept in readiness until the funds
• 25:18
  Speaker 1: of the institution should permit of its being carried into effect.
• 25:23
  Speaker 1: His meeting with mister Peabody at the White Sulfur Springs
• 25:26
  Speaker 1: attracted that gentleman's attention to the college and to his
• 25:30
  Speaker 1: work as its president. To a request for his photograph
• 25:33
  Speaker 1: to be placed in the Peabody Institute among the friends
• 25:37
  Speaker 1: of its founder, he sends, with the likeness the following note.
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: Washington College, Virginia, September twenty five, eighteen sixty nine. F. Poole, Secretary,
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: Peabody Institute, Peabody, Massachusetts. Dear Sir, in compliance with your request,
• 25:53
  Speaker 1: I am sending a photograph of myself the last that
• 25:56
  Speaker 1: has been taken, and shall feel honored in its being
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: played among the friends of mister Peabodies. For though they
• 26:02
  Speaker 1: can be numbered by millions, yet all can appreciate the
• 26:06
  Speaker 1: man who has illustrated his age by his munificent charities
• 26:11
  Speaker 1: during his life, and by his wise provisions for promoting
• 26:14
  Speaker 1: the happiness of his fellow creatures. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
• 26:19
  Speaker 1: are E Lee. My father's family was now comfortably established
• 26:24
  Speaker 1: in their new home and had the usual number of
• 26:26
  Speaker 1: friends visiting them this autumn. In due time, Edward, child, Blanche,
• 26:31
  Speaker 1: and Ducky, their little dog, arrived and remained a week
• 26:35
  Speaker 1: or two. The last named member of the party was
• 26:38
  Speaker 1: of great interest. He was very minute very helpless and
• 26:42
  Speaker 1: received more attention than the average baby. He had crossed
• 26:46
  Speaker 1: the Atlantic in fear and trembling, and did not apparently
• 26:49
  Speaker 1: enjoy the new world. His utter helplessness had the great
• 26:53
  Speaker 1: care taken of him by his mistress. His ill health,
• 26:56
  Speaker 1: and the unutterable woe of his countenance greatly excited my
• 27:01
  Speaker 1: father's pity. After he went away, he often spoke of
• 27:04
  Speaker 1: him and referred to him, I find in one of
• 27:07
  Speaker 1: his letters. During this trip to America. Edward and his wife,
• 27:11
  Speaker 1: carrying the wretched ducky with them, paid their visit to
• 27:15
  Speaker 1: the White House this autumn. At the little carriage my
• 27:18
  Speaker 1: father mentioned having purchased from my mother in Baltimore, was
• 27:21
  Speaker 1: put into use. He frequently drove out in it with
• 27:25
  Speaker 1: my mother, his new daughter and grandson, Lucy Long under
• 27:29
  Speaker 1: his guidance, carefully carried them over the beautiful hills around Lexington.
• 27:34
  Speaker 1: One afternoon, while paying a visit with his daughter, tab
• 27:37
  Speaker 1: to Colonel William Preston Johnston, who lived two miles down
• 27:40
  Speaker 1: the river, and pulling up a steep ascent to the
• 27:43
  Speaker 1: front door, Lucy fell choked into unconsciousness by too tight
• 27:48
  Speaker 1: a collar. My father jumped out hastily got off the harness, and,
• 27:52
  Speaker 1: on perceiving the cause of the accident, reproached himself vehemently
• 27:56
  Speaker 1: for his carelessness and thoughtlessness. He was very very much
• 28:00
  Speaker 1: distressed at this accident, petted his mare, saying to her
• 28:04
  Speaker 1: in soothing tones that he was ashamed of himself for
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: having caused her all this pain after she had been
• 28:10
  Speaker 1: so faithful to him. His rides on Traveler, in which
• 28:14
  Speaker 1: he delighted so much, were not so frequent now. He
• 28:17
  Speaker 1: was not so strong as he had been through the
• 28:20
  Speaker 1: spring and summer, and indeed, during November he had a
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: very severe attack of cold, from which he did not
• 28:26
  Speaker 1: recover for several weeks. However, during the beautiful days of
• 28:30
  Speaker 1: October he was often seen out in the afternoons on
• 28:33
  Speaker 1: his old Gray. His favorite route was the road leading
• 28:37
  Speaker 1: to the Rockbridge Baths. A year previous to this time,
• 28:41
  Speaker 1: he would sometimes go as far as the baths and
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: return in an afternoon, a trip of twenty miles. A
• 28:47
  Speaker 1: part of this road led through a dense forest. One afternoon,
• 28:51
  Speaker 1: as he told the story himself, he met a plain
• 28:53
  Speaker 1: old soldier in the midst of these woods, who, recognizing
• 28:57
  Speaker 1: the general, reined in his horse and said General Lee,
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: I am powerful glad to see you, and I feel
• 29:03
  Speaker 1: like cheering you. The General replied that this would not do,
• 29:07
  Speaker 1: as they were all alone, only two of them, and
• 29:10
  Speaker 1: there would be no object whatever in cheering. But the
• 29:13
  Speaker 1: old soldier insisted that he must, and, waving his hat
• 29:16
  Speaker 1: about his head, cried out Hurrah for General Lee, and
• 29:20
  Speaker 1: kept repeating it as the General rode away. He continued
• 29:24
  Speaker 1: to hear the cheers until he was out of sight.
• 29:26
  Speaker 1: On another afternoon, as professors White and Nelson, taking a
• 29:31
  Speaker 1: horseback ride, approached the summit of a long hill, they
• 29:35
  Speaker 1: heard behind them the sound of a horse's feet running rapidly.
• 29:39
  Speaker 1: In a few moments, General Lee appeared on Traveler at
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: full speed. On joining his friends, he reined up and said,
• 29:46
  Speaker 1: I thought a little run would be good for Traveler.
• 29:49
  Speaker 1: He often gave his horse a breather, as he called it.
• 29:52
  Speaker 1: The animal was so strong and powerful that he chafed
• 29:55
  Speaker 1: at restraint, and, unless ridden regularly and hard, had a
• 30:00
  Speaker 1: very disagreeable, fretful trot. After a good gallop up one
• 30:04
  Speaker 1: of the long Rockbridge hills, he would proceed at a
• 30:08
  Speaker 1: quiet walk. The tenderness in my father's heart for children
• 30:12
  Speaker 1: I have already often remarked. Upon one afternoon, two little girls,
• 30:17
  Speaker 1: the daughters of two of his professors, were riding on
• 30:20
  Speaker 1: a gentle old horse, up and down one of the
• 30:22
  Speaker 1: back streets of the town. Fearing to go far from home.
• 30:26
  Speaker 1: The General, starting out on his afternoon ride, came up
• 30:30
  Speaker 1: with them, and, knowing them well, said gaily, come with me,
• 30:34
  Speaker 1: little girls, and I will show you a beautiful ride.
• 30:37
  Speaker 1: Only two delighted, they consented to go. He took them
• 30:41
  Speaker 1: out beyond the fair grounds, from which point there is
• 30:44
  Speaker 1: one of the grandest stretches of mountain scenery in the world.
• 30:49
  Speaker 1: One of the little maidens had her face tied up,
• 30:51
  Speaker 1: as she was just recovering from the mumps. He pretended
• 30:55
  Speaker 1: that he was much alarmed lest his horse should catch
• 30:58
  Speaker 1: them from her, and kept saying, I hope you won't
• 31:01
  Speaker 1: give traveler the mumps, and what shall I do if
• 31:04
  Speaker 1: Traveler gets the mumps. An hour later this party was
• 31:08
  Speaker 1: seen returning, the two little girls in sun bonnets on
• 31:12
  Speaker 1: the one old sleepy horse, and General Lee by their
• 31:16
  Speaker 1: side on traveler, who was stepping very proudly, as if
• 31:19
  Speaker 1: in scorn of his lowly companion. My father took the
• 31:23
  Speaker 1: children to their homes, helped them to dismount, took a
• 31:27
  Speaker 1: kiss from each, and, waving a parting salute, rode away.
• 31:31
  Speaker 1: It was such simple acts of kindness and consideration that
• 31:35
  Speaker 1: made all children confide in him and love him. Soon
• 31:39
  Speaker 1: after the attack of cold mentioned above, he writes to
• 31:43
  Speaker 1: his son Fitzhugh, then at the White House with his family, Lexington, Virginia,
• 31:48
  Speaker 1: December two, eighteen sixty nine. My dear fitz Hugh, your
• 31:53
  Speaker 1: letters to Custus told us of your well doing. I
• 31:56
  Speaker 1: want to see you all very much, and think the
• 31:58
  Speaker 1: side of my daughter and grivnson would do me good.
• 32:02
  Speaker 1: I have had a wretched cold, the effects of which
• 32:04
  Speaker 1: have not left me, but I am better. The doctors
• 32:08
  Speaker 1: still have me in hand, but I fear can do
• 32:11
  Speaker 1: no good. The present mild weather, I hope will be beneficial,
• 32:15
  Speaker 1: enabling me to ride and be in the open air.
• 32:18
  Speaker 1: But travelers trot is harder to me than it used
• 32:21
  Speaker 1: to be and fatigues me. We are all as usual,
• 32:25
  Speaker 1: the women of the family very fierce, and the men
• 32:28
  Speaker 1: very mild. Custus has been a little unwell, but is
• 32:32
  Speaker 1: well regulated by his sisters. Neither Gaiety nor extravagance prevails
• 32:37
  Speaker 1: amongst us, and the town is quiet. Our community has
• 32:41
  Speaker 1: been greatly grieved at the death of mister Frank Preston,
• 32:44
  Speaker 1: to whom I was much attached and for whom I
• 32:47
  Speaker 1: had a high esteem. Give my love to Burtus. Tell
• 32:50
  Speaker 1: him I hope Missus Taylor will retain one of her
• 32:53
  Speaker 1: little daughters for him. She always reserves the youngest of
• 32:57
  Speaker 1: the flock for Custus, as he is not particular. As
• 33:00
  Speaker 1: to an early date, your affectionate father, R. E. Lee,
• 33:04
  Speaker 1: General William H. F. Lee. Frank Preston, at the time
• 33:08
  Speaker 1: of his death was professor of Greek at William and
• 33:10
  Speaker 1: Mary College. He had been, prior to his appointment to
• 33:14
  Speaker 1: that position, an assistant professor at Washington College. He was
• 33:18
  Speaker 1: a native of Lexington, a son of Colonel Thomas L. Preston,
• 33:22
  Speaker 1: who was for so long a time professor at the
• 33:25
  Speaker 1: Virginia Military Institute. A brilliant scholar, trained in the best
• 33:29
  Speaker 1: German universities, and a gentleman in the highest sense of
• 33:33
  Speaker 1: the word. Frank had served his state in the late
• 33:36
  Speaker 1: War and had left an arm on the heights of Winchester.
• 33:40
  Speaker 1: On hearing of his death, President Lee issued the following announcement.
• 33:45
  Speaker 1: Washington College, November twenty three, eighteen sixty nine. The death
• 33:49
  Speaker 1: of Professor Frank Preston, a distinguished graduate and late Associate
• 33:54
  Speaker 1: professor of Greek in this College, has caused the deepest
• 33:57
  Speaker 1: sorrow in the hearts of the institution. Endowed with a
• 34:01
  Speaker 1: mind of rare capacity which had been enriched by diligent
• 34:05
  Speaker 1: study and careful cultivation, he stood among the first in
• 34:09
  Speaker 1: the state in his pursuit in life. We who so
• 34:12
  Speaker 1: long and so intimately possessed his acquaintance and so fully
• 34:16
  Speaker 1: enjoyed the privilege of his companionship, feel especially his loss
• 34:21
  Speaker 1: and grieve profoundly at his death. And we heartily sympathize
• 34:25
  Speaker 1: with his parents and relations in their great affliction, and
• 34:29
  Speaker 1: truly participate in the deep sorrow that has befallen them,
• 34:33
  Speaker 1: with the view of testifying the esteem felt for his
• 34:36
  Speaker 1: character and the respect due to his memory. All academic
• 34:40
  Speaker 1: exercises will be suspended for the day, and the faculty
• 34:44
  Speaker 1: and students are requested to attend in their respective bodies
• 34:48
  Speaker 1: his funeral services at the Presbyterian Church at eleven o'clock
• 34:53
  Speaker 1: to pay the last sad tribute of respect to his
• 34:57
  Speaker 1: earthly remains, while cherishing in their hearts. His many virtues
• 35:02
  Speaker 1: are E. Lee President, end of Chapter twenty