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22 - 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 two 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 two, The Southern Trip,
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  Speaker 1: Letters to Missus Lee from Richmond and Savannah from Brandon,
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  Speaker 1: Agnes Lee's account of her father's greetings from old friends
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  Speaker 1: and old soldiers Wilmington and Norfolk do him honor visits
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  Speaker 1: to Fitzhugh and Robert in their homes. It is to
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  Speaker 1: be regretted that so little was written by my father
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  Speaker 1: while on this trip. In the Letters Extant, he scarcely
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  Speaker 1: refers to his reception by the people at different points visited.
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  Speaker 1: His daughter, Agnes tells more. And we can imagine how
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  Speaker 1: tenderly and joyfully he was greeted by his old soldiers,
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  Speaker 1: their wives, children, and friends. He was very unwilling to
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  Speaker 1: be made a hero anywhere, and most reluctant to show
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  Speaker 1: himself to the crowds assembled at every station along his route,
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  Speaker 1: pressing to catch sight of him. Why should they care
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  Speaker 1: to see me, he would say, when urged to appear
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  Speaker 1: on the platform of the train, I am only a
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  Speaker 1: poor old Confederate. This feeling natural to him, was probably
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  Speaker 1: intensified at that time by the state of his health.
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  Speaker 1: On Sunday, he writes to my mother of his trip
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  Speaker 1: to Richmond and of his stay there. Richmond, Virginia, March
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  Speaker 1: twenty ninth, eighteen seventy, My dear Mary, I reached here
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  Speaker 1: Friday afternoon and had a more comfortable journey than I expected.
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  Speaker 1: The night aboard the packet was very trying, but I
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  Speaker 1: survived it and the dust of the railroad. The following day,
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  Speaker 1: yesterday the doctors Houston, mc graw and Cunningham examined me
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  Speaker 1: for two hours, and I believe contemplate returning to day.
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  Speaker 1: They say they will make up their opinion and communicate
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  Speaker 1: it to doctor Barton, who will write me what to do.
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  Speaker 1: In the meantime, they desire me to continue his prescriptions.
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  Speaker 1: I think I feel better than when I left Lexington,
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  Speaker 1: certainly stronger, but am a little feverish. Whether it is
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  Speaker 1: produced by the journey or the toddies that Agnes and ministers,
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  Speaker 1: I do not know. I have not been able to
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  Speaker 1: see anybody, nor was I able to get the groceries yesterday.
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  Speaker 1: Agnes thinks you will have enough to last till I
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  Speaker 1: get back here. When I will select them and send
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  Speaker 1: them up. Should you want any particular article, write to
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  Speaker 1: Messrs Bacon and Lewis for it. I saw yesterday morning
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  Speaker 1: mister John Stewart and Miss Mary footnote Miss Mary Stuart
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  Speaker 1: of brook Hill. Afterward missus Thomas Pinkney of South Carolina,
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  Speaker 1: and note, who had called to see Agnes but found
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  Speaker 1: she was out. Miss Mary looked very sweet and inquired
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  Speaker 1: about you all. Agnes wrote out there yesterday afternoon and
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  Speaker 1: saw all the family. I am told all our friends
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  Speaker 1: here are well. Many of my northern friends have done
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  Speaker 1: me the honor to call on me, among them Brick Pomeroy.
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  Speaker 1: They like to see all that is going on. Agnes
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  Speaker 1: has gone to church with Colonel Corley. I was afraid
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  Speaker 1: to go. The day is unfavorable, and I should see
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  Speaker 1: so many of my old friends to whom I would
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  Speaker 1: like to speak, that it might be injurious to me.
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  Speaker 1: I was in hopes that fitz Hugh might make his
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  Speaker 1: appearance yesterday, when we should have learned all about those below,
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  Speaker 1: but he did not. I hear that they are all well. However,
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  Speaker 1: I expect to continue our journey tomorrow if nothing prevents,
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  Speaker 1: though I have not yet got the information I desire
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  Speaker 1: about the roots. Still I will get on. I will
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  Speaker 1: leave to Agnes to tell you about herself. Love to
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  Speaker 1: all truly, R E Lee. The next letter that I
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  Speaker 1: find is written from Savannah, Savannah, Georgia, April second, eighteen seventy,
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  Speaker 1: My dear Mary. I reached here yesterday evening and have
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  Speaker 1: borne the journey much better than I expected. I think
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  Speaker 1: I am stronger than when I left Lexington, but otherwise
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  Speaker 1: can discover no difference. I have had a tedious journey
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  Speaker 1: upon the whole, and have more than ever regretted that
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  Speaker 1: I undertook it. However, I have enjoyed meeting many friends,
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  Speaker 1: and the old soldiers have greeted me very cordially. My
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  Speaker 1: visit to dear Annie's grave was mournful yet soothing to
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  Speaker 1: my feelings, and I was glad to have the opportunity
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  Speaker 1: of thanking the kind friends for their care of her
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  Speaker 1: while living, and their attention to her since her death.
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  Speaker 1: I saw most of the ladies of the committee who
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  Speaker 1: undertook the preparation of the monument and the enclosure of
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  Speaker 1: the cemetery, and was very kindly received by all the
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  Speaker 1: citizens of Warranton, and indeed at all the towns through
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  Speaker 1: which we passed. Yesterday, several gentlemen from Savannah met the
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  Speaker 1: train in which we came from Augusta, General Lawton, mister
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  Speaker 1: Andrew Low, mister Hudson, et cetera, et cetera. I found
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  Speaker 1: they had arranged among themselves about my sojourn, so I
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  Speaker 1: yielded at once, and after depositing Agnes at General Lawton's,
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  Speaker 1: I came off to mister Low's, where I am now domiciled.
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  Speaker 1: His house is partially dismantled and he is keeping house alone,
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  Speaker 1: so I have a very quiet time. This morning, I
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  Speaker 1: took a short drive around the city with Agnes and
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  Speaker 1: Miss Lawton, and on returning called on Missus Eliot, who
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  Speaker 1: has her two widow daughters living with her. Missus Elliot
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  Speaker 1: and Missus Abersham. I also went to see Missus Gordon,
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  Speaker 1: Missus Gilmour, and Missus Owen, and then return to the Lows,
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  Speaker 1: where I find he has invited some gentlemen to meet
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  Speaker 1: me at dinner. General Joe Johnston, General Lawton, General Gilmour,
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  Speaker 1: Colonel Corley, et cetera. Colonel Coraley has stuck to me
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  Speaker 1: all the journey and now talks of going to New Orleans.
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  Speaker 1: The weather to day is rather cool and raw, with
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  Speaker 1: an easterly wind, and if it continues, I will go
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  Speaker 1: on to Florida next week. The woods are filled with flowers,
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  Speaker 1: yellow jasmine covering all the trees, et cetera, and fresh
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  Speaker 1: vegetables everywhere. I must leave Agnes to give you all details.
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  Speaker 1: The writing desk is placed in a dark corner in
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  Speaker 1: this handsome house, prepared for younger eyes than mine, and
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  Speaker 1: I can hardly see what I write. All friends inquire
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  Speaker 1: after after you, Custus, Mary and Mildred, give my love
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  Speaker 1: to all, and believe me most truly. R. E. Lee,
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  Speaker 1: Missus R. E. Lee. The Colonel Corley mentioned in the
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  Speaker 1: above letters had been on General Lee's staff as chief
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  Speaker 1: Quartermaster from the time he assumed command of the Army
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  Speaker 1: of Northern Virginia until the surrender. His voluntary service as
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  Speaker 1: escort on this trip, so delicately offered and performed, was
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  Speaker 1: highly appreciated by his old commander. A letter from his
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  Speaker 1: daughter to her mother, written the next day, tells many
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  Speaker 1: particulars of their journey, but still leaves much to be desired. Savannah, Georgia,
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  Speaker 1: April three, eighteen seventy I hardly know where to commence.
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  Speaker 1: I have so little time to write. We left Richmond
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  Speaker 1: Monday two p m. We reached Warrenton at ten o'clock
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  Speaker 1: and were taken to their house by mister Missus White,
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  Speaker 1: who met us at the depot. The next morning, Papa
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  Speaker 1: and I drove with Captain White's horses to the cemetery.
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  Speaker 1: Missus White gave me a quantity of beautiful word white hyacinths,
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  Speaker 1: which she said were for you too. And I had
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  Speaker 1: brought some gray moss that Kiddy Styles had given me.
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  Speaker 1: This I twined on the base of the monument. The
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  Speaker 1: flowers looked very pure and beautiful. The place is just
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  Speaker 1: as it is in mister Hope's picture which I have.
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  Speaker 1: It was a great satisfaction to be there again. We
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  Speaker 1: did not go to the springs a mile off. Returning,
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  Speaker 1: we stopped at mister Joe Jones, old mister Jay's son.
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  Speaker 1: They insisted on our taking dinner. He has eleven children,
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  Speaker 1: I think, and there were numerous others there. They loaded
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  Speaker 1: me with flowers. The gardens full of hyacinths and early
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  Speaker 1: spring flowers. Missus Jones is a very nice lady. One
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  Speaker 1: of those who were foremost in erecting the monument. We
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  Speaker 1: then stopped at the farm of the Joneses, who were
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  Speaker 1: at the springs when we were there in the autumn
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  Speaker 1: of eighteen sixty two, and Missus Jay knew me at
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  Speaker 1: once and asked affectionately, after you saw Patty and Emma.
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  Speaker 1: All the daughters mad married except Patty, and the youngest,
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  Speaker 1: mister Day is very infirm, eighty three years old. That
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  Speaker 1: evening a number of persons came to see us, Missus
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  Speaker 1: Alston and Missus Brownlow, two others of the Committee of Ladies.
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  Speaker 1: Everyone was very kind. Indeed, I wish you could travel
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  Speaker 1: with Papa to see the affection and feeling shown toward
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  Speaker 1: him everywhere. We spent that night in the sleeping car,
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  Speaker 1: very handsome and comfortable, but the novelty, I suppose, made
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  Speaker 1: us wakeful. At Rawleigh and another place, the people crowded
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  Speaker 1: to the depot and called Lee Lee and cheered vociferously,
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  Speaker 1: but we were locked up and mum. Everywhere along the
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  Speaker 1: road where meals were provided, the landlords invited us in,
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  Speaker 1: and when we would not get out, sent coffee and lunches.
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  Speaker 1: Even soldiers on the train sent in fruit, and I
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  Speaker 1: think we were expected to die of eating. At Charlotte
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  Speaker 1: and Salisbury, there were other crowds and bands. Colonel Coraley
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  Speaker 1: joined us at sea, having asked to go to Savannah
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  Speaker 1: with us. The train stopped fifteen minutes at Columbia. Colonel
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  Speaker 1: Alexander Haskell took charge of the crowd, which, in spite
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  Speaker 1: of the pouring rain, stood there till we left. General
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  Speaker 1: e Porter Alexander was there and was very hearty in
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  Speaker 1: his inquiries. After all of us, his little girl was
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  Speaker 1: lifted into the car. Namesakes appeared on the way of
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  Speaker 1: all sizes. Old ladies stretched their heads into the windows
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  Speaker 1: at wate stations, and then drew back and said, he
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  Speaker 1: is mightily like his pictures. We reached Augusta Wednesday night.
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  Speaker 1: The mayor and council met us, having heard a few
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  Speaker 1: minutes before that Papa was on the train. We were
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  Speaker 1: whirled off to the hotel, and Papa decided to spend
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  Speaker 1: Thursday there. They had a reception the whole of the morning.
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  Speaker 1: Crowds came, wounded soldiers, servants, and working men. Even the
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  Speaker 1: sweetest little children namesakes dressed to their eyes with bouquets
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  Speaker 1: of Japonica or tiny cards in their fat little hands
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  Speaker 1: with their names. Robert Burwell of Clark, who married Miss Clayton.
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  Speaker 1: There Randall, author of My Maryland, General Mclaw's, Wright, gardener,
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  Speaker 1: and many others saw the Missus Boggs, General b sisters.
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  Speaker 1: Miss Rebecca knew Missus Kirkpatrick very well and asked after her.
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  Speaker 1: Miss Russell, with whose father and sisters we had been
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  Speaker 1: at the White Sulfur, helped us to receive. She is
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  Speaker 1: very tall and handsome and was superb in a white
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  Speaker 1: lay shawl More antique with a train. The branch brothers
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  Speaker 1: rather took possession of me. Melville, who was at the
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  Speaker 1: Institute Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia, and knew the Letchers
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  Speaker 1: very well, drove me in and around the town at
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  Speaker 1: the rate of a mile a minute. Another brother took
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  Speaker 1: me to the skating rink at night a serenade that night.
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  Speaker 1: At some point on the way here, Generals Lawton and Gilmore,
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  Speaker 1: mister Andrew Low and others got on the cars with us.
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  Speaker 1: Flowers were given us at various places. I so much
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  Speaker 1: enjoyed the evidences of spring all along our route, more
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  Speaker 1: and more advanced as we proceeded the Jasmine, though passing
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  Speaker 1: away was still in sufficient abundance in some places to
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  Speaker 1: perfume the air. The dark marshes were rich in tall
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  Speaker 1: magnolia trees, beautiful red buds and other red blossoms. I
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  Speaker 1: did not know the jasmine and the trees hanging with
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  Speaker 1: gray moss, perfectly weird looking, have been the least luxuriant
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  Speaker 1: places in the interim. Savannah is green with live oaks
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  Speaker 1: and filled with trees and shrubbery. I wish you could
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  Speaker 1: see a large marble table in the parlor where I
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  Speaker 1: am writing, with a pyramid of jasmine in the center,
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  Speaker 1: and four large plates full at the corners, almost covering
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  Speaker 1: the square. All sent me Saturday. The Lawtons are as
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  Speaker 1: kind as possible. Wanted Papot stay here, but mister Andrew
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  Speaker 1: Lowe had arranged to take him to his house at bedtime,
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  Speaker 1: so he lost the benefit of a serenade from two
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  Speaker 1: bands alternating, which we enjoyed. General Lawton telling the crowd
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  Speaker 1: General Lee had retired from fatigue. Papa has borne the
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  Speaker 1: journey and the crowds far better than I thought he would,
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  Speaker 1: and seem stronger. Monday. It seems impossible to finish this.
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  Speaker 1: I enclosed some scraps which will tell our story. Crowds
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  Speaker 1: of persons have been coming to see me ever since
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  Speaker 1: I came. Saw Missus General Johnston, Nannie Hutcheson, of course,
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  Speaker 1: and Reverend and Missus Moore. Yesterday they left to day,
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  Speaker 1: Colonel Corley has taken Coreen footnote, Coreen Lawton end note
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  Speaker 1: and me on a beautiful drive this morning to Bonaventure,
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  Speaker 1: which is to be a cemetery, and to several places
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  Speaker 1: in its vicinity. I never saw anything more impressive and
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  Speaker 1: beautiful than the avenues of live oaks, literally covered with
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  Speaker 1: long gray moss, arching over the roads. Tell Messrs Owen's Anemini's.
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  Speaker 1: I have seen their families, who are very kind to us,
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  Speaker 1: General and Missus Gilmour ask especially after Custus. We think
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  Speaker 1: of going to Florida in a few days. Haven't heard
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  Speaker 1: from you, Agnes. This is the only letter from his
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  Speaker 1: daughter Agnes written at this time that can be found.
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  Speaker 1: My father, in his letters to his family, left details
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  Speaker 1: and particulars for her to describe, and doubtless she did so. Unfortunately,
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  Speaker 1: there is but this single letter. On April seventeenth, he
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  Speaker 1: writes again from Savannah to my mother, my dear Mary.
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  Speaker 1: I have received your letter of the Wednesday after our departure,
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  Speaker 1: and am glad to hear that you are well in
• 13:46
  Speaker 1: getting on so comfortably. The destruction of the bridge is
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  Speaker 1: really a loss to the community, and I fear will
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  Speaker 1: inconvenience Mildred in her return. However, the spring is now advancing,
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  Speaker 1: and they ought to be able to get up the
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  Speaker 1: new bridge. I hope I am a little better. I
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  Speaker 1: seem to be stronger and to walk with less difficulty,
• 14:05
  Speaker 1: but it may be owing to the better streets of Savannah.
• 14:08
  Speaker 1: I presume if any change takes place, it will be
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  Speaker 1: gradual and slow. Please say to doctor Barton that I
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  Speaker 1: have received his letter and am obliged to him for
• 14:17
  Speaker 1: his kind advice. I shall begin to day with his
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  Speaker 1: new prescriptions, and will follow them strictly. Tomorrow I expect
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  Speaker 1: to go to Florida, and will stop first at Amelia Island.
• 14:29
  Speaker 1: The visitors to that region are coming out saying the
• 14:32
  Speaker 1: weather is uncomfortably hot. If I find it so, I
• 14:36
  Speaker 1: shall return. Savannah has become very pleasant within the last
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  Speaker 1: few days, and I dare say I shall do as
• 14:42
  Speaker 1: well here as elsewhere. The spring, however, is backward. I
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  Speaker 1: believe I told you that I was staying with mister
• 14:49
  Speaker 1: Andrew Low, who is very kind and where I am
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  Speaker 1: very comfortable. I am going to be separated from Agnes,
• 14:56
  Speaker 1: and have received invitations from several of the inhabitants where
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  Speaker 1: we could be united, but it is awkward to change.
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  Speaker 1: Agnes has been sick too since her arrival, which has
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  Speaker 1: made me the more anxious to be with her. You know,
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  Speaker 1: she is like her papa, always wanting something. She is, however,
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  Speaker 1: better to day, as I learn, though I have not
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  Speaker 1: seen her yet, I saw her twice yesterday. She was
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  Speaker 1: better then and came down to Missus Lawton's room, so
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  Speaker 1: I hope she will be well enough to go with
• 15:26
  Speaker 1: me to Amelia Island. The measures Mackay got down from
• 15:30
  Speaker 1: Ittawa last evening, both looking very well, and have reopened
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  Speaker 1: their old house into Broughton Street, which I am glad of.
• 15:39
  Speaker 1: I have seen missus, doctor Elliott and family, the Andersons, Gordons,
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  Speaker 1: et cetera, et cetera, and all my former acquaintances and
• 15:47
  Speaker 1: many new ones. I do not think traveling in this
• 15:50
  Speaker 1: way procures me much quiet and repose. I wish I
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  Speaker 1: were back give my love to her. His daughter Mary
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  Speaker 1: and to Custus and tell the latter I I hope
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  Speaker 1: he will be able to keep Sam in the siege.
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  Speaker 1: He may require praying a merciful God to guard and
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  Speaker 1: direct you all. I am most affectionately R. E. Lee p. S.
• 16:10
  Speaker 1: I received a letter from f all Well R. E. L.
• 16:14
  Speaker 1: Sam was the gardener, a man of all work at Lexington.
• 16:18
  Speaker 1: My father took great interest in his garden and always
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  Speaker 1: had a fine one still in Savannah. He again writes
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  Speaker 1: to his wife, acknowledging the letters forward to him, and
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  Speaker 1: commenting on the steps being taken Savannah, Georgia. April eleventh,
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  Speaker 1: eighteen seventy, My dear Mary, I received yesterday your letters
• 16:36
  Speaker 1: of the third and sixth enclosing Reverend mister Brandtley's and
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  Speaker 1: daughters and cousin Cassiods. I forwarded the petition to the President,
• 16:45
  Speaker 1: accompanying the letter to Cassius, and asked him to give
• 16:48
  Speaker 1: it to mister Smith. Hearing, while passing through Richmond of
• 16:51
  Speaker 1: the decision of the Supreme Court referred to I sent
• 16:54
  Speaker 1: word to mister Smith that if he thought the time
• 16:57
  Speaker 1: and occasion propitious for taking steps for the recovery of Arlington,
• 17:02
  Speaker 1: the mill et cetera to do so, but to act
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  Speaker 1: quietly and discreetly. I presume the petition sent you for
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  Speaker 1: signature was the consequence. I do not know whether this
• 17:14
  Speaker 1: is a propitious time or not, and should rather have
• 17:17
  Speaker 1: had an opportunity to consult friends, but am unable to
• 17:21
  Speaker 1: do so. Tell Custus that I wish that he would
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: act for me through you or others, for it is
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  Speaker 1: mainly on his account that I desire the restitution of
• 17:30
  Speaker 1: the property. I see that a resolution has been introduced
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  Speaker 1: into Congress to a perfect the title of the government
• 17:36
  Speaker 1: to Arlington and other national cemeteries, which I have been
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  Speaker 1: apprehensive of stirring, so I suppose the matter will come
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  Speaker 1: up anyway. I did not sign the petition, for I
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  Speaker 1: did not think it necessary, and believe the more I
• 17:50
  Speaker 1: was kept out of sight, the better. We must hope
• 17:52
  Speaker 1: for the best, speak as little and act as discreetly
• 17:56
  Speaker 1: as possible. The Reverend doctor Brandty has invited us us
• 18:00
  Speaker 1: by the faculty of this college, to deliver the baccalaureate
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  Speaker 1: sermon next June, and I invite him and his daughter,
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  Speaker 1: in the event of his accepting, to stay with us.
• 18:10
  Speaker 1: Do you know whether he has accepted. I should have
• 18:13
  Speaker 1: gone to Florida last Friday, as proposed, but Agnes was
• 18:16
  Speaker 1: not well enough. She took cold on the journey or
• 18:19
  Speaker 1: on her first arrival, and has been quite sick, but
• 18:23
  Speaker 1: is better now. I have not seen her this morning,
• 18:27
  Speaker 1: but if she is sufficiently recovered, we will leave here tomorrow.
• 18:30
  Speaker 1: I have received a message saying that she was much better.
• 18:34
  Speaker 1: As regards myself, my general health is pretty good. I
• 18:37
  Speaker 1: feel stronger than when I came. The warm weather has
• 18:41
  Speaker 1: also dispelled some of the rheumatic pains in my back,
• 18:44
  Speaker 1: but I perceive no change in the stricture in my chest.
• 18:48
  Speaker 1: If I attempt to walk beyond a very slow gait,
• 18:51
  Speaker 1: the pain is always there. It is all true what
• 18:54
  Speaker 1: the doctors say about its being aggravated by any fresh cold.
• 18:59
  Speaker 1: But how to have void taking cold is the question.
• 19:02
  Speaker 1: It seems with me to be impossible. Everything and anything
• 19:06
  Speaker 1: seems to give me one. I meet with much kindness
• 19:10
  Speaker 1: and consideration, but fear that nothing will relieve my complaint,
• 19:13
  Speaker 1: which is fixed and old, I must bear it. I
• 19:17
  Speaker 1: hope that you will not give over your trip to
• 19:19
  Speaker 1: the White House. If you still desire to make it,
• 19:22
  Speaker 1: I will commence my return upon the last of April,
• 19:26
  Speaker 1: stopping at some point, and will be a few days
• 19:29
  Speaker 1: in Richmond and the White House at Abel. I must
• 19:32
  Speaker 1: leave to Agnes all details. Give much love to Custus,
• 19:36
  Speaker 1: Mary and Mildred. Tell the latter I have received her letters.
• 19:39
  Speaker 1: Remember me to all friends, most sincerely, Yours are E Lee,
• 19:44
  Speaker 1: Missus R. E. Lee. After visiting Cumberland Island and going
• 19:48
  Speaker 1: up the Saint John's River as far as Palatka, and
• 19:51
  Speaker 1: spending the night at Colonel Cole's place near there, they
• 19:55
  Speaker 1: returned to Savannah. Colonel Cole was on General Lee's staff
• 19:58
  Speaker 1: as Chief Commissary during the time he commanded the Army
• 20:02
  Speaker 1: of Northern Virginia and was a very dear friend of
• 20:04
  Speaker 1: us all. Savannah, Georgia. April eighteen, eighteen seventy. My dear Mary,
• 20:10
  Speaker 1: I have received your letter of the thirteenth, and am
• 20:13
  Speaker 1: glad to learn that you propose visiting the White House,
• 20:16
  Speaker 1: as I feared my journey might prevent you. I am, however,
• 20:20
  Speaker 1: very anxious on the subject, as I apprehend the trip
• 20:23
  Speaker 1: will be irksome and may produce great inconvenience and pain.
• 20:27
  Speaker 1: I hope you received my letter of the eleventh, written
• 20:30
  Speaker 1: just before my departure for Florida. In case you did not,
• 20:34
  Speaker 1: I will state that I forwarded your petition to Cassius
• 20:37
  Speaker 1: Lee as received, not thinking my signature necessary or advantageous.
• 20:43
  Speaker 1: I will send the money received from the University Publishing
• 20:47
  Speaker 1: Company to Carter, for whom I intended. Footnote this was
• 20:52
  Speaker 1: the money that came to generally from his new edition
• 20:55
  Speaker 1: of his father's Memoirs of the War in the Southern
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: Department of the United States. And note I returned from
• 21:02
  Speaker 1: Florida Saturday sixteenth, having had a very pleasant trip as
• 21:06
  Speaker 1: far as Palatka on the Saint John's We visited Cumberland Island,
• 21:10
  Speaker 1: and Agnes decorated my father's grave with beautiful fresh flowers.
• 21:15
  Speaker 1: I presume it is the last time I shall be
• 21:17
  Speaker 1: able to pay to it my tribute of respect. The
• 21:20
  Speaker 1: cemetery is unharmed and the grave is in good order,
• 21:24
  Speaker 1: though the House of Dungeness has been burned and the
• 21:27
  Speaker 1: island devastated. Mister Nightingale, of the present Proprietor, accompanied me
• 21:32
  Speaker 1: from Brunswick. Mister Andrew Low was so kind as to
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: go with us the whole way, thinking Agnes and I
• 21:39
  Speaker 1: were unable to take care of ourselves. Agnes seemed to
• 21:42
  Speaker 1: enjoy the trip very much and has improved in health.
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: I shall leave to her all details. We spent a
• 21:49
  Speaker 1: night at Colonel Cole's, a beautiful place near Palatka, and
• 21:53
  Speaker 1: eight oranges from the trees. We passed some other beautiful
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: places on the river, but could not stop at any
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: but Jacksonville, where we remain from four p m. To
• 22:03
  Speaker 1: three a m. Next morning. Rode over the town, et cetera,
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: and were hospitably entertained by Colonel Sanderson. The climate was delightful,
• 22:12
  Speaker 1: the fish inviting and abundant. We have returned to our
• 22:15
  Speaker 1: old quarters, Agnes to the Lawtons, and I to bos.
• 22:20
  Speaker 1: We shall remain here this week, and will probably spend
• 22:23
  Speaker 1: a few days in Charleston and Norfolk if we go
• 22:26
  Speaker 1: that way, and at Brandon and Shirley, before going to
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: the White House, where we shall hope to meet you.
• 22:32
  Speaker 1: I know of no certain place where a letter will
• 22:35
  Speaker 1: catch me before I reach Richmond, where the doctors desire
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: me to spend a few days that they may again
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: examine me. Write me there. Whether fitz Hugh is too
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: full to receive us, it will depend upon my feelings,
• 22:48
  Speaker 1: whether et cetera, whether I make the digression by norfolk.
• 22:52
  Speaker 1: Poor little Agnes has had I fear, but little enjoyment
• 22:55
  Speaker 1: so far, and I wish her to have all the
• 22:58
  Speaker 1: pleasure she can gather. On the root. She is still
• 23:01
  Speaker 1: weak and seems to suffer constantly from the neuralgia. I
• 23:05
  Speaker 1: hope I am better. I know that I am stronger,
• 23:08
  Speaker 1: but I still have the pain in my chest whenever
• 23:10
  Speaker 1: I walk. I have felt it also occasionally of late,
• 23:14
  Speaker 1: when quiescent, but not badly, which is new to day.
• 23:19
  Speaker 1: Doctors Arnold and Read of this city examine me for
• 23:22
  Speaker 1: about an hour. They concur in the opinion of the
• 23:25
  Speaker 1: other physicians, and think it pretty certain that my trouble
• 23:29
  Speaker 1: arises from some adhesion of the parts, not from any
• 23:32
  Speaker 1: injury of the lungs and art, but that the pericardium
• 23:36
  Speaker 1: may not be implicated, and the adhesion may be between
• 23:40
  Speaker 1: the pleura and the blank. I have forgotten the name.
• 23:44
  Speaker 1: Their visit was at the urgent entreaty of friends, which
• 23:47
  Speaker 1: I could not well resist, and perhaps their opinion is
• 23:50
  Speaker 1: not fully matured. I am continuing the prescriptions of doctors
• 23:54
  Speaker 1: Barton and Madison. My rheumatic pains, either from the effects
• 23:58
  Speaker 1: of the medicine or the climate, or both have diminished,
• 24:02
  Speaker 1: but the pain along the breastbone ever returns on my
• 24:05
  Speaker 1: making any exertion. I am glad Mildred has returned as well.
• 24:10
  Speaker 1: I hope that she will continue. So after perusal, send
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: this letter to one of the children, to whom you
• 24:16
  Speaker 1: may be writing. That doctors Barton, et cetera may be
• 24:19
  Speaker 1: informed how I am getting along, as I have been
• 24:23
  Speaker 1: unable to write to them, or to any one at Lexington.
• 24:26
  Speaker 1: I have so many letters to write in answer to
• 24:29
  Speaker 1: kind invitations, et cetera, and so many interruptions that my
• 24:33
  Speaker 1: time is consumed besides writing is irksome to me. Give
• 24:37
  Speaker 1: my love to Fitzhugh, tab and Robert, and to Custus,
• 24:41
  Speaker 1: Mary and Mildred. When you write. Agnes said she was
• 24:44
  Speaker 1: going out to return some of her numerous visits today,
• 24:48
  Speaker 1: and I presume will not be able to write. She
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: has had but little comfort in her clothes. Her silk
• 24:53
  Speaker 1: dress was spoiled on the way, and she returned it
• 24:56
  Speaker 1: to Baltimore, but has learned that they can do nothing
• 24:59
  Speaker 1: with it, so she will have to do without it,
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: which I presume she can do. I hope you may
• 25:05
  Speaker 1: reach the White House comfortably. I will apprise you of
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: my movements from time to time. I hope my godson
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: will know you. Tell him I have numbers of his
• 25:14
  Speaker 1: namesake since I left Virginia, and of whom I was
• 25:18
  Speaker 1: not aware. I hope they will come to good with
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: great affection. Our E Lee, missus R. E Lee. From
• 25:25
  Speaker 1: the following letters all that I can find relating to
• 25:28
  Speaker 1: this part of the journey. It appears that the travelers
• 25:31
  Speaker 1: started for Virginia, stopping at Charleston, Wellington, and Norfolk. Of
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: their visit to Charleston, I can find no record. He
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: and Agnes stayed at the beautiful home of mister Bennett,
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: who had two sons at the college and a lovely daughter,
• 25:45
  Speaker 1: Mary Bennett. I remember Agnes telling me of the beautiful
• 25:49
  Speaker 1: flowers and other attentions lavished upon them. At Wilmington, they
• 25:53
  Speaker 1: spent a day with mister and Missus Davis. His coming
• 25:56
  Speaker 1: there was known only to a few persons. As it is,
• 26:00
  Speaker 1: this announcement was by a private telegram from Savannah, but
• 26:03
  Speaker 1: quite a number of ladies and gentlemen secured a small
• 26:06
  Speaker 1: train and went out on the Southern road. To meet him.
• 26:10
  Speaker 1: When they met the regular passenger train from Savannah, General
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: Lee was taken from it to the private one, and
• 26:16
  Speaker 1: welcomed by his many friends. He seemed bright and cheerful,
• 26:20
  Speaker 1: and conversed with all. He spoke of his health not
• 26:23
  Speaker 1: being good, and on this account begged that there would
• 26:26
  Speaker 1: be no public demonstration on his arrival nor during his
• 26:30
  Speaker 1: stay at Wilmington. On reaching that place, he accompanied mister
• 26:35
  Speaker 1: George Davis to his house footnote Attorney General in mister
• 26:39
  Speaker 1: Davis's cabinet end note, and was his guest during his
• 26:44
  Speaker 1: sojourn in the city. Missus Davis was a Miss Fairfax,
• 26:49
  Speaker 1: daughter of doctor O. Fairfax of Alexandria, Virginia. They had
• 26:53
  Speaker 1: been and were very old and dear friends and neighbors.
• 26:56
  Speaker 1: The next morning, my father walked out and called on
• 26:59
  Speaker 1: Bishop Atkinson, with whom he had been well acquainted when
• 27:02
  Speaker 1: they both lived in Baltimore some twelve years before, the
• 27:06
  Speaker 1: one as rector of Saint Peter's Episcopal Church, the other
• 27:10
  Speaker 1: as Captain of United States Engineers in charge of the
• 27:13
  Speaker 1: harbor defenses of the city. There was a dinner given
• 27:17
  Speaker 1: to my father that day at mister Davis's home, and
• 27:20
  Speaker 1: a number of gentlemen were present. He was looking very well,
• 27:24
  Speaker 1: but in conversation said that he realized there was some
• 27:27
  Speaker 1: trouble with his heart, which he was satisfied was incurable.
• 27:31
  Speaker 1: The next day, May first, he left for Norfolk, Virginia,
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: where doctor and Missus Selden were the kind entertainers of
• 27:38
  Speaker 1: his daughter and himself. Agnes told me that in going
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: and returning from church, the street was lined with people
• 27:45
  Speaker 1: who stood hats off in silent deference from Norfolk. They
• 27:50
  Speaker 1: visited Lower and Upper Brandon on the James River, the
• 27:54
  Speaker 1: homes of the Harrisons, then shortly higher up the river.
• 27:58
  Speaker 1: Then they proceeded by way of Riche to the White House,
• 28:01
  Speaker 1: my mother having arrived there from Lexington a short time previously.
• 28:06
  Speaker 1: The General wrote from Brandon to his wife Brandon, May seven,
• 28:10
  Speaker 1: eighteen seventy, My dear Mary, we have reached this point
• 28:14
  Speaker 1: on our journey. Missus Harrison and miss Bell are well
• 28:18
  Speaker 1: and very kind, and I have been up to see
• 28:20
  Speaker 1: mister William Harrison and mister George and their families. The
• 28:25
  Speaker 1: former is much better than I expected to find him,
• 28:28
  Speaker 1: and I hope we'll recover his health as the spring advances.
• 28:32
  Speaker 1: The ladies are all well, and miss Gooley is very handsome.
• 28:36
  Speaker 1: Agnes and I went over to see Warrenton Carter and
• 28:39
  Speaker 1: his wife this morning. They are both very well and
• 28:42
  Speaker 1: everything around them looks comfortable and flourishing. They have a
• 28:46
  Speaker 1: nice home and as far as I could see, everything
• 28:49
  Speaker 1: is prospering. Their little boy was asleep, but we were
• 28:52
  Speaker 1: invited in to see him. He is a true Carter.
• 28:56
  Speaker 1: Missus Page, the daughter of General Richardson, is here on
• 28:59
  Speaker 1: a visit, and Missus Murdock, wife of their former pastor,
• 29:03
  Speaker 1: arrived this morning. We are to go up to mister
• 29:07
  Speaker 1: George Harrison's this evening, where the children are to have
• 29:10
  Speaker 1: some tableau, and where we are expected to spend the
• 29:13
  Speaker 1: evening in Norfolk. We saw all our friends, but I
• 29:17
  Speaker 1: did not succeed in getting out to Richard Page's as
• 29:20
  Speaker 1: I desired, on account of the heavy rain on the
• 29:23
  Speaker 1: appointed day and engagements that interfered on others. Agnes and
• 29:28
  Speaker 1: Missus Selden rode out, however, and saw all the family.
• 29:32
  Speaker 1: Everybody inquired kindly after you down to Bryan, and all
• 29:36
  Speaker 1: sent their love. Brandon is looking very beautiful and it
• 29:40
  Speaker 1: is refreshing to look at the river. The garden is
• 29:43
  Speaker 1: filled with flowers and abounds and roses. The yellow jasmine
• 29:47
  Speaker 1: is still in bloom and perfumes the atmosphere. I have
• 29:50
  Speaker 1: not heard from you or from Lexington since I left Savannah.
• 29:54
  Speaker 1: I hope all are well. I am better, I trust,
• 29:57
  Speaker 1: am getting fat and big, but am still rigid and
• 30:00
  Speaker 1: painful in my back. On Tuesday night I expect to
• 30:04
  Speaker 1: go to Shirley, and on Thursday twelfth instant to Richmond,
• 30:08
  Speaker 1: and on Friday to the White House, unless I hear
• 30:11
  Speaker 1: that you are crowded, in which case I will submit
• 30:14
  Speaker 1: myself to the doctor's for two or three days as
• 30:17
  Speaker 1: they desire, and then go down. Agnes now says she
• 30:21
  Speaker 1: will accompany me to the White House so that I
• 30:24
  Speaker 1: shall necessarily pass through Richmond, as our baggage renders that
• 30:28
  Speaker 1: route necessary. Therefore, unless something unforeseen prevents, I shall be
• 30:33
  Speaker 1: with you on Friday next All U night in love, Agnes.
• 30:37
  Speaker 1: I hope is better than when she left Lexington, but
• 30:40
  Speaker 1: is not strong. You must give a great deal of
• 30:43
  Speaker 1: love to Fitz, you, tab, my grandson Robert, and all
• 30:47
  Speaker 1: with you, most truly and affectionately, are E Lee p. S. Monday.
• 30:53
  Speaker 1: Your note of the sixth with Colonel Allen's letter has
• 30:56
  Speaker 1: just been received. I am very sorry to hear of
• 30:58
  Speaker 1: tabs sickness. I hope that she will be well by
• 31:01
  Speaker 1: the time of my arrival. I shall be glad to
• 31:04
  Speaker 1: see Marquis R. E Lee Missus R. E Lee. On
• 31:08
  Speaker 1: the same date, he writes to his daughter Mildred at
• 31:11
  Speaker 1: Lexington Brandon, May seven, eighteen seventy. My dear daughter, Miss
• 31:16
  Speaker 1: Jennie is putting up her mail and says that my
• 31:19
  Speaker 1: letter must go with it. So I have but a
• 31:21
  Speaker 1: few minutes to inform you that we have reached this point.
• 31:24
  Speaker 1: On our way home. We stayed a day in Wilmington
• 31:27
  Speaker 1: with the Davises after leaving Charleston, and several with the
• 31:31
  Speaker 1: Seldens in Norfolk, and shall on Tuesday next go up
• 31:35
  Speaker 1: to Shirley and then to the White House. Agnes threatens
• 31:38
  Speaker 1: to abandon me at Shirley, and I wish that you
• 31:41
  Speaker 1: were there to take her place. I am better, I hope, certainly,
• 31:45
  Speaker 1: am stronger and have less pain, but am far from
• 31:48
  Speaker 1: comfortable and have little ability to move or do anything.
• 31:52
  Speaker 1: Though I am growing large and fat. Perhaps that is
• 31:55
  Speaker 1: the cause. All here are well, and send love Miss
• 31:59
  Speaker 1: Bell very sweet, all very kind. I rode yesterday to
• 32:03
  Speaker 1: the other Brandon's and saw all the inhabitants. Captain Shirley
• 32:07
  Speaker 1: spent the day here, Mister William Harrison much better, and
• 32:11
  Speaker 1: Miss Goody very pretty. They have some visitors. It is
• 32:15
  Speaker 1: quiet and delightful here the river. Beautiful Agnes will write
• 32:19
  Speaker 1: when she finds time, which is a scarce commodity with her.
• 32:23
  Speaker 1: I had intended to write before breakfast, the longest portion
• 32:26
  Speaker 1: of the day, but walked out and forgot it. We
• 32:30
  Speaker 1: have little time before breakfast. Give much love to Mary
• 32:33
  Speaker 1: and Custus. I hope that you are all well and comfortable.
• 32:37
  Speaker 1: I was very glad to receive your letter the morning
• 32:39
  Speaker 1: I left Savannah, and I hope that Missus Smith and
• 32:42
  Speaker 1: Traveler are enjoying themselves. I hope to get back to
• 32:46
  Speaker 1: Lexington about the twenty fourth, but will write after paying
• 32:50
  Speaker 1: my visit to the White House. I will have to
• 32:52
  Speaker 1: spend some days in Richmond at the doctor's request, as
• 32:56
  Speaker 1: they wish to examine me again and more thoroughly. I
• 33:00
  Speaker 1: hope all are well at the college. Remember me to
• 33:03
  Speaker 1: all there and in Lexington. With affectionate love your father R. E. Lee,
• 33:08
  Speaker 1: Miss Mildred Lee. The White House, my brother's home at
• 33:12
  Speaker 1: that time, is on the Pamocky River, about twenty five
• 33:15
  Speaker 1: miles north of Shirley. From my father's letter, it is
• 33:18
  Speaker 1: evident he had thought of driving over instead of going
• 33:21
  Speaker 1: by boat and rail through Richmond. This plan was abandoned
• 33:25
  Speaker 1: when his daughter determined to accompany him, as a lady's baggage,
• 33:29
  Speaker 1: even in those days, was too voluminous for private conveyance.
• 33:34
  Speaker 1: Mister William Harrison lived at Upper Brandon and mister George
• 33:37
  Speaker 1: Harrison at Middle Brandon. The mistress of Lower Brandon, the
• 33:41
  Speaker 1: old historic home, was missus Isabella Ritchie Harrison, widow of
• 33:46
  Speaker 1: the late George Harrison. Miss Jennie referred to in the
• 33:49
  Speaker 1: above letter was Miss Virginia Ritchie, sister of Missus Harrison.
• 33:53
  Speaker 1: She had succeeded in having a post office established at
• 33:57
  Speaker 1: Lower Brandon, and herself made postmas mistress. This was done
• 34:01
  Speaker 1: for the convenience of the Brandons and the immediate neighborhood.
• 34:05
  Speaker 1: The proceeds Miss Jenny gave to the Brandon Church of
• 34:09
  Speaker 1: his visit to Shirley, his mother's home when she was
• 34:12
  Speaker 1: a girl, and where she was married to lighthorse Harry.
• 34:15
  Speaker 1: I can find no account written at the time. It
• 34:18
  Speaker 1: is a few hours from Brandon to Shirley by steamer
• 34:21
  Speaker 1: on the beautiful James, And they arrived there Tuesday May tenth,
• 34:25
  Speaker 1: and left the following Thursday by steamer for Richmond, so
• 34:29
  Speaker 1: says the home journal kept at Shirley. All the country
• 34:33
  Speaker 1: came to see him, and there was a large party
• 34:35
  Speaker 1: to dinner. One of the daughters of the house, then
• 34:38
  Speaker 1: a young girl, says, I can only remember the great
• 34:41
  Speaker 1: dignity and kindness of General Lee's bearing, How lovely he
• 34:45
  Speaker 1: was to all of us girls. That he gave us
• 34:48
  Speaker 1: his photographs and wrote his name on them. He liked
• 34:51
  Speaker 1: to have us tickle his hands. But when cousin Agnes
• 34:54
  Speaker 1: came to sit by him, that seemed to be her privilege.
• 34:57
  Speaker 1: We regarded him with the greatest venor we had heard
• 35:01
  Speaker 1: of God. But here was General Lee. My mother was
• 35:05
  Speaker 1: now at the White House. I will here introduce portions
• 35:08
  Speaker 1: of a letter of the ninth and thirteenth of May
• 35:11
  Speaker 1: from her to her daughter in Lexington, telling of my
• 35:14
  Speaker 1: father's arrival on the twelfth White House May ninth, eighteen
• 35:18
  Speaker 1: seventy Fitch Hugh took us on a delightful drive this morning,
• 35:22
  Speaker 1: dear Mildred to Tunstall's, where we got your letter, and
• 35:26
  Speaker 1: Markey got nine, including yours, so we were much gratified
• 35:30
  Speaker 1: with our excursion. The road was fine, with the exception
• 35:34
  Speaker 1: of a few mud holes, and the woods lovely with
• 35:37
  Speaker 1: wild flowers and dogwood blossoms, and with all the fragrance
• 35:41
  Speaker 1: of early spring, the dark hollie and pine intermingling with
• 35:45
  Speaker 1: the delicate leaves just brought out by the genial season, daisies,
• 35:49
  Speaker 1: wild violets and heartseas. I have not seen so many
• 35:53
  Speaker 1: wild flowers since I left Arlington thirteen. I determined, after
• 35:58
  Speaker 1: commencing this to wait and see your Papa, who arrived
• 36:02
  Speaker 1: last evening with Agnes. He looks fatter, but I do
• 36:05
  Speaker 1: not like his complexion, and he seems still stiff. I
• 36:10
  Speaker 1: have not yet had time to hear much of their tour,
• 36:13
  Speaker 1: except a grand dinner given them at mister Bennett's. Your
• 36:16
  Speaker 1: Papa sends his love and says he will be in
• 36:19
  Speaker 1: Lexington somewhere about the twenty fourth. There is no news.
• 36:24
  Speaker 1: The country becomes more lovely each day. The locust trees
• 36:28
  Speaker 1: are in full bloom, and the Polonia, the only tree
• 36:31
  Speaker 1: left of all that were planted by poor Charlotte and myself.
• 36:35
  Speaker 1: How all our labors have come to naught. The General
• 36:39
  Speaker 1: has just come in. Robbie is riding on his knee,
• 36:42
  Speaker 1: sitting as grave as a judge. He says, now marquis
• 36:46
  Speaker 1: Agnes and many other words, and calls me beau Mamma.
• 36:50
  Speaker 1: We expect rob this morning, yours affectionately M. C. Lee.
• 36:56
  Speaker 1: At this time my father was persuaded to make me
• 36:58
  Speaker 1: a visit. He had been invited before when at different
• 37:02
  Speaker 1: times he had been to the White House, but something
• 37:05
  Speaker 1: had hitherto always prevented his coming. Now he decided to come.
• 37:10
  Speaker 1: My Romancoke farm was situated in King William County, on
• 37:14
  Speaker 1: the opposite side of the Pamokee River, and some fifteen
• 37:17
  Speaker 1: miles east of White House. We arrived there in the afternoon,
• 37:21
  Speaker 1: having come down by the steamer, which at that time
• 37:25
  Speaker 1: ran from White House to Baltimore. Romancoke had been always
• 37:29
  Speaker 1: a dependency of the White House, and was managed by
• 37:32
  Speaker 1: an overseer who was subordinate to the manager. On the
• 37:35
  Speaker 1: latter estate, there was on it only a small house
• 37:38
  Speaker 1: of the size usual in our country for that character.
• 37:41
  Speaker 1: Of property. I had taken possession in eighteen sixty six
• 37:45
  Speaker 1: and was preparing to build a more comfortable residence. But
• 37:48
  Speaker 1: in the meantime I lived in the house which had
• 37:51
  Speaker 1: been occupied by the different overseers for above seventy five years.
• 37:57
  Speaker 1: Its accommodations were very limited, simple, and it was much
• 38:01
  Speaker 1: out of repair. Owing to the settling of the underpinning
• 38:05
  Speaker 1: in the center, it had assumed a sway back outline,
• 38:09
  Speaker 1: which gave it the name of the Broken back House.
• 38:13
  Speaker 1: No repairs had been attempted as I was preparing to
• 38:16
  Speaker 1: build a new home. My father, always dignified and self contained,
• 38:21
  Speaker 1: rarely gave any evidence of being astonished or startled. His
• 38:25
  Speaker 1: self control was great and his emotions were not on
• 38:29
  Speaker 1: the surface. But when he entered and looked around my
• 38:32
  Speaker 1: bachelor quarters, he appeared really much shocked. As I was
• 38:37
  Speaker 1: much better off in the matter of housekeeping than I
• 38:40
  Speaker 1: had been for four years. I flattered myself that I
• 38:43
  Speaker 1: was doing very well. I can appreciate fulling now what
• 38:47
  Speaker 1: he must have felt at the time. However, he soon
• 38:50
  Speaker 1: rallied and concealed his dismay by making kindly fun of
• 38:54
  Speaker 1: my surroundings. The next day, at dinner, he felt obliged
• 38:57
  Speaker 1: to remark on my china knives and forks, and suggested
• 39:01
  Speaker 1: that I might at least better my holdings in that line.
• 39:04
  Speaker 1: When he got back to Richmond, he sent me a
• 39:06
  Speaker 1: full set of plated forks and spoons, which I have
• 39:10
  Speaker 1: been using from that day to this. He walked and
• 39:13
  Speaker 1: drove over the farm, discussed my plans for improvements, and
• 39:17
  Speaker 1: was much interested in all my work, advising me about
• 39:20
  Speaker 1: the side of my new house, New Barnes Ice House,
• 39:23
  Speaker 1: et cetera. He evidently enjoyed his visit, for the quiet
• 39:27
  Speaker 1: and rest were very refreshing. About thirty miles, as the
• 39:31
  Speaker 1: crow flies from my place down York River is situated
• 39:35
  Speaker 1: in Gloucester County, White Marsh and Old Virginia Home, which
• 39:39
  Speaker 1: then belonged to doctor Prosser Tabb, who with his wife
• 39:43
  Speaker 1: and children was living there. Missus Tabb was a near
• 39:46
  Speaker 1: cousin of my father, and as a little girl had
• 39:49
  Speaker 1: been a pet and a favorite. His affection and regard
• 39:52
  Speaker 1: for her had lasted from his early manhood. He had
• 39:56
  Speaker 1: seen but little of her since the war, and when
• 39:58
  Speaker 1: cousin Rebecca, as as we all called her, learned he
• 40:02
  Speaker 1: was to be at the White House, she wrote, begging
• 40:04
  Speaker 1: him to pay her a visit. This he had agreed
• 40:07
  Speaker 1: to do if it was possible. While at the White House,
• 40:10
  Speaker 1: we had consulted together as to the best method of
• 40:13
  Speaker 1: accomplishing this trip, and we determined to make it from Romancoke.
• 40:18
  Speaker 1: So I drove him to West Point, and there got
• 40:21
  Speaker 1: aboard the Baltimore Steamer, taking my horse and trap with us.
• 40:25
  Speaker 1: Had Kappahusac a wharf on the York We landed and
• 40:29
  Speaker 1: drove the nine miles to White Marsh, arriving at supper time,
• 40:33
  Speaker 1: as we still say in Virginia, i e. About seven
• 40:36
  Speaker 1: thirty p m. When General Lee got off on the wharf.
• 40:40
  Speaker 1: So great was the desire of the passengers and crew
• 40:43
  Speaker 1: to see him that they all went to the side
• 40:45
  Speaker 1: of the boat, which caused her to list, so that
• 40:48
  Speaker 1: I was unable to get my horse out through the
• 40:51
  Speaker 1: gangway until the captain had ordered every one to the
• 40:54
  Speaker 1: other side. As the sun went down, it became chilly,
• 40:58
  Speaker 1: and I drove quite rapidly, anxious to get my father
• 41:02
  Speaker 1: out of the night air as soon as possible. He
• 41:05
  Speaker 1: said nothing at the time, nor did I know that
• 41:07
  Speaker 1: he noticed my unusual speed, but afterward he remarked on
• 41:11
  Speaker 1: it to several persons, saying, I think rob drives unnecessarily fast.
• 41:17
  Speaker 1: We were expected and were met at the door by
• 41:19
  Speaker 1: all the family and guests. A hearty welcome was given us.
• 41:23
  Speaker 1: After supper, he was the center of the circle in
• 41:26
  Speaker 1: the drawing room and made the acquaintance of the children
• 41:28
  Speaker 1: of the house, and of the friends and relatives of
• 41:31
  Speaker 1: the family who were there. He said little, but all
• 41:34
  Speaker 1: listened eagerly to what he did say, and were charmed
• 41:37
  Speaker 1: with his pleasant smile and gracious manner. Cousin Rebecca introduced
• 41:41
  Speaker 1: him to her son in law, Captain Perrin, mentioning that
• 41:44
  Speaker 1: he had been wounded in the war and was still
• 41:47
  Speaker 1: lame from the effects. The general replied that at any rate,
• 41:51
  Speaker 1: he was all right now, for he had a pair
• 41:53
  Speaker 1: of strong young feet to wait upon him, indicating his
• 41:57
  Speaker 1: young wife, as was customary in this section of Virginia.
• 42:01
  Speaker 1: The house was full of visitors, and I shared my
• 42:04
  Speaker 1: father's room and bed. Though many a year had passed
• 42:07
  Speaker 1: since we had been bedfellows. He told me that he
• 42:10
  Speaker 1: remembered well the time when, as a little fellow I
• 42:13
  Speaker 1: had begged for the privilege the next day he walked
• 42:16
  Speaker 1: about the beautiful gardens, and was driven over the plantation
• 42:20
  Speaker 1: and shown the landscapes and water views of the immediate neighborhood.
• 42:25
  Speaker 1: Mister Graves, doctor Tabb's overseer, who had the honor of
• 42:28
  Speaker 1: being his coachman, fully appreciated it and was delighted when
• 42:32
  Speaker 1: my father praised his management. He had been a soldier
• 42:36
  Speaker 1: under the general and had stoutly carried his musket to Apromattox,
• 42:40
  Speaker 1: where he surrendered it. When told of this by doctor Tabb,
• 42:44
  Speaker 1: my father took occasion to compliment him on his steadfast
• 42:48
  Speaker 1: endurance and courage, but Graves simply and sincerely replied, yes, General,
• 42:53
  Speaker 1: I stuck to the army. But if you had in
• 42:56
  Speaker 1: your entire command a greater coward than I was, you
• 42:59
  Speaker 1: ought to have had it shot. My father, who was
• 43:02
  Speaker 1: greatly amused at his candor, spoke of it when he
• 43:05
  Speaker 1: got back from his drive, saying that sort of a
• 43:08
  Speaker 1: coward makes a good soldier. That the drive had fatigued
• 43:11
  Speaker 1: him was quite apparent to cousin Rebecca, who begged him
• 43:15
  Speaker 1: to go and lie down to rest, but he declined,
• 43:18
  Speaker 1: though finally, at her request he consented to take a
• 43:21
  Speaker 1: glass of wine. Missus Tabb was anxious to give a
• 43:25
  Speaker 1: general reception that day in his honor, so that all
• 43:29
  Speaker 1: the old soldiers in the country could have an opportunity
• 43:32
  Speaker 1: of shaking hands with him, but at the General's request,
• 43:35
  Speaker 1: the idea was abandoned. Several persons were invited to meet
• 43:39
  Speaker 1: him at dinner, among them the Reverend mister Phillips, an Englishman,
• 43:44
  Speaker 1: the rector of Amicton and old colonial church in the county.
• 43:48
  Speaker 1: He and his wife were ardent admirers of General Lee
• 43:51
  Speaker 1: and had often expressed a great desire to see him,
• 43:54
  Speaker 1: so Missus Tabb kindly gave them this opportunity. They were
• 43:58
  Speaker 1: charmed with him, and, writing to their friends in England, declared,
• 44:02
  Speaker 1: the greatest event in our lives has occurred. We have
• 44:05
  Speaker 1: seen General Lee. One of his young cousins, in talking
• 44:09
  Speaker 1: with him, wondered what fate was in store for us
• 44:12
  Speaker 1: poor Virginians. The General replied, with an earnest, softened look.
• 44:17
  Speaker 1: You can work for Virginia, to build her up again,
• 44:20
  Speaker 1: to make her great again. You can teach your children
• 44:23
  Speaker 1: to love and cherish her. I was struck with the
• 44:26
  Speaker 1: tenderness of his manner to all these cousins, many of
• 44:29
  Speaker 1: whom he had never seen before, and the real affection
• 44:32
  Speaker 1: and interest he manifested toward them. He seemed pleased and
• 44:36
  Speaker 1: touched by their love and kindness. I think he enjoyed
• 44:39
  Speaker 1: his visit, but it was plain that he was easily fatigued.
• 44:43
  Speaker 1: To catch our steamer the next morning, an early start
• 44:46
  Speaker 1: was necessary. Arrangements were made the night before, and all
• 44:50
  Speaker 1: good bye said, for we had to leave the house
• 44:53
  Speaker 1: about five o'clock that night. He was very restless and wakeful,
• 44:57
  Speaker 1: and remarked that it was generally so with him whenever
• 45:00
  Speaker 1: he had to get up at an unusual hour, as
• 45:03
  Speaker 1: he was always uneasy lest he might be late. However,
• 45:07
  Speaker 1: we got off in full time, made the connection with
• 45:10
  Speaker 1: our steamer, and returned immediately to the White House. I
• 45:13
  Speaker 1: left the steamer at West Point to take my father home,
• 45:17
  Speaker 1: after which I joined him at the former place. After
• 45:20
  Speaker 1: a short stay at the White House, he started for Lexington,
• 45:24
  Speaker 1: stopping over in Richmond for a few days. From there,
• 45:27
  Speaker 1: he writes to his daughter Mildred in Lexington, Richmond, Virginia,
• 45:31
  Speaker 1: May twenty three, eighteen seventy, My precious daughter, I came
• 45:35
  Speaker 1: up from the White House this morning with Agnes, but
• 45:38
  Speaker 1: she threatens to divorce herself from me, and we have
• 45:41
  Speaker 1: already separated. She is at doctor Fairfax's and I am
• 45:45
  Speaker 1: at mister mac Farland's. She promises, however, to see me occasionally,
• 45:50
  Speaker 1: and if I can restore our traveling relations, even at
• 45:53
  Speaker 1: costly sacrifice, I shall be happy to take her along
• 45:56
  Speaker 1: with me. I find I shall be detained here too
• 45:59
  Speaker 1: long to take the Wednesday's boat from Lynchburg, but if
• 46:03
  Speaker 1: not prevented by circumstances now not foreseen, I shall take
• 46:07
  Speaker 1: the Friday's boat so as to reach Lexington's Saturday morning,
• 46:11
  Speaker 1: twenty eighth instant. If Sam is well enough, and it
• 46:15
  Speaker 1: should be otherwise convenient, he could meet me with Lucy
• 46:18
  Speaker 1: and the carriage, or with traveler. If not, I will
• 46:22
  Speaker 1: get a seat up in the omnibus. Your mother proposes
• 46:25
  Speaker 1: to leave in the boat for Bremaut on the first proximo,
• 46:30
  Speaker 1: spend one week there, and then continue her journey to Lexington.
• 46:34
  Speaker 1: Agnes has not yet made up her mind whether she
• 46:37
  Speaker 1: will go with me her mother, or remain for a while.
• 46:41
  Speaker 1: I hope to find you well, though alone, I must
• 46:44
  Speaker 1: reserve all accounts till we meet, which I am very
• 46:47
  Speaker 1: anxious should take place as soon as practicable. I am improving,
• 46:51
  Speaker 1: I think, in general health, but cannot tell certainly as
• 46:55
  Speaker 1: to the difficulty in my chest, as I have been
• 46:58
  Speaker 1: unable to test my progress. I had a pleasant visit
• 47:01
  Speaker 1: to f and Robert and enjoyed rest there which I wanted.
• 47:06
  Speaker 1: Love to Custos, and kind regards to all friends. I
• 47:09
  Speaker 1: hope that I shall find all well and doing well,
• 47:12
  Speaker 1: all at the White House, and love. Poor tab is
• 47:15
  Speaker 1: still sick. Marky Williams is with your mother. Robert came
• 47:20
  Speaker 1: up with us, but returns this evening. I have seen
• 47:23
  Speaker 1: doctor Huston this morning, and I am to have a
• 47:26
  Speaker 1: great medicine talk tomorrow, your devoted father. R. E. Lee,
• 47:31
  Speaker 1: Miss Mildred Lee. End of chapter twenty two.