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19 - 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 nineteen 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 nineteen Lie's letters to his sons,
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  Speaker 1: the building of Robert's house. The General as a railroad delegate,
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  Speaker 1: lionized in Baltimore, calls on President Grant, visits Alexandria, declines
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  Speaker 1: to be interviewed, interested in his grandson. The Washington portraits
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  Speaker 1: my father, being very anxious that I should build a
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  Speaker 1: good house on my farm, had agreed to supply the
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  Speaker 1: necessary means, and was interested in my plans and estimates.
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  Speaker 1: In a letter of February eighteenth, after a long and
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  Speaker 1: full explanation of the arrangements for the purchase of Smith's
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  Speaker 1: Island by Fitzu and myself, he writes, I am glad
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  Speaker 1: that you are considering the construction of your house and
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  Speaker 1: taking steps in the matter. Let me know how you advance,
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  Speaker 1: the amount of its costs, et cetera, and when I
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  Speaker 1: can help you. The fine weather we have had this
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  Speaker 1: winter must have enabled you to advance in your farm work,
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  Speaker 1: and put you ahead in that so that you will
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  Speaker 1: come out square. I hope we are as usual your
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  Speaker 1: poor mother about the same. The girls well and I tolerable.
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  Speaker 1: All unite in much love, truly and affectionately are e Lee.
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  Speaker 1: A week later, he writes to me on the same subject. Lexington, Virginia,
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  Speaker 1: February twenty seventh, eighteen sixty nine. My dear son, I
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  Speaker 1: am glad you have obtained a good pair of oxen.
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  Speaker 1: Try to get another pair to work with them. I
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  Speaker 1: will make good the deficit in my contribution. Your fences
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  Speaker 1: will be a great advantage to you. And I am
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  Speaker 1: delighted at the good appearance of your wheat. I hope
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  Speaker 1: it will continue to maturity. It is very probable, as
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  Speaker 1: you say, however, that it may fail in the grain
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  Speaker 1: should you find it so, would it not be well
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  Speaker 1: next year to experiment with phosphates That must be the
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  Speaker 1: quality the land lacks. Have you yet heard from mister
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  Speaker 1: West about your house? What are the estimates? Let me know.
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  Speaker 1: The difficulty I fear now will be that the burning
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  Speaker 1: of the bricks may draw you away from your crops.
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  Speaker 1: You must try not to neglect them. What would the
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  Speaker 1: bricks cost if purchased? Ask f to cut the lumber
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  Speaker 1: for you. I will furnish the funds to pay for it.
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  Speaker 1: I hope the break in the mill may not prove serious,
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  Speaker 1: and that you may be able to make up your
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  Speaker 1: delay in plowing occasioned by the necessary hauling. I am
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  Speaker 1: very glad to hear that you and f can visit
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  Speaker 1: each other so easily. It will be advantageous to communicate
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  Speaker 1: with each other as well as a pleasure. I suppose
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  Speaker 1: tab has not returned to the White House yet. I
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  Speaker 1: am delighted to hear that she and her boy are
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  Speaker 1: so well they will make everything on the pamunkey shine.
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  Speaker 1: We are all as usual. General Breckinridge a footnote. General
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  Speaker 1: John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky, ex Secretary of War of
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  Speaker 1: the Confederate State, had two sons at Washington College at
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  Speaker 1: this time. One of them was since United States Minister
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  Speaker 1: at the Court of Saint Petersburg. And note is on
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  Speaker 1: a visit to his sons and has been with us
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  Speaker 1: to day. He will return to Baltimore Monday. He looks well,
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  Speaker 1: seems cheerful, and talks hopefully. All unite in love to
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  Speaker 1: you and your acquaintances. Inquire regularly after you. I think
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  Speaker 1: of you very often and wish I were nearer and
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  Speaker 1: could assist you. Custus is in better health this winter
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  Speaker 1: than he has been and seems content, though his sisters
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  Speaker 1: look after him very closely. I have no news, and
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  Speaker 1: never have. General b saw fitz Hugh Lee in Alexandria.
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  Speaker 1: He told him he was a great farmer now, and
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  Speaker 1: when he was away his father, who had now taken
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  Speaker 1: to the land, showed uncommon signs of management. Goodbye, my
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  Speaker 1: dear son, May you enjoy every happiness. Praise your affectionate father. R. E.
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  Speaker 1: Lee Robert E. Lee Junior. The completion of the railroad
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  Speaker 1: from the White House to West Point made communication between
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  Speaker 1: Fitzhugh and myself very easy. On February eleventh, my father
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  Speaker 1: had become the proud and happy possessor of a grandson,
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  Speaker 1: which event gave him great joy. Mister West, an architect
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  Speaker 1: of Richmond, had drawn me up plans and estimates for
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  Speaker 1: a house. My father had also sent me a plan
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  Speaker 1: drawn by himself. These plans I had submitted to several
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  Speaker 1: builders and sent their bids to him to examine and consider.
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  Speaker 1: In the following letter, he gives me his opinion. Lexington, Virginia,
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  Speaker 1: March twenty one, eighteen sixty nine. My dear Rob. I
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  Speaker 1: have received your two letters of the third and ninth instance,
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  Speaker 1: and would have answered the former before, but had written
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  Speaker 1: a few days before its date, and as our letters
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  Speaker 1: had been crossing each other, I determined to let them
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  Speaker 1: get right first. As to Smith's Island, I merely want
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  Speaker 1: to fulfill the conditions of the sale, as proscript rib
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  Speaker 1: in the published notice. I should have required them of
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  Speaker 1: any other purchasers, and must require them of you now.
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  Speaker 1: As for the house, the estimates of your bidders are
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  Speaker 1: higher than I anticipated, and I think too high, by
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  Speaker 1: at least a thousand dollars. You see, there is about
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  Speaker 1: a thousand dollars difference between the highest and lowest of
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  Speaker 1: their offers you sent me. What does F say about it?
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  Speaker 1: I am confident that I could build that house here
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  Speaker 1: for but little over two thousand dollars, including materials, and
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  Speaker 1: I could do it there if I could get too
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  Speaker 1: good workmen. But you are unaccustomed to building, and I
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  Speaker 1: would not advise you to undertake it unless you could
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  Speaker 1: engage a proper foreman. If therefore, I were in your place,
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  Speaker 1: I should reject all the offers, unless the one you
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  Speaker 1: had not received when you wrote suited better. I would, not, however,
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  Speaker 1: give up my house, but procure the bricks, either by
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  Speaker 1: purchase or by making them on the ground, as was
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  Speaker 1: most advantageous, and the shingles in the same way, and
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  Speaker 1: get all the lumber and flooring prepared. While preparing the
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  Speaker 1: necessary materials, I would see the builder that made the
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  Speaker 1: lowest offer, or any other that I preferred, and get
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  Speaker 1: him to revise his estimate and cut it down, leaving
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  Speaker 1: him a margin for profit, and when satisfied with his offer,
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  Speaker 1: accept it and set him to work. Now, as for
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  Speaker 1: the means, I understand when you were here that you
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  Speaker 1: could manage the materials, that is, make arrangements for procuring
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  Speaker 1: the bricks, lumber, shingles, and flooring. Indeed, you might also
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  Speaker 1: get the lime and sand cheaper perhaps than the builder,
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  Speaker 1: and make a deduction on his bill. I can let
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  Speaker 1: you have funds to pay your contractor if I did
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  Speaker 1: not understand you rightly, that is, if you cannot procure
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  Speaker 1: the materials, I can help you in them too. In fact,
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  Speaker 1: if you desire so much, I can let you have
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  Speaker 1: the whole amount three thousand, five hundred dollars. You can
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  Speaker 1: have the use of it without interest, and return it
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  Speaker 1: to me when I require it, or sooner if you
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  Speaker 1: are able, as I take it from the fund I
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  Speaker 1: was saving for a homestead for your mother. At present
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  Speaker 1: I cannot use it, and it is of no advantage
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  Speaker 1: to me except its possession. Will that suit you? If
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  Speaker 1: it does not, let me know what will, and you
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  Speaker 1: shall have that too. You must feel that it gives
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  Speaker 1: me pleasure to do anything I can for you, And
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  Speaker 1: if I had only myself to consider, you should have
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  Speaker 1: it unconditionally. But I must consider one person above all
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  Speaker 1: I want you to do. Therefore, just as you prefer,
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  Speaker 1: I want you to have the comfort of a house.
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  Speaker 1: But I do not wish to force upon you against
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  Speaker 1: your will or against your judgment. I merely wish you
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  Speaker 1: to feel that you can procure one without inconveniencing me.
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  Speaker 1: The only hesitation I have on the subject is that
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  Speaker 1: I think you ought to get a better house for
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  Speaker 1: three thousand, five hundred dollars than I fear you will get.
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  Speaker 1: The house according to the first plan, in my opinion,
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  Speaker 1: ought not to cost more than that sum. But if
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  Speaker 1: if you think the estimate is a fair one and
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  Speaker 1: are satisfied, accept it and set to work. But consult
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  Speaker 1: fitz Hugh and let me know when you want the money,
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  Speaker 1: and in what sums now that is plain, I hope.
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  Speaker 1: So keep this letter for reference, as I have not
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  Speaker 1: time to take a copy. We are all pretty well.
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  Speaker 1: Your mother has been troubled by a cold, but is
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  Speaker 1: over it. I hope the girls are well and have
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  Speaker 1: as many opinions about as few facts as ever and
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  Speaker 1: custos so so. We have had accounts of Lawrence Butler's wedding,
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  Speaker 1: and all were as gay as a flock of snowbirds.
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  Speaker 1: They regretted your absence. I will ask your mother to
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  Speaker 1: send you reports. I am tolerable and wish I could
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  Speaker 1: get down to see you. I had hoped to go
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  Speaker 1: down this spring, but I fear that the dilatoriness of
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  Speaker 1: the workmen in finishing the house, and the necessity of
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  Speaker 1: my attending to it, getting the grounds enclosed, and preparing
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  Speaker 1: the garden, will prevent me. I shall also have to
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  Speaker 1: superintend the moving. In fact, it never seems convenient for
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  Speaker 1: me to go away. Give much love to f my daughter,
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  Speaker 1: tab and grandson. I wonder what he will think of
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  Speaker 1: his grandpa. All unite in love, and I am, as
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  Speaker 1: always your affectionate father are E Lee Robert E. Lee
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  Speaker 1: Junior in April. There are two letters written on the
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  Speaker 1: same day to each of his sons, Fitzhugh and myself.
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  Speaker 1: I had determined for many reasons to postpone building my
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  Speaker 1: house for the present, which decision my father regrets. In
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  Speaker 1: the matter of Smith's Island, the arrangement proposed by my
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  Speaker 1: brother and myself for its purchase was agreed to by him. Lexington, Virginia,
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  Speaker 1: April seventeen, eighteen sixty nine. My dear rob I have
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  Speaker 1: written to Fitzhugh informing him of my agreement to all
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  Speaker 1: the propositions in your joint letter, which I hope will
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  Speaker 1: be satisfactory to you. You can read my letter to him,
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  Speaker 1: so I will not repeat. I am sorry that you
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  Speaker 1: have concluded not to build, but if in your judgment
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  Speaker 1: that it is the best course, I must be content.
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  Speaker 1: I do not wish you to hamper yourself with obligations,
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  Speaker 1: but in my mind, building in the way proposed would
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  Speaker 1: not be onerous to you, and would have given you
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  Speaker 1: the use of a house some years prior to the
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  Speaker 1: time that you may be able to erect one, and
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  Speaker 1: thus have added to your comfort, health, and probable ability
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  Speaker 1: to increase your resources from your farm. But I hope
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  Speaker 1: you have decided wisely, and should circumstances occur to cause
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  Speaker 1: you to change your views, you must not fail to
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  Speaker 1: let me know, for I shall at all times stand
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  Speaker 1: ready to help you to the extent of my ability,
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  Speaker 1: which I am now obliged to husband, lest I may
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  Speaker 1: become a burden to others. I am very glad to
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  Speaker 1: learn that your farm is promising better in the second
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  Speaker 1: cultivation of the fields, and feel assured that if treated judiciously,
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  Speaker 1: it will recover its fertility and be remunerative. If you
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  Speaker 1: can perceive that you are progressing, though with a slow
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  Speaker 1: and regular step, you have cause for congratulations and encouragement.
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: For there are many, I am sorry to say, that
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  Speaker 1: are worse off now than when they commenced at the
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  Speaker 1: end of the war, and have to begin again. Industry
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  Speaker 1: with economy must prevail in the end. There seems to
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  Speaker 1: be a necessity for my going to Baltimore next Tuesday,
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  Speaker 1: but I feel so poorly now that I do not
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  Speaker 1: know that I shall be able. If I do go,
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  Speaker 1: it will interfere materially with my proposed visit to you,
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  Speaker 1: and fitz Hugh this spring, and I fear will put
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  Speaker 1: an end to it. I shall be obliged to spend
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  Speaker 1: some days in Alexandria on my return, and could not
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  Speaker 1: then delay my return here. I hope to see you
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  Speaker 1: both sometime this summer, and if I cannot get to you,
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  Speaker 1: you must come to me. I have been confined to
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  Speaker 1: the house for more than a week with a bad cold,
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  Speaker 1: the effects of which still cling to me. And though
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  Speaker 1: I am better this morning, I am suffering. Your mother too,
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  Speaker 1: I am sorry to say, has been suffering from the
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  Speaker 1: same cause and has had to resort to medicine as
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  Speaker 1: well as myself. You know that is bad for old people.
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  Speaker 1: Agnes has not been well, but Mildred is herself and
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  Speaker 1: surrounded by her two fresh broods of kittens. She would
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  Speaker 1: not call the king her uncle. God bless you, my
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  Speaker 1: dear son, Praise your affectionate father or e Lee R.
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  Speaker 1: E Lee Junior. The letter to his son fitz Hugh
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  Speaker 1: is mostly upon business, but some of it relates to
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  Speaker 1: more interesting matters. Lexington, Virginia, April seventeen, eighteen sixty nine.
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  Speaker 1: My dear Fitzhugh, I expect to go to Baltimore next Tuesday,
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  Speaker 1: if well enough. The Valley Railroad Company are very anxious
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  Speaker 1: for me to accompany their delegation to that city, with
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  Speaker 1: a view of obtaining from the mayor or council a
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  Speaker 1: subscription for their road. And though I believe I can
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  Speaker 1: be of no service to them, they have made such
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  Speaker 1: a point of it that it would look ill mannered
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  Speaker 1: and unkind to refuse. I wish I could promise myself
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  Speaker 1: the pleasure of returning by the White House, but I cannot.
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  Speaker 1: If I go to Baltimore, I must take time to
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  Speaker 1: pay certain visits, and must stop a while in Alexandria.
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  Speaker 1: I shall therefore, from there be obliged to return here.
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  Speaker 1: If I could stop there on my way to Baltimore,
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  Speaker 1: which I cannot for want of time, I would then
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  Speaker 1: return by the White House. I shall hope, however, to
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  Speaker 1: see you and Rob during the summer, if I have
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  Speaker 1: to go down immediately after commencement. But it is so
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  Speaker 1: inconvenient for me to leave home now that I cannot say.
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  Speaker 1: Poor little Agnes also has been visited by doctor Barton
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  Speaker 1: of late, but she is on the mend life holds
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  Speaker 1: her own. Both of her cats have fresh broods of kittens,
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  Speaker 1: and the world wags cheerily with her. Custus is well,
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  Speaker 1: and Mary is still in New York, and all unite
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  Speaker 1: with me in much love to you and my daughter
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  Speaker 1: tab and my grandson. I hope the latter has not
• 13:57
  Speaker 1: formed the acquaintance of his father in in the same
• 14:00
  Speaker 1: manner as Warrington Carter's child, your affectionate father, R. E. Lee,
• 14:05
  Speaker 1: General William H. S. Fitzhugh Lee. In order to induce
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  Speaker 1: the City of Baltimore to aid them in building their
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  Speaker 1: railroad from Staunton to Salem, the Valley Railroad Company got
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  Speaker 1: together a large delegation from the counties through which it
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  Speaker 1: was proposed the line should pass, and sent it to
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  Speaker 1: that city to lay the plans before the mayor and
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  Speaker 1: council and request assistance. Among those selected from Rockbridge County
• 14:31
  Speaker 1: was General Lee. Lexington, at this time was one of
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  Speaker 1: the most inaccessible points in Virginia. Fifty miles of canal
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  Speaker 1: or twenty three of staging over a rough mountain road
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  Speaker 1: were the only routes in existence. The one from Lynchburg
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  Speaker 1: consumed twelve hours, the other from goshen, A station on
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  Speaker 1: the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad from seven to eleven. On
• 14:54
  Speaker 1: one occasion, a gentleman, during his first visit to Lexington,
• 14:57
  Speaker 1: called on General Lee, and, on bidding him good life by,
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  Speaker 1: asked him the best way to get back to Washington.
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  Speaker 1: It makes but little difference, replied the General, for whichever
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  Speaker 1: route you select, you will wish you had taken the other.
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  Speaker 1: It was therefore the desire of all interested in the
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  Speaker 1: welfare of the two institutions of learning located in Lexington
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  Speaker 1: that this road should be built. My father's previous habits
• 15:21
  Speaker 1: of life, his nature, and his taste made him averse
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  Speaker 1: to engaging in affairs of this character. But because of
• 15:27
  Speaker 1: the great advantage to the college, should it be carried through,
• 15:31
  Speaker 1: And at the earnest request of many friends of his
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  Speaker 1: and of the road, he consented to act. General John
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  Speaker 1: Eccles from Staunton, Colonel Pendleton from Buchanan, Judge McLoughlin from
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  Speaker 1: Lexington were amongst those who went with him. While in Baltimore,
• 15:46
  Speaker 1: he stayed at the house of mister Missus Samuel Tagart,
• 15:49
  Speaker 1: whom he had met several summers at the White Sulfur Springs.
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: The delegation was invited to the floor of the Corn
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  Speaker 1: and Flower Exchange to meet the business men of the city.
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  Speaker 1: My father, for the same reasons given above, earnestly desired
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  Speaker 1: to be excused from this part of the program, and
• 16:06
  Speaker 1: asked some of his friends to see mister John W. Garrett,
• 16:09
  Speaker 1: the president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, who had
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  Speaker 1: the delegation in charge, and tried to have it so arranged.
• 16:16
  Speaker 1: Mister Garrett, however, was very positive. General Lee is a
• 16:20
  Speaker 1: most interesting man. I think he had better come, was
• 16:23
  Speaker 1: the message brought back to him. As he appeared on
• 16:26
  Speaker 1: the floor, which was filled with a great crowd, he
• 16:29
  Speaker 1: was greeted with deafening cheers and was soon surrounded by
• 16:33
  Speaker 1: the thousands who had assembled there to see him. Everywhere
• 16:37
  Speaker 1: that he appeared in the city he received an ovation. Sunday, intervening,
• 16:42
  Speaker 1: he attended service in the morning at Saint Paul's Church
• 16:45
  Speaker 1: on Charles Street. When it became known that General Lee
• 16:48
  Speaker 1: was there, large numbers collected to see him come out,
• 16:51
  Speaker 1: waiting patiently and quietly until the congregation was dismissed. As
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: he appeared at the door, all heads were uncovered and
• 16:59
  Speaker 1: kept so until he had passed through the long lines
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  Speaker 1: extending down the street. A reception was given by mister
• 17:06
  Speaker 1: Taggard and his honor. There his friends crowded to see him,
• 17:10
  Speaker 1: and the greatest affection and deference were shown him. He
• 17:14
  Speaker 1: had lived in Baltimore about twenty years before this time,
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  Speaker 1: and many of his old friends were still there. Besides,
• 17:21
  Speaker 1: Baltimore had sent to the Army of Northern Virginia a
• 17:24
  Speaker 1: large body of her noble sons, who were only too
• 17:27
  Speaker 1: glad to greet once more their former commander. That he
• 17:30
  Speaker 1: was still a prisoner on parole disenfranchised from all civil rights,
• 17:35
  Speaker 1: made their love for him stronger and their welcome the
• 17:39
  Speaker 1: more hearty. On his return to Lexington, he was asked
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  Speaker 1: how he enjoyed his visit. With a sad smile, he said,
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  Speaker 1: very much, but they would make too much fuss over
• 17:50
  Speaker 1: the old rebel. A few days after he came home,
• 17:53
  Speaker 1: when one of his daughters remonstrated with him about the
• 17:56
  Speaker 1: hat he was wearing, he replied, you don't like them?
• 18:00
  Speaker 1: Why I have seen a whole city fol come out
• 18:03
  Speaker 1: to admire it. There is only a short note to
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  Speaker 1: my mother that I can find, written during this trip. Baltimore,
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  Speaker 1: April twenty seven, eighteen sixty nine. My dear Mary I
• 18:14
  Speaker 1: am still at mister Tagert's, but propose going tomorrow to Ella's,
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  Speaker 1: and thence to Washington's, which will consume Wednesday and Thursday.
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  Speaker 1: If not obliged to return here, which I cannot tell
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  Speaker 1: till this evening or tomorrow morning, I will then go
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  Speaker 1: to Washington, where I shall be obliged to spend a
• 18:32
  Speaker 1: day or two, and thence to Alexandria, so I shall
• 18:35
  Speaker 1: not be able to return to Lexington till the last
• 18:38
  Speaker 1: of next week. What has become of little Agnes? I
• 18:41
  Speaker 1: have seen many of our old friends, of whom I
• 18:44
  Speaker 1: will tell you on my return. I have bought you
• 18:46
  Speaker 1: a little carriage, the best I could find, which I
• 18:49
  Speaker 1: hope will enable you to take some pleasant rides. All
• 18:53
  Speaker 1: send love give mine to Mildred and Custus and all friends.
• 18:57
  Speaker 1: I am just about starting to Missus Baker's, truly and
• 19:00
  Speaker 1: affectionately R. E Lee, Missus m see Lee. The Ella
• 19:05
  Speaker 1: mentioned was Missus sam George of Baltimore, who, as a
• 19:09
  Speaker 1: girl had always been a pet and favorite of my father.
• 19:12
  Speaker 1: She was a daughter of his first cousin, mister Charles
• 19:15
  Speaker 1: Henry Carter of Goodwood, Prince George County, Maryland, and a
• 19:20
  Speaker 1: schoolmate of my sister Mary. Their country place was near
• 19:23
  Speaker 1: Elicate City. He went there to see her, and from
• 19:26
  Speaker 1: there to Lynnwood, nearby the seat of Washington. Peter, my
• 19:30
  Speaker 1: mother's first cousin and an intimate friend of us. All
• 19:35
  Speaker 1: On Saturday, my father, accompanied by mister and Missus Tagar,
• 19:39
  Speaker 1: went to Washington on an early train. They drove immediately
• 19:42
  Speaker 1: to the Executive Mansion and called on the President. This
• 19:46
  Speaker 1: meeting was of no political significance whatever, but simply a
• 19:49
  Speaker 1: call of courtesy. It had been intimated to generally that
• 19:53
  Speaker 1: it would be most agreeable to General Grant to receive him.
• 19:56
  Speaker 1: Mister and Missus Taggart went with him, and they met
• 20:00
  Speaker 1: there mister Motley, the newly appointed Minister to England. The
• 20:04
  Speaker 1: interview lasted about fifteen minutes, and neither Generally nor the
• 20:08
  Speaker 1: President spoke a word on political matters. While in Washington,
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: my father was the guest of Missus Kennon of Tudor Place,
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: Georgetown Heights. On Sunday he dined with Missus Pedestad and
• 20:20
  Speaker 1: her husband, the secretary of the Spanish legation, who were
• 20:24
  Speaker 1: old friends and relatives. After leaving Washington, he stopped in
• 20:28
  Speaker 1: Alexandria for several days as the guests of Missus A. M. Fitzhugh.
• 20:33
  Speaker 1: It was at her country place, Ravensworth, about ten miles
• 20:36
  Speaker 1: from town, that his mother had died, and there in
• 20:40
  Speaker 1: the old ivy covered graveyard she was buried. Missus Fitzhugh
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: was the wife of my mother's uncle, mister William Henry Fitzhugh, who,
• 20:48
  Speaker 1: having no children, had made my mother his heir. The
• 20:52
  Speaker 1: intimacy between Arlington and Ravensworth was very close since mister
• 20:56
  Speaker 1: Fitzhugh's death, which occurred some thirty years Prior to this time,
• 21:01
  Speaker 1: my father and mother and their children had been thrown
• 21:04
  Speaker 1: a great deal with his widow and aunt Maria, as
• 21:07
  Speaker 1: we called her, became almost a member of the family.
• 21:10
  Speaker 1: She had the greatest love and admiration for Robert, sought
• 21:14
  Speaker 1: his advice in the management of her estate, and trusted
• 21:17
  Speaker 1: him implicitly. His brother, Admiral Sidney Smith Lee, came up
• 21:22
  Speaker 1: from Richland, his home on the Potomac near Aquia Creek,
• 21:26
  Speaker 1: to meet him, and he found at Missus fitz Hughes's
• 21:29
  Speaker 1: aunt Nanny footnote, Missus S. S Lee end note, and
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: her son fitz Lee. This was the first time they
• 21:37
  Speaker 1: had met each other since their parting in Richmond just
• 21:40
  Speaker 1: after the war. On his arrival in Alexandria, my father
• 21:44
  Speaker 1: had walked up from the wharf to Aunt Maria's. He
• 21:47
  Speaker 1: was recognized by a number of citizens who showed him
• 21:50
  Speaker 1: the greatest deference and respect. So many of his friends
• 21:54
  Speaker 1: called upon him Missus Fitzhughes that it was arranged to
• 21:57
  Speaker 1: have a reception for him at the mansion house. For
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: three hours, a constant stream of visitors poured into the parlors.
• 22:03
  Speaker 1: The reception was the greatest ovation that any individual had
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: received from the people of Alexandria since the days of Washington.
• 22:11
  Speaker 1: The next day, in Bishop John's carriage, he drove out
• 22:15
  Speaker 1: to Seminary Hill to the home of mister Cassius f Lee,
• 22:18
  Speaker 1: his first cousin, where he spent the night. In the
• 22:22
  Speaker 1: afternoon he went to see the Bishop and his family,
• 22:25
  Speaker 1: General Cooper and the Reverend Doctor Packard. The next morning,
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: with Uncle Smith, he attended Ascension Day services at Christ
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: Church and was afterward entertained at a dinner party given
• 22:37
  Speaker 1: by mister John B. Dangerfield. Before he left Alexandria, he
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: called on mister John Janey, who was President of the
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: Virginia Convention in eighteen sixty one, when as Colonel Lee,
• 22:49
  Speaker 1: he appeared before it and accepted the command of the
• 22:52
  Speaker 1: Virginia Forces organized and to be organized. One evening, a
• 22:56
  Speaker 1: correspondent of the New York Herald paid him a visit
• 22:59
  Speaker 1: for them the purpose of securing an interview. The General
• 23:02
  Speaker 1: was courteous and polite, but very firm. He stood during
• 23:06
  Speaker 1: the interview and finally dismissed the reporter, saying, I shall
• 23:10
  Speaker 1: be glad to see you as a friend, but requested
• 23:13
  Speaker 1: that the visit may not be made in your professional capacity.
• 23:17
  Speaker 1: The same correspondent had tried to interview him for his
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: paper while he was in Baltimore, but had failed. My
• 23:25
  Speaker 1: father was much amused at an occurrence that took place
• 23:28
  Speaker 1: during this visit. Late one afternoon, a visitor was announced.
• 23:32
  Speaker 1: As the General was very tired, Uncle Smith Lee volunteered
• 23:35
  Speaker 1: to relieve him. The visitor was found to be an irishwoman,
• 23:39
  Speaker 1: very stout and unprepossessing, who asked if she could see
• 23:42
  Speaker 1: the general. The admiral bowed, intimating that he was the
• 23:46
  Speaker 1: desired person, when she said, my boy was with you
• 23:50
  Speaker 1: in the war. Haneana must kiss you for his sake,
• 23:53
  Speaker 1: and with that she gave the Admiral an embrace and
• 23:55
  Speaker 1: a kiss. Mister Cassius Lee, to whom he told this,
• 23:59
  Speaker 1: suggested that he should take General Fitzley a long to
• 24:03
  Speaker 1: put forward in such emergencies. My father's first letter after
• 24:07
  Speaker 1: his return to Lexington was the following, Lexington, Virginia, May eleven,
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: eighteen sixty nine. My dear Fitzhugh, I reached here last Saturday,
• 24:16
  Speaker 1: bringing Agnes and Miss Peyton with me from Staunton. Found
• 24:20
  Speaker 1: everybody well and custos better. I had upon the whole
• 24:24
  Speaker 1: a pleasant visit, and was particularly glad to see again
• 24:27
  Speaker 1: our old friends and neighbors in Alexandria and Vicinity, though
• 24:31
  Speaker 1: should have preferred to enjoy their company in a more
• 24:34
  Speaker 1: quiet way. Your Uncle Smith came up to meet me,
• 24:37
  Speaker 1: and your aunt, Nanny and Fitz were there. I had
• 24:41
  Speaker 1: not seen them since I parted from them in Richmond
• 24:44
  Speaker 1: after the war. I wish I could have visited you
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: and Rob and have seen my daughter and grandson, but
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: that pleasure, I trust is preserved for a future day.
• 24:53
  Speaker 1: How is the little fellow. I was much relieved after
• 24:56
  Speaker 1: parting from you to hear from the doctors that it
• 24:59
  Speaker 1: was the best time for him to have the whooping cough,
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: in which opinion the men concurs. I hope that he
• 25:05
  Speaker 1: is doing well. Bishop Whittel will be here Friday next
• 25:09
  Speaker 1: and is invited to stay with us. There are to
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: be a great many preparatory religious exercises this week. A
• 25:15
  Speaker 1: great feeling of religion pervades the young in the community,
• 25:19
  Speaker 1: especially at the Virginia Military Institute. All send love your
• 25:23
  Speaker 1: affectionate Father R. E. Lee. Since his establishment in Lexington,
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: General Lee had been a member of the Vestry of
• 25:31
  Speaker 1: Grace Episcopal Church. At the Council of eighteen sixty eight,
• 25:35
  Speaker 1: which met at Lynchburg, he had been sent as a
• 25:38
  Speaker 1: delegate and spent three days there. This year, the Council
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: was to meet in Fredericksburg and he was again elected
• 25:44
  Speaker 1: to represent his church. This was a busy time with him.
• 25:48
  Speaker 1: The examinations were commencing, his new home was about ready
• 25:52
  Speaker 1: to move into, and the preparations for the commencement exercises
• 25:56
  Speaker 1: had to be made. Yet he accepted the trust imposed
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: upon him his church and took a week out of
• 26:02
  Speaker 1: his valuable time to perform it. In his next letter
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: to his son, after writing on some Smith's island business.
• 26:09
  Speaker 1: He tells him of his proposed journey to Fredericksburg and
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: of his regret at not being able to visit him
• 26:15
  Speaker 1: as he had intended. Lexington, Virginia, May twenty two, eighteen
• 26:19
  Speaker 1: sixty nine, My dear Fitzhugh, The weather here has been
• 26:23
  Speaker 1: very hard on the cornfields, and I hear of many
• 26:26
  Speaker 1: having to be replanted. The wheat so far is very promising,
• 26:30
  Speaker 1: and I am glad to hear that yours and Robs
• 26:33
  Speaker 1: is equally so. I have been elected by our little
• 26:36
  Speaker 1: church to represent it at the coming convention, and have
• 26:39
  Speaker 1: concluded to go. I shall leave for Fredericksburg Tuesday, June first,
• 26:44
  Speaker 1: and shall endeavor while there to spend a night with
• 26:47
  Speaker 1: your uncle Smith, the only visit I shall be able
• 26:49
  Speaker 1: to make him. It is very inconvenient for me to
• 26:52
  Speaker 1: be absent at this time. The examination of the senior
• 26:56
  Speaker 1: classes is in progress, and I must hasten back to
• 26:59
  Speaker 1: attend as many as I can. The new house is
• 27:02
  Speaker 1: about finished. The contractors say they will deliver the keys
• 27:05
  Speaker 1: on Monday, the thirty first instant. I will make arrangements
• 27:09
  Speaker 1: to have it cleaned out during the week so as
• 27:11
  Speaker 1: to be able to move in on my return the commencement.
• 27:15
  Speaker 1: A busy time with me is approaching, and we must
• 27:18
  Speaker 1: try to be prepared. I shall not therefore be able
• 27:21
  Speaker 1: to pay you a visit at this time, but hope
• 27:24
  Speaker 1: Custus and I will be able to do so after
• 27:26
  Speaker 1: the close of the session. I met Bishop Whittle at
• 27:29
  Speaker 1: Lynchburg last convention and was much pleased with him. My
• 27:34
  Speaker 1: favorable impressions were much strengthened and increased by this visit. Here.
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: I am so glad to learn that my little grandson
• 27:41
  Speaker 1: is getting on so well with his whooping cough. You
• 27:44
  Speaker 1: must kiss him and his mother for me. We are
• 27:47
  Speaker 1: all about the same. Your mother is becoming interested in
• 27:50
  Speaker 1: her painting again and is employing her brush for the
• 27:53
  Speaker 1: benefit of our little church, which is very poor. She
• 27:57
  Speaker 1: yet a while confines herself to coloring photograph and principally
• 28:01
  Speaker 1: to those of General and Missus Washington, which are sold
• 28:04
  Speaker 1: very readily. The girls are well and have Miss Peyton
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: with them still. Custus, I hope is better. He is
• 28:11
  Speaker 1: getting over some of his confinement with his classes now,
• 28:14
  Speaker 1: which I hope will be of benefit to him. Give
• 28:17
  Speaker 1: my love to Robert and tell my daughter tab I
• 28:19
  Speaker 1: long to see her. All unite with me in affectionate love.
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: I am truly your father, R. E. Lee. These photographs
• 28:28
  Speaker 1: that were being colored by my mother were from the
• 28:30
  Speaker 1: original portraits of General Washington by Peel and of Missus
• 28:34
  Speaker 1: Washington by w These paintings hung at Mount Vernon until
• 28:39
  Speaker 1: the death of Missus Washington, and were then inherited by
• 28:42
  Speaker 1: my grandfather, mister Custus. They were at Arlington till sixty one,
• 28:46
  Speaker 1: when they were removed to Ravensworth, where they remained until
• 28:50
  Speaker 1: the end of the war. When they were being sent
• 28:53
  Speaker 1: to Lexington, the boat carrying them on the canal between
• 28:56
  Speaker 1: Lynchburg and Lexington sank. These pictures were many others belonging
• 29:01
  Speaker 1: to my mother, were very much injured and had to
• 29:03
  Speaker 1: be sent to a restorer in Baltimore, who made them
• 29:07
  Speaker 1: as good as ever, and they were finally safely hung
• 29:10
  Speaker 1: in the President's House in Lexington, and are now in
• 29:13
  Speaker 1: the library of the University. My mother colored the photographs
• 29:17
  Speaker 1: like these originals, and sold a great many on account
• 29:21
  Speaker 1: of their association rather than their merit. There must have
• 29:25
  Speaker 1: been some change of date in my father's plans, for
• 29:28
  Speaker 1: though he said he would start on June first for Fredericksburg.
• 29:32
  Speaker 1: His first and only letter from there was written on
• 29:35
  Speaker 1: May twenty eighth. Fredericksburg, May twenty eight, eighteen sixty nine.
• 29:39
  Speaker 1: My dear Mary, I reached here Tuesday night, the night
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: after the morning I left you about twelve o'clock and
• 29:46
  Speaker 1: found Major Barton at the depot, who conducted me to
• 29:49
  Speaker 1: his house. The town seems very full of strangers, and
• 29:52
  Speaker 1: I have met many acquaintances. I have seen no one
• 29:56
  Speaker 1: yet from Cedar Grove and cannot learn whether any of
• 29:59
  Speaker 1: them are coming. They are no doubt in distress there,
• 30:02
  Speaker 1: For you may have heard of the death of Charles
• 30:04
  Speaker 1: Stuart on his way from Arkansas. He died at Lynchburg
• 30:08
  Speaker 1: of congestive chills. Harriet Kazanov, his sister, went on to
• 30:12
  Speaker 1: see him, but he died before her arrival. Rosalie, I heard,
• 30:17
  Speaker 1: was at Cedar Grove, Turberville in Essex. I have delivered
• 30:21
  Speaker 1: all your packages, but Margaret's, Cassius Lee and all from
• 30:25
  Speaker 1: the seminary are here. Sally came up from Gloucester, and
• 30:28
  Speaker 1: also Missus Tolliver. But I must tell you of all
• 30:31
  Speaker 1: occurrences upon my return and of all whom I have met,
• 30:35
  Speaker 1: all friends, inquire very particularly and affectionately after you, particularly
• 30:41
  Speaker 1: your cousin Missus Blank, who turns up every day at all,
• 30:44
  Speaker 1: assemblies corners and places with some anxious question on her mind,
• 30:48
  Speaker 1: upon which some mighty though to me hidden importance depends.
• 30:54
  Speaker 1: Fitzley arrived to day, though I have not seen him yet.
• 30:57
  Speaker 1: If I can accomplish it, I will go to Richard
• 31:00
  Speaker 1: Shland tomorrow Saturday, and spend Sunday and take up my
• 31:04
  Speaker 1: line of March Monday, in which event I hope to
• 31:06
  Speaker 1: reach Lexington a Wednesday morning, or rather Tuesday night in
• 31:10
  Speaker 1: the stage from Goshen. I may not be able to
• 31:13
  Speaker 1: get away from the Council before Monday. In that case,
• 31:16
  Speaker 1: I shall not arrive before Wednesday night. Tell the girls
• 31:20
  Speaker 1: there are quantities of young girls here and people of
• 31:23
  Speaker 1: all kinds. I hope that you are well and that
• 31:26
  Speaker 1: everything will be ready to move into our new house
• 31:28
  Speaker 1: upon my arrival. I am obliged to stop. I am
• 31:32
  Speaker 1: so much interrupted and occupied that though I have tried
• 31:35
  Speaker 1: to write ever since my arrival, I have been unable.
• 31:39
  Speaker 1: Love to all very affectionately, Our E Lee, Missus r
• 31:44
  Speaker 1: E Lee Cedar Grove was the plantation of doctor Richard
• 31:48
  Speaker 1: Stuart in King George County, some fifty miles from Fredericksburg.
• 31:52
  Speaker 1: His wife, a Miss Calvert of Riversdale, Maryland, was a
• 31:56
  Speaker 1: dear cousin of my mother and had been her bridesmaid,
• 32:00
  Speaker 1: and the two families had been intimate all their lives.
• 32:03
  Speaker 1: All the persons mentioned by my father were cousins and friends,
• 32:06
  Speaker 1: several of them old neighbors from Alexandria, and the theological
• 32:10
  Speaker 1: seminary nearby from Fredericksburg. After the completion of his duties
• 32:15
  Speaker 1: at the Council, he went to Richland on the Potomac,
• 32:19
  Speaker 1: near Aquia Creek, where his brother Smith was then living.
• 32:23
  Speaker 1: This meeting was a great pleasure to them both, for
• 32:26
  Speaker 1: two brothers were never more devoted. This was the last
• 32:29
  Speaker 1: time they saw one another alive, as Smith died two
• 32:32
  Speaker 1: months afterwards. End of Chapter nineteen