which are under charge of the War Department in Washington, and was unwilling to write his history without these.

But he would sometimes make it an objection to writing at all, that he would be obliged to relate facts which would cause the conduct of others to be subjected to criticism and censure. No man was ever more careful of the feelings or reputation of others, or more ready to submit quietly to wrong himself rather than have censure cast upon his com. rades or subordinates.

General Lee had nothing of nepotism about him, but meted out the evenest justice to all, except that he did not promote his relatives as rapidly as he did others.

His son Robert served as a private in the ranks of the Rockbridge Artillery, sharing with his comrades of that crack corps all of their dangers, hardships, drudgery, and privations, when a hint from his father would have secured him promotion to some place of honor. The general told, with evident relish, that during the battle of Sharpsburg he became very uneasy about Robert-knowing that his battery had suffered severely, and not hearing any thing from him. At last he made it convenient to ride up to the battery, which had just been relieved from a very perilous position where it had suffered fearful loss, and had his fears increased by not recogizing his son among the men. To the hearty greeting of the brave fellows he replied, "Well! you have done nobly to-day, but I shall be compelled to send you in again."

"Will you, general?" said a powder-begrimed youth whom he did not recognize, until he spoke, as his son Robert. "Well, boys! come on; the general says we must go in again, and you know he is in the habit of having his own. way about such matters."

Thus the anxiety of the commander-in-chief was relieved, and his son went gayly to work at his gun and contribute his full share toward "keeping those people back."

I have the following from the lips of the distinguished officer who related it:

When General was compelled by failing health to ask to be relieved from a certain important command, he went to Richmond to confer with President Davis as to his successor, and to endeavor to impress upon him the very great importance of the district, and of the commander being a man of fine abilities. Mr. Davis fully sympathized with his views, and, after reflection, said: "I know of no better man for that position than General Custis Lee. To show you my estimate of his ability, I will say that, when some time ago I thought of sending General Robert Lee to command the Western Army, I had determined that his son Custis should succeed him in command of the Army of Northern Virginia. Now, I wish you to go up and see General Lee, tell him what I say, and ask him to order General Custis Lee to the command of that department. Tell him I will make his son major-general, lieutenant-general, or, if need be, full general, so that he may rank any officer likely to be sent to that department." General

promptly sought Lee's headquarters, delivered Mr. Davis's message, and urged a compliance.

But to all of his arguments and entreaties the old chieftain had but one reply: "I am very much obliged to Mr. Davis for his high opinion of Custis Lee. I hope that, if he had the opportunity, he would prove himself in some measure worthy of that confidence. But he is an untried man in the field, and I cannot appoint him to that command. Very much against his wishes and my own, Mr. Davis has kept him on his personal staff, and he has had no oppor tunity to prove his ability to handle an army in the field Whatever may be the opinion of others, I cannot pass by my tried officers and take for that important position a com paratively new man-especially when that man is my own son. Mr. Davis can make the assignment if he thinks proper-I shall certainly not do so."

The records of the Confederate War Department would be searched in vain for any word of General Lee seeking place either for himself or his sons.

Rev. Dr. T. V. Moore, so long pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Richmond, and who recently died in Nashville, Tenn., related the following in his memorial sermon:

"After the cartel for the exchange of prisoners during the war was suspended, one of his own sons was taken prisoner. A Federal officer of the same rank in Libby Prison sent for me, and wished me to write to General Lee, begging him to obtain the consent of the Confederate authorities to his release, provided he could, as he felt sure would be the case, induce the United States authorities to send General Lee's son through the lines to effect this special exchange.

"In a few days a reply was received in which, with the lofty spirit of a Roman Brutus, he respectfully but firmly declined to ask any favor for his own son that could not be asked for the humblest soldier in the army. The officer, while disappointed, was yet so struck with the unselfish nobleness of the reply, that he begged the letter from me as a memento of General Lee, adding, with deep emphasis, 'Sir, I regard him as the greatest man now living.'"

It will add greatly to the force of the above incident to recall the fact that the son (General W. H. F. Lee) was at home, severely wounded, at the time he was captured; that his accomplished wife was lying at the point of death, and actually died before his release (the Federal authorities refusing to allow General Custis Lee to take the place of his brother, as he nobly offered to do) and that he was closely confined in a casemate at Fortress Monroe, and threatened with death by hanging, in retaliation for alleged cruelty on the part of the Confederate authorities toward certain Federal prisoners.

Only those who know how devoted to his children Gen eral Lee was can appreciate the noble self-denial which he exercised when, under these circumstances, the tenderest feelings of the loving father were sacrificed to his sense of duty to his country.

Not long after his West Virginia campaign, he was recommending a certain officer for promotion, when a friend

urged him not to do so, alleging that this officer was accustomed to speak very disparagingly and disrespectfully of General Lee. The quick reply was, "The question is not what he thinks or is pleased to say about me, but what I think of him. I have a high opinion of this officer as a soldier, and shall most unquestionably recommend his promotion, and do all in my power to secure it."

Surely the pages of the world's history afford no nobler example of self-denial for the good of others than that of the modest, unobtrusive life of the Christian soldier and patriot -R. E. LEE.

CHAPTER VI.

HIS WANT OF BITTERNESS TOWARD THE NORTH, BUT DEVOTION

TO THE INTERESTS OF THE SOUTH.

GENERAL LEE was conspicuous for a want of bitterness toward the United States authorities and the people of the North. He certainly had much which others would have taken as an occasion of bitterness, if not absolute hatred. While he was suffering privation and hardship, and meeting danger in opposing what he honestly believed to be the armed hosts of oppression and wrong, his home was seized (and held) by the Government, and his property destroyed. When at the close of the war he faithfully and scrupulously sought to carry out his parole, avoided the popular applause that his people were everywhere ready to give him, and sought a quiet retreat where he could labor for the good of the young men of the South, his motives were impugned, his actions were misrepresented, and certain of the Northern journals teemed with bitter slanders against him, while a United States grand-jury (in violation of the terms of his parole, as General Grant himself maintained) found against him an indictment for "treason and rebellion." And yet amid all these provocations he uttered no word of bitterness, and always raised his voice for moderation and charity.

Upon several occasions, the writer has heard him rebuke others for bitter expressions, and the severest terms he was accustomed to employ were such as he used to his son Rob