Children's plays; Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870 -- Juvenile literature
General Grant was so much touched by the bravery and suffering of the
Southern army that by his orders no salutes of joy were fired.
After signing the articles of surrender, Lee came out of the courthouse,
looked up for a moment at the Virginia hills for which he had fought so
bravely, struck his hands together just once in agony, then mounted his
confederate grey horse, Traveller, and rode calmly away.
As he rode, he passed in view of his men,--as many as remained of them.
News of the surrender had spread, so they were standing about in
dejected groups, when they caught sight of Lee. For a moment they forgot
hunger and defeat and let out a mighty shout. Then they crowded around
their former commander kissing his hands through their tears.
"Men," he said, "we have fought through the war together. I have done my
best for you. My heart is too full to say more."
THE COLLEGE PRESIDENT
The Lees' beautiful home, Arlington, across the river from Washington,
had been used as headquarters for the Union Army during the war. The
country home they owned had been burned.
The family was now living at Richmond, and General Lee went to join them
there. You can imagine how glad they were to see each other after their
long and terrible separation.
But Lee was not allowed the peaceful home life for which he longed.
Callers of every class crowded the house.
One morning an Irishman who had fought on the Northern side came with a
basket of provisions, and insisted upon seeing General Lee. The servant
could not put him off, so when the General appeared, Pat said to him,
"Sure, sir, you're a great soldier, and it's I that knows it. I've been
fighting against you all these years, and many a hard knock we've had.
But, General, I honor you for it, and now they tell me you are poor and
in want, and I've brought you this basket. Please take it from a
soldier."
Lee, of course, thanked him for it and told him that although he himself
was not in need there were poor soldiers in the hospital who would be
glad to be remembered by so generous a foe.
With the death of President Lincoln, feeling in the North against the
South took new life. Friends of Lee began to fear for his safety.
One day a confederate soldier in a tattered uniform called upon the
general saying he was speaking for four other fellows around the corner
who were too ragged to come to the house. They offered their loved
general a home in the mountains where they would guard him with their
lives. Lee thanked them with tears in his eyes, but he said he could not
live the life of an outlaw. He gave them some of his clothes and the
soldier went back to his friends around the corner.
Because of Mrs. Lee's poor health, it became necessary to leave
Richmond. A friend offered them a country house near Cartersville in
Cumberland county. But people followed him even here. An English
nobleman offered him an estate abroad, but Lee would not leave Virginia
now that she needed him more than ever.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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