The Monument to General Robert E. Lee, 241
cause as General Lee*s cause, and they fought for it because they loved him. To them he represented cause, country, and all.
The wonderful influence of Napoleon over his soldiers had for its foundation the love of military glory. It appealed to no nobler sen- timent. It was as intense in wars of ambition as in war for the de- fense of the country.
Napoleon was the idol of his soldiers. Lee was the idol of his men.
I will relate an incident to show how the men regarded General Lee.
While the army was on the Rapidan, in the winter of 1863-64, it became necessary, as was often the case, to put the men upon very short rations. Their duty was hard, not only on the outposts during the winter, but in the construction of roads to facilitate communica- tion between the different parts of the army. One day General Lee received a letter from a private soldier, whose name I do not now re- member, informing him of the work that he had to do and that his rations were not sufficient to enable him to undergo the fatigue. He said, however, that if it was absolutely necessary to put him upon such short allowance he would make the best of it, but that he and his comrades wanted to know if General Lee was aware that his men were getting so little to eat, because if he was aware of it he was sure there must be some necessity for it. General Lee did not reply directly to the letter, but issued a general order, in which he informed the soldiers of his efforts in their behalf, and that their privation was beyond his means of present relief, but assured them that he was making every effort to procure sufficient supplies. After that there was not a murmur in the army, and the hungry men went cheerfully to their hard workT^
A FEDERAL SOLDIER'S INCIDENT.
You have all heard the anecdotes connected with his appearance in the midst of the charging columns at the Wilderness and at Spot- sylvania Courthouse, and how the affection of his men forced him to avoid the dangers of battle. I shall not repeat any of these stories, which are familiar in all Southern households ; but there is one inci- dent for which I am indebted to a Federal soldier, which I will venture to relate as illustrating the character of General Lee. I doubt if it has its parallel in the annals of battles.
Some years ago I received a letter from this Federal soldier in- forming me that, as I might desire to have personal incidents con-
