Recollections and Letters of General Robert E. Lee

Chapter II The Confederate General Resigns from Colonelcy of First United States Cavalry--Motives for this step--Chosen to command Virginia forces--Anxiety about his wife, family, and possessions--Chief advisor to President Davis--Battle of Manassas--Military operations in West Virginia--Letter to State Governor......................... 24

Chapter III Letters to Wife and Daughters From Camp on Sewell’s Mountain--Quotation from Colonel Taylor’s book--From Professor Wm. P. Trent--From Mr. Davis’s Memorial Address--Defense of Southern ports--Christmas, 1861--The General visits his father’s grave--Commands, under the President, all the armies of the Confederate States ................. 48

Chapter IV Army Life of Robert the Younger Volunteer in Rockbridge Artillery--“Four Years with General Lee” quoted--Meeting between father and son--Personal characteristics of the General--Death of his daughter Annie--His son Robert raised from the ranks--the horses, “Grace Darling” and “Traveller”--Fredricksburg--Freeing slaves .................. 69

Chapter V The Army of Northern Virginia The General’s sympathy for his suffering soldiers--Chancellorsville--Death of “Stonewall” Jackson--General Fitzhugh Lee wounded and captured--Escape of his brother Robert--Gettysburg--Religious revival--Infantry review--Unsatisfactory commissariat........................... 91

Chapter VI The Winter of 1863-4 The Lee family in Richmond--The General’s letters to them from Camps Rappahannock and Rapidan--Death of Mrs. Fitzhugh Lee--Preparations to meet General Grant--The Wilderness--Spottsylvania Court House--Death of General Stuart--General Lee’s illness ... 112

Chapter VII Fronting the Army of the Potomac Battle of Cold Harbour--Siege of Petersburg--The General intrusts a mission to his son Robert--Battle of the Crater--Grant crosses the James River--General Long’s pen-picture of Lee--Knitting socks for the soldiers--A Christmas dinner--Incidents of camp life... 128

Chapter VIII The Surrender Fort Fisher captured--Lee made Commander-in-Chief--Battle of Five Forks--The General’s farewell to his men--His reception in Richmond after the surrender--President Davis hears the news--Lee’s visitors--His son Robert turns farmer ........... 144

Chapter IX A Private Citizen Lee’s conception of the part--His influence exerted toward the restoration of Virginia--He visits old friends throughout the country--Receives offers of positions--Compares notes with the Union General Hunter--Longs for a country home--Finds one at “Derwent,” near Cartersville................... 162

Chapter X President of Washington College Patriotic motives for acceptance of trust--Condition of college--The General’s arrival at Lexington--He prepares for the removal of his family to that city--Advice to Robert Junior--Trip to “Bremo” on private canal-boat--Mrs. Lee’s invalidism........... 179

Chapter XI The Idol of the South Photographs and autographs in demand--The General’s interest in young people--His happy home life--Labours at Washington College--He gains financial aid for it--Worsley’s translation of Homer dedicated to him--Tributes from other English scholars...... 198

Chapter XII Lee’s Opinion upon the Late War His intention to write the history of his Virginia campaigns--Called before a committee of Congress--Preaches patience and silence in the South--Shuns controversy and publicity--Corresponds with an Englishman, Herbert C. Saunders ............. 218