Pass L V6 . 2 Book Ll/Li/^ _ CEREMONIES royNECTED WITH THE INAUGURATION OF THE MAUSOLEUM AND THE UNVEILING OF THE RECUMBENT FIGURE GENERAL ROBERT EDWARD LEE, AT WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY, Lexington, Va.. June 28. 1883. ORATION OF JOHN W. DANIEL, LL D, HISTORICAL SKETCH Lee Memorial Association. LYNCHBURG, VA. : J.. P. B..F.L1. A Co., Printeb.'?. 1883. L4(^ .\ 1 .L4L44. HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE Lee Memorial Association, BY W. ALLAN, R MBrnbE-r of the ExECUtlva CainrnlttBa, Gesteral Robert Edward Lee was prostrated by his last illness on September 28, 1870. lie died two weeks later, on the morning of October 12. On October 15 he was buried beneath the cliapel of Washington College, now Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia. This place was selected by Mrs. Lee after the authorities of the College had placed at her disposal any part of the grounds she might prefer. The day, though full of the glory of autumn, was the most mournful in the annals of Lexington. A vast concourse, com- prising the entire population of the town and the vicinity, with delegations from other places, followed, with sadness and tears, the remains of General Leo to the tomb. The funeral services were conducted by the Rev. W. iST. Pendleton, D. D., (late Brigadier General and Chief of Artillery of the Army of North- ern Virginia,) the rector of Grace Episcopal Church, of which General Lee was a member. The body was deposited in a vault prepared for the purpose. ' On the day of the funeral a large number of ex-Confederate soldiers assembled in the court-house at Lexington, and after giving expression to the love and veneration of the South for General Lee, and to the sorrow at his death, resolved to take steps to erect a monument in honor of their great leader. .They felt that even in the midst of poverty and disaster, no labor could be more grateful, no duty more sacred, than that of making manifest to the future, in some enduring v;ay, tlie love and admiration of his countrymen for the character and genius of Robert E. Lee. '^--At this meeting was formed the LeeMemoeial Association-, and the following were appointed an Executive Committee to carry into effect the objects of the Association : Gen. W. N. Pendleton, Chief Artillery, A. N. V. Capt. J. J. White, Liberty Hall Vols., 4tli Va. Reg't. Col. J. K. Edmondson, 2Tth Va. Reg't. Col. "W. Preston Johnston, Staff of President Davis. Capt. A. Gi'ahara, Rockbridge Artillery. Maj. Jas. B. Dorman, C. S. A. Lt.-Col. W. Allan, Chief Ord. Officer, 2nd Corps, A. N. V. Capt. J. C. Bonde, 27th Va. Reg't. Capt. C. A. Davidson, 1st Va. Battalion. Lt.-Col. Wm. M. McLaughlin, Artillery, C. S. A. . Lt.-Col. J. W. Massie, 51st Va. Reg't. ^ W. A. Anderson, Liberty Hall Vols., 4th Va. Reg't. This Committee met October 24, ISTO, at the office of Capt. C. A. Davidson, and organized by electing Gen. W. N. Pen- dleton as chairman, and Capt. Charles A. Davidson as secretary. The Committee, in accordance with the duties entrusted to it, then elected the following officers of the Lee Memorial Association : President — Gen. Jno. C. Breckinridge, of Kentucky. Vice-Pres't-at-Large — Gen. Jos. E. Johnston, of Vii-ginia. ^7-. T) u -c 1^- • • i Gen. Jubal A. Earlv, Vicc-rrests from v irgmia, •< ri i i^r m. tt ti "i '=' ' ( Col. Walter 11. lay lor. Vice-Pres't from Louisiana, Gen. P. G. T. Beauregard. " " - N. Carolina, Gen. D. H. Hill. " " " S. Carolina, Gen. Wade Hampton. " " " Georgia, Gen, John B. Gordon. " " " Alabama, Gen. W. J. Hardee. " " " Mississippi, Gen. S. I). Lee. " " " Tennessee, R. S. Ewell. " " " Texas, Gen. Jno. B. Hood. " " " Maryland, Gen. I. R. Trimble. '•' " " Missouri, Gen. J. S. Marmaduko. " " ♦' Arkansas, Gen. J. C. Tappau. Treasurer, C. M. Figgat, Esq., Cashier Bank of Lexington, Va. A committee was appointed to prepare an address for pnbli- cation, setting forth the purposes of tlic Association, and an- otlier committee was instructed to draw up a charter, and to submit it to the Legishiture of Virginia for enactment. Mi's. Marj Custis Lee M'as requested by the Executive Com- mittee to indicate her preference in regard to the monument to be erected by the Association, and at her suggestion, Mr. Ed. V. Valentine, the distinguished Virginian sculptor, was sent for. Mr. Valentine had, the preceding summer, modeled a bust of General Lee from life, which was considered an admirable work of art. Mrs. Lee, after examining a number of drawings and photographs of celebrated works ot art, suggested, as a suitable design for the monument, a recumbent figure of Gen- eral Lee lying asleep upon the field of battle. The design was suggested to her by Ranch's figure of Louise of Prussia in the mausoleum at Charlottenburg. This figure of Lee, some- what above life size, was to be placed upon a sarcophagus suit- ably inscribed and decorated. The whole was to be of white marble and was designed to be placed over the remains of Gen- eral Lee. The suggestions of Mrs. Lee, both as to the monument and as to the artist, having been cordially adopted by the Associa- tion, Mr. Valentine was, on November 24, 1870, requested to "prepare a design for the tomb of Gen. R. E. Lee, proposed to be erected, and an estimate of the probable cost of the same." Measures were also taken for collecting from the admirers of General Lee, the funds needed for erecting the monument. Liberal responses were received from a number of sources, among which was a donation of $1000 from W. W. Corcoran, Esq., of AVashington, and the Executive Committee became satisfied that the means needed for the work could be obtained. On June 23, 1871, Mr. Valentine, having completed a model of the proposed figure and sarcophagus, appeared before the Executive Committee and submitted it together with an esti- mate of cost. This latter amounted to $15,000. The model was approved and accepted, and Mr. Valentine was commis-- sioned' to go on with the work. By tlie fall of 1S72 Mr. Valentine had completed the cast of, the monument in plaster and was ready to put it into marble. Some $5,000 had up to this time been contributed to the Asso- ciation, and activ*e steps were now taken to collect the remain- der of the sum needed to secure the completion of the figure. The Association of the Army of Northern Virginia, at its meeting in Richmond, October 31, 1872, resolved : " That the sarcophagus now in course of preparation by our Virginian artist, Valentine, to be placed over the tomb of Lee, at Lexington, commends itself to especial favor as promising, from the beauty of the design, and the skill of the sculptor, to be a worth}' memorial of our departed chief. " That for the purpose of assuring and expediting the com- pletion of this noble work of art, to be placed, as a fitting token of a whole people's love and homage, above the ashes of their dead liero, we recommend to the ladies of the South to hold memorial meetings on the next anniversary of the birth of Gen. H. E. Lee, and to take such measures as shall to them seem best for collecting money on that day to be specially ap- propriated to the decoration of his tomb by the erection of the sarcophagus." The Memorial Association in an address united their voice with that of the Association of the A. N. V. The ladies of Lexington promptly responded by having a fair and a cantata in the winter of lS72-'3, the proceeds of wliich, amounting to over $800, were turned over to the Asso- ciation. This sum was still further increased by private sub- scriptions. The example thus set was followed in many other places. On the 20th January, 1873, contributions were made in a number of Southern cities and towns to the object of the Association. Li Savannah, Gen. Hampton, by invitation, de- livered a lecture upon Gen. Lee, which added over $500 to the funds of the x\ssociation. The ladies of Leesburg, Va., of Alexandria, Va., and of Palmyra, Missouri, sent handsome contributions. Similar responses came from many other places. During the spring and summer contributions continued to come in. Among these was a liberal donation of $500 from W. H. McLellan, Esq., of New Orleans. Admirers of Gen. Lee abroad also contributed liberally. Mr. W. T. McCanslane, of Glasgow, Scotland, took particular interest in the matter, and through his efforts nearly $700 were added to the funds of the Association. A considerable sum was realized from a steel engraving of Gen. Lee publislied by Bustwick & Co., of Cin- cinnati, and sold under the authority of the Association; also, from the sale of '' Personal Ileminiscences of Gen. Lee" by Rev. J. W. Jones, D. D., a part of the proceeds of which book M'cre turned over to the Executive Committee. An act incorporating the Association had been passed by the Virginia Legislature and approved January 14, 1871. By this it was enacted, ''That Wui. N. Pendleton, F. W. M. OoUiday, C. S. Venable, J. W. Massie, Cliarles A. Davidson, Wm. Mc- Laughlin, J. B. Dorman, Wm. Allan, Wm. P. Johnston, J. 0. Boude, J. J. White, A. Graham, Jr., Wm. Terry, Wm. A. Anderson, Jolm S. iI»Ios!)y, John Ejhols, Thos. S. Flournoy, Robert Stiles, James K. E Imondson, and such other persons as they shall associate with them, be and they are herel)y incor- porated by the name and style of The Lee Memorial Associa- tion." The usual corporate powers were confei-red upon them, and the officers of the corporation were to be "a president, fifteen vice-presidents, a secretary, a treasurer, and an e.Kecu- tive committee of nineteen members." The persons named above were declared the E.Kecutivc Committee, with fuJl powers to appoint officers and till vacancies. The Association organized under the charter May 31, 1873. At this meetino; Gen. Jos. E. Johnston was elected President CD of the Association to succeed Gen. John C. Breckenridge, who had died. Col. Bjlivar Christian and Capt. AValter Bowie were elected members of the Executive Committee in place of Col. J. W. Massie (deceased) and of CoL John S. Mosby (unable to serve). Gen. Pendleton was elected Chairman of the Execu' tive Committee, C. M. Figgat, Esq., Treasurer, and Capt. C. A. Davidson, Secretary. Subsequently the Rev. J. W, Jones, D. D., was made a member of the Executive Committee in place of Major Robt. Stiles. The funds coDtribiited up to this time were sufficient to jus- tify the committee in ordering the completion of the figure in marble, and in Julv, 1S73, tlie artist was instructed to go for- ward and finish Lis task. On April 1, 1S75, Mr. Valentine reported tlie work done, and the Association took steps to have the monument brought to Lexington. At this time tlie students of Richmond Col- lege made application for the "privilege of taking charge of the monument when it is sent up to Lexington, and bearing the expenses of its transportation." This kind and courteous proposal was cordially accepted by the Executive Committee, and the monument was brought by canal from Richmond un- der an escort of the students of Richmond College. The escort was composed of Messrs. J. T. E. Thornhill, W. M. Turpin, R. H. Pitt, A. M. Harris, H. C. Smith and J. W. Martin, of Virginia ; S. S. Woodward, of Xew Jersey ; R. T. Hanks, of Alabama, and C. N. Donaldson, of South Carolina. As* the figure was being taken from the artist's studio to the boat landing in Richmond, on April 13, a large number of the citizens of Richmond, headed by the students of Richmond College and the First Virginia Regiment, followed in proces- sion to honor the memory of Lee. The monument reached Lexington April 17, 1S75. Mr. Thornhill, in appropriate terms, delivered it to the committee, on whose behalf ex-Gov. John Letcher responded. Addresses were also made on this occasion by Lt. Gen. Early and Col. \V. Preston Johnston. The monument was temporarily stored in a room upon the grounds of Washington and Lee University, and confided, for the time, to the guardianship of the students of that institution. When the completion of the figure had been assured, the Executive Committee turned their attention to providing a suitable mausoleum in which it might be placed. Gen. R. D. Lilly was appointed agent to collect funds for this purpose in the winter of lS7i-5. Through his efforts a handsome sum was realized, and in February, 1875, a committee was appoint- ed to invite from architects designs for a suitable mausoleum. 9 The chairman of this committee, Prof. J. J. White, devoted iimch time and labor to conferences and correspondence with eminent architects on this subject; and many suggestions were proposed to the committee. Prominent among these was a design kindly presented in December, 1875, by Mr. J. L. Smithmeyer, of Washington, which seemed to the Executive Committee to be marked by such taste and beauty that it was determined to adopt it if the estimated cost should be found not greater than the sum the Association might expect to re- alize from contributions within a reasonable time. It was found, however, (in August, 1870,) when the plans and estimates were fully made, that the cost of this building would be $45,- 000, which the committee deemed to be far in excess of their probable resources. Meantime donations had come in from various places. The ladies of Baltimore sent, in May, 1875, $1,319.82, the result of an entertainment given by them. Sub- sequently there came from Charleston, S. C, $1,107.11, and from ISTew Orleans, $1,548, from Mobile, $539.65, and valua- ble donations from Washington, D. C, Staunton, Va., and Camden, S. C. A handsome contribution (over $500) came from Texas, where Mr. J. S. Sullivan, of Galveston, displayed great and efficient interest in the matter. The committee were also indebted to Cyrus H. McCormick, Esq., of Chicago, for $500, and to W. A. Stuart, Esq., of Saltville, Ya., for $100, as well as to many other gentlemen for smaller sums. In the summer of 1876 it seemed to the Executive Committee, from their progress^ so far, that they might expect the contributions for a mausoleum to reach an aggregate of $10,000 or $15,000, but not more. They therefore laid aside Mr. Smithmeyer's plan and directed their committee to select one more in ac- cordance with their means. A year now passed, and in May, 1877, J. Crawford Xeilsou, Esq., a leading architect of Baltimore, offered to furnish a de- sign for the mausoleum. Mr. Neilson's kind offer was accept- ed and he was invited to visit Lexington. After full confer- ence and investigation Mr. Xeilson proposed as the design for the mausoleum a rectangular apse to be placed in the rear of 10 tlie cljapel of the University, where General Lee was buried. His plan was approved and adopted by the Association. As described at the time, it "consists of a fire proof apse, an ad- dition to the rear of the chapel, conforming in material and de- sign to the chapel itself. The lower story is a crypt of massive stone masonry, and the superstructure is built of brick. The interior is encrusted with brick and Cleveland stone, of sub- dued tints, and is lighted from above. The whole constitutes a solemn and tender memorial of the warrior who rests in peace beneath, surrounded by the ashes of those who were dearest on earth." [, Tlie ceremonies of laying tlie corner-stone took place on November 29, 1S7S. On tiiis occasion Prof. J.J. White made a statement of the work of tlie Association, and then introduced U. S. Senator R. E, Withers, who delivered an eloquent ad- dress. After this, Gen. Jos. E. Johnston, the President of the Association, assisted by the lion. J. llandolph Tucker, pro- ceeded to lay the corner-stone. This is on the northeast corner of the building, about ten feet above tlie ground. In Februar}^, 1879, the Association lost by death Capt. C. A. Davidson, its secretary, and one of the most active and efficient members of the Executive Committee. His contributions of time and money to the Association had been veiy liberal, his labors in its behalf earnest and useful, and these had extended over the entire period from its organization to his death. A. T. Barclaj', ensign 4th Va. Eegiment, was elected to fill the vacancy thus caused in the Executive Committee, and Capt. J. C. Boude was appointed secretarj'. In January, 1879, a statement of the condition of the work was prepared by Col. W. Preston Johnston, and published, and additional subscriptions were asked for to complete it. Among the generous responses was that of W. W. Corcoran, Esq., who having heretofore given $1,000 for the figure, now added $1,000 for the mausoleum. Moro Philips, Esq., of Philadelphia, donated |500, and Geo. W. Childs, Esq., of Philadelphia, W. C. Hives, Esq., and F. R. Rivers, Esq., of New York, Robt. Garrett, Esq., of Baltimore, Hon. Wm. Milnes, Hon. J. R. 11 Tucker, Prof. C. A. Graves, Jno. D. Sterrett, Esq., and Col. J. D. H. Ross, of Virginia, and Col. R. G. Cole, of Georgia, each $100. Several of the resident members of the Executive Com- mittee had each contributed previously $100. A considerable amount was added by means of musical entertainments kindly given by the ladies of Lexington, under the direction of Mrs. Judge McLaughlin. Additions were also made to the funds through some entertainments given at different places by Profs. Cromwell and Wheeler. The building of the mausoleum was carried forward during 1879 and 1880, but the funds of the Association became ex- hausted before the iron roof and the interior were complete. Li the spring of 1882 the Association made a proposition to the trustees of Wasliington and Lee University, on the grounds of which the mausoleum stands, offering to transfer the build- ing and monument to them in perpetual trust npon their com- pleting the mausoleum. From a statement embodied in this proposition, it appeared that the Association had collected and expended between $23,000 and $24,000 upon the figure and mausoleum, and that $5,000 were needed in addition to com- ])lete the entire work. This proposal was accepted by the trustees of the University on April 11, 1882, and the necessary appropriation made. The agreement provided : "That upon the completion of the mausoleum and its inauguration under the auspices of this Association the title to, and the care and custody of, both the mausoleum and the marble statue of General Lee shall be vested in the corporation of Washington and Lee University, upon the sacred trust that the mausoleum shall be preserved as a perpetual place of sepulture for the re- mains of Gen. R. E. Lee, and of Mrs. Lee, and of such other members of their family as it maybe the pleasure of the family to have interred there, and that the building and statue shall receive from the authorities of the University such care and attention from time to time as shall be needful for their preser- vation ; and upon the further trust that neither the mausoleum, nor the ground upon which it is erected, nor the statue and appurtenances of the mausoleum, shall ever be in any way, or J'2 to any extent, liable for any claiin against, or deLt of said Uni- versity, or be cliarged with an^^ mortgage, deed of trust, or other encumbrance.'' The Executive Committee of the Lee Memorial Association thus finally secured the completion of their labor of love. For twelve years it had been in progress. Many doubts had at times discouraged, many difficulties had delayed them, but the satisfaction now derived from a certainty of success more than compensated for all these. Measures were taken for the com- pletion of the building and the placing of the figure, and the 28th of June, 1883, was selected as the day for unveiling it to the public. In accordance with a long cherished design, tlie Hon. Jeffer- son Davis, the former President of the Confederate States, was invited to deliver on that day an address upon General Lee's military career. The Hon. Jno. AV. Daniel, of Yirginia, was invited to deliver, on the same occasion, an address on General Lee's life and character as a citizen and civilian. Ex-President Davis, though deeplj^ interested in the occasion and anxious to do all in his power to honor the memory of Lee, was finally forced by advancing years and precarious health to decline, and to Major Daniel was committed the whole of the splendid theme. \J The mausoleum was complete, the monument had been put in place, and the committee looked forward with pleasure to the day M'hich should witness the end of their work and the unveiling of the figure to the public. Ere this day arrived, however, their venerable chairman. Gen. W. N". Pendleton, was summoned to join his great commander. His death on January 15, 1883, closed a long and distinguished career of hon- orable service to his generation, both in war and peace. He acted as Chairman of the Executive Committee of this Associ- ation, from its organization, for more than twelve years, and was most zealous and active in promoting its objects. The various relations in which he had stood to General Lee, inten- sified his interest in the purposes of the Association, and no one worked more earnestly for their attainment. 13 Judge Wm. JVLeLaughlin was elected chairman to fill the place left vacant by the death of General Pendleton. The iinal arrangements having been completed under the supervision of the architect, Mr. Xeilson, and the artist, Mr. Valentine, the monument was formally transferred to the As- sociation by Mr. Valentine on May 7, lS83,'and was accepted on their behalf bv the lion. AV". A, Anderson, who in fittino- terms gave expression to the appreciation and admiration felt by all present as they looked upon the beautiful creation of the genius of Valentine and realized the perfection of the arrange- ments made by the skill and taste of Mr. Neilson for its pre- servation and display. The dimensions of the mausoleum on the ground plan are 31x36 feet. The lower story, which is constructed of coraline limestone to correspond with the basement of the chapel, is a crypt containing cells or receptacles for twenty-eight bodies. Three of these contain the ashes of Gen, R. E. Lee, Mrs. Mary Custis Lee, and Miss Agnes Lee. x\d joining the crypt, but underneath the chapel, is. the room used as an ofHce by General Lee during the later years of his presidency of Washington College, which is preserved as he left it on the day he was taken ill. The chamber containing the monument is directly over the crypt and is of brick like the corresponding part of the chapel, '' The floor of the chamber is tessellated with white-veined marble and encaustic tiles. The walls consist of panels of grayish Indiana marble enframed in dark Baltimore pressed brick, and surmounted by semicircular compartments which can be used for hasso-rilievo medallions. In one of these com- partments, immediately facing the chapel, is inscribed the name of General Lee, together with the dates of his birth and death. Immediately around the base of the sarcophagus is a border of dark tiling. The tessellated floor is on the level of the platform of the chapel, which is raised three feet above the floor of the audience chamber. " The figure and couch, which are of statuary marble, are 14 mounted on a sarcophagus simple almost to severity in its order, and which rests on a granite base course. The sides of the sarcophagus are composed of two marble panels each, the space between the panels bearing, in hasso-rilievo^ on the one side the Lee coat of arms, and on the other the arms of Vir- ginia. The head and foot consist of one panel each, the former being ornamented by a simple cross, the latter bearing the legend : ROBERT EDWARD LEE. Born January 19, 1807; Died October 12, 1870. " The figure is over life size, and rests upon a heavily draped couch in an attitude of easy repose, tlie head being elevated to a natural position, with the face turned slightly to the right. The feet are lightly crossed. The right forearm lies across the breast — the hand holding by simple weight tlie blanket which covers the lower part of the body — wliile the left arm is fully extended along the couch, this hand holding the hilt of a I sword." The contour of tlie limbs is easily discerned through ' the covering which falls over the lower part of the body. An anti-chamber connects the monument chamber with the chapel and is separated from the former by iron doors. A large arched opening, heavily curtained, leads from the cliapel into this anti-chamber. The monument is so placed and the light, which falls from the roof, so arranged, that when the curtains are drawn and the iron doors open, the figure can be seen from nearly every part of the floor and galleries of the chapel. The 28th of June, the day for the public opening of the ^ mausoleum, was the day after the Commencement of Wash- ington and Lee University, the exercises of which had already drawn many persons to Lexington. In addition to these a much larger concourse'of ex-Confederate soldiers gathered from every quarter on the day itself. All old Confederates and all admirers of General Lee were invited to attend, and special cards were sent to all former cabinet officers of the Confederate 15 States, the general oflScers of the Confederate army, the princi- pal officers of the Confederate navy, the members of General Lee's staff, the Governors of the Southern States, tlie execu- tive and judicial officers of Virginia, and the representatives in Congress and the Senators from Virginia. No effort was spared hy the people of Lexington and Rockbridge county to honor the day. Business was suspended, and the people devo- ted themselves to the exercises of the day, and to entertaining the crowds that came from a distance. Special trains on the Richmond & Alleghany and the Shenandoah Valley railroads brought numbers from every point within reach. A large number of the survivors of the Stonewall Brigade, as well as of other commands of the Army of Northern Virginia, were present. Prominent among those on the ground were the Maryland Line, consisting of the survivors of the soldiers and sailors of that State, who had served in the Confederate army and navy. Besides residents of the town and count}', there were present among the distinguished persons from a distance. Gen. Wade Hampton, Gen. J. A. Earlj^, Gen. Fitz. Lee, Gen. W. IL F. Lee, Gen. Wm. Terry, Gen. Geo. H. Steuart, Gen. M. D. Corse, Gen. R. D. Lilly, Col. Wm. Xorris, Chief of the Confederate Signal Bureau, Col. H. E. Peyton and Col. T. M. R. Talcott, of General Lee's Staff, Col. W.^H. Palmer, of Gen. A. P. Hill's Staff, Capt. R. E. Lee, Capt. J. H. 11 . Figgat, Maj. E. L. Rogers, Judge H. W. Bruce, Judge J. IL Fulton, Hon. C. R. Breckinridge of Arkansas, Fatlier Ryan, Rev. Dr. Alexander, Leigh Robinson, Esq., John J. Williams, Esq., C. W. Button, Esq., and D. Gardner Tyler, Esq. Mrs. Gen, Stonewall Jackson, Mrs. Gen. J. E. B. Stewart, Mrs. Gen. Geo. E. Pickett and Mrs. Carlisle (formerly Mrs. Gen. Geo. B. Anderson), were also present. The venerable philanthropist, W. W. Corcoran, Esq,, of AVashington, and j;he venerable ex- Gov. Wm. Smith, of Virginia, honored the occasion by their presence. In the morning a procession was formed under General Hampton as chief marshall, which visited the grave of Stone- wall Jackson in the Lexington Cemetery. Here were seen 16 many toncliing evidences of the devotion of his people to this great soldier. The soldiers of the Maryland Line, under Gen. G. H. Steu;\rt, who had shared in many of Jackson's cam- paigns, brought a liandsome bronze tablet inscribed with the arms of Maryland, wliicli they placed at the head of his grave. Tiie grave itself was covered with flowers and immortelles placed there by a number of ladies under the direction of Miss Edmonia Waddell. The railing around it was similarly deco- rated, and at each corner was a shield surrounded by an ever- green wreath, and containing a motto furnished by Mrs. Mar- garet J. Preston. These mottoes were : 1. " Faith that could not fail nor yield, Was the legend of his shield." "Port Republic." 2. " From the land for which he hied, Honor to the warrior dead." "Manassas." 3. " From the field of death and fame. Borne upon his shield he came." " Chancellorsville." • 4. " In the Valley let me lie, Underneath God's open sky." "Lexington." More precious still was the silent tear which forced its way to the eye of many an old soldier as the green grave brought the scenes of twenty years ago before his sight. Among the beautiful incidents of tlie day^was the following : The daugh- ter of Ex-President Davis, Miss Winnie Davis, had sent to General Early two floral designs composed entirely of immor- telles and made to represent the Confederate battle flag. They were exquisite in design and finish. One was intended for the grave of Lee and the other for that of Jackson, General Early selected Miss Carrie W, Daniel, the little ten-year-old daughter of the orator of the day, to place the tribute upon Jackson's grave. The tomb of Lee had been beautifully decorated with evergreens and flowers bj^ a committee of the ladies of Lex- ington under the direction of Mrs. Gen. Edwin G. Lee, Amid these decorations was placed the Confederate battle flag in iin- mortelles. After the ceremonies of the day were over, many a bronzed and gray-headed soldier might have been seen culling 17 some of these beautiful immortelles from the graves of Lee and Jackson to commit as a sacred memento to the keeping of his children. The procession returned from the cemetery to the grounds of Washington and Lee University, where in front of the cliapel a stand and seats had been placed for the accommoda- tion of the audience and speaker. The day was a propitious one. It was rainless, cool and bright. By 11 o'clock a mass of from 8,000 to 10,000 people filled the grounds. As many of them as could get within sound of the orator's voice gath- ered about the stand, and listened Mnth absorl^ed attention. In tiie absence of Gen. Jos. E. Johnston, who was detained at home by serious illness, Lt.-General Earl}^, the first Vice-Presi- dent of the Association, presided. After prayer by the Rev. R. J. McBryde, Gen. Early introduced Maj. Daniel, who for three hours held his audience b}' the spell of his eloquence, moving it now to applause, and now to tears. At the close of the speech. Gen. Early called upon Father Ryan to recite his poem, " The Sword of Lee." As the poet's voice gradually rose and spread over the throng the intense emotion with which his form and his words were filled spread too, and fairly thrilled the great audience. The moment for the unveiling of the figure was then an- nounced by a salute fired by the survivors of the "Rockbridge Artillei'y," who used for the purpose two guns which had con- stituted a part of their armament at the first battle of Manas- sas. These guns were part of the cadet battery used by Stonewall Jackson when a professor at the Virginia Military Institute, and are now again in the keeping of that Institution. Some fifty of tlie former members of this famous artillery com- pany had assembled for the occasion, and under Col. Wm. T. Poague, who had long been their captain, for a few moments resumed their former organization and duties. What memo- ries of the past, what deeds of daring, and what days of toil, what moving incidents of camp and field did the sound of those guns recall as those old soldiers looked into the faces or grasped the hands they had not seen or felt for eighteen years ! 18 As the guns opened fire the chapel and mausoleum were thrown open, the ligure was unveiled by Miss Julia Jackson, (daughter of Stonewall Jackson.) and the vast throng began to move through the building to view it. For many hours the current continued its steady flow, and indeed only ceased at nightfall. Meantime the hospitable town and county was en- tertaining the crowd of strangers. The houses of citizens of the town were everywhere thrown open, and handsome enter- tainments were provided at many of them. In addition to this, a lunch, provided by the citizens of the county and town, was served on the University grounds to several thousand people. The evening fell upon a day forever marked in the annals of Lexington. It was felt by all that Yalentine's chisel had cre- ated a worthy memorial of Lee, and that Daniel, in words not less fitting had committed it to the keeping of the future. With this day closed the active labors of the Lee Memorial Association. It only remained for them to complete the transfer of the mausoleum and monument to the perpetual care of Washington and Lee University, and to return thanks to the generous friends, who had by their contributions, rendered possible a noble work. They placed on record, in fitting terms, their high appreciation of the valuable services (services ren- dered as a labor of love) of their treasurer, C. M. Figgat, Esq.; of the skill and taste of J. Crawford Neilson, Esq., who placed liis architectural experience gratuitously at the service of the Association in "designing and superintending the construc- tion of the mausoleum"; of the splendid success of the artist's work, and of the oration of Major Daniel, '' which can receive no higher, no juster commendation, than that it is worth}^ of its great subject." A great name is passing into history. As the smoke of con- flict and passion passes away the world is beginning to recog- nize the outlines of a character in which capacity of the first rank was harmoniously united with virtue of the highest order; a character equally grand in victory and defeat. The Lee Memorial Association have not looked uj)oii their work as needful to 19 preserve the fame or extend tlie influence of Lee, but have deemed it both a duty and a privilege to testify to coming gen- erations the genuine affection, admiration and homage with which his countrymen and contemporaries regard the man, who seems to them the foremost of his time in those great qualities which best deserve the respect and veneration of mankind. PROGRAMME OF CEREMONIES AT THE Inauguration of the Lee Mausoleum, Lexington, Virginia, June 28, 1883. The following gentlemen were requested to act as Marshals and assistant Marshals, and to aid in the orderly conduct of tlie ceremonies of the day ; and all persons were requested to re- spect their authority as such : Chief Marshal — Lieutenant-General Wade Hampton. Marshah—Gen. R. D. Lilly, Col. W. T. Poague, Col. John A. Gibson, Col. J. D. li. Eoss, Maj. Cliarles F. Jordan, Maj. S. W. Paxton, Mr. John T. Dunlop, Mr. W. F. Johnston, Mr. Wm. M. Dunlap, Mr. Harry E. Moore, Mr. W. B. F. Leech, Mr. S. H. I-etcher, Mr. J. E. McCanley, Capt. J. H. H. Figgat, Capt. T. C. Morton, Capt. Jas. A. Strain, Capt. J. G. Updike, Dr. Z. J. Walker, Capt. William Wade, Capt. J. P. Moore, Lieut. J. H. P. Jones, Mr. P. T. McLeod, Capt. W. F. Pier- son, Mr. W. B. Poindexter. Chief of Assistant Marshals — Mr. E. C. Day, of Kentucky. Assistant Marshals — Mr. J. M. Becker, Pennsylvania ; Mr. R. Godson, Kentucky ; Mr. L. L. Campbell, Virginia, Mr. H. D. Flood, Vii'ginia ; Mr. J. T. Bngg, Louisiana; Mr. G. O'Bierne, West A'^irginia ; Mr. II. MeCrum, Virginia. ORDER OF EXERCISES. 1):30 A. M. to 10:30 A. M.— Decoration of the Tomb of Lcc and Grave of fJaekson. 10:30 A. M.— Music on the Grounds of Washington and Lee University by the Virginia Military Institute band and visiting bands. 11 A. M.— Prayer by the Rev. R..I. McBryde, Rector of Grace Memorial Churcii. 21 MUSIC. 11:15 A. M. -Oration hy Maj. Jolm W. Daniel. MUSIC. 2 p. M. — Figure of J. ee luiveiled, niommieutal chaiuher thrown open, and procession around the Figure. 3 P. M. — Collation provided by the citizens of Rockbridge and Lexington for Confederate veterans and military companies. Seats will be set apart and reserved in front of the stand fur military companies, societies, and organized bodies of veterans, of whose coming the Committee may have due notice. The platform to the right of the stand M'ill be set apart for representatives of the press. The other two small platforms are for the musicians of the V. M. I. band and visiting bands. The seats upon the main stand will be reserved for : I. Generals of the Confederate States Army and officers of the ConfQderate States Navy. 11. Officers of the general Gov^ernment of the Confederate States. III. The Governor of Virginia and members of the present State Government. IV. Governors of any of the States of tiie Union, members of the Senate or House of Kepresentatives of the Uni- ted States. y. Members of the Board ofj Trustees and Faculty of Washington and Lee University. VI. Members of the Board of Visitors and Faculty of the Virginia MiHtary Institute. VIL Specially invited guests. VIII. Members of tlie Lee Meniorial Association. By order of the Executive Committee, WILLIAM McLaughlin, C/iair?nan, WILLIAM A. ANDERSON, Chairman of Committee of Arrangements. JOHN C. BOUDE, Seo'y Ex. Com. Lee Memorial Association^ When the procession had retnrned from Jackson's grave to the grounds of Washington and Lee Universitj, and those form- ing it ]]ad taken tlie seats assigned them, the exercises were opened by the Kev, R. J. McBrjde, rector of Grace Memorial Church, Lexington, Va., who offered the following prayer : Almighty and Everlasting God — the King of Kings and Lord of Lords ! — our help in ages past, our hope for years to come — to Thee glory belongeth. Thou only art worthy to be praised. For Thou art from everlasting to everlasting. Thou art gracious and full of compassion ; Thou art good to all, and Thy tender mercies are over all Thy works. We praise Thee, O God ; we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord. In Thee w^e live and move, and have our being. We would render unto Thee most humble and hearty thanks for the goodly heritage Thou hast given us in this land of civil and religious freedom, for the peace and prosperity within our borders, and for all the innumerable manifestations of Thy goodness towards us. We would also recognize that it is our duty and privilege to begin, continue, and end all our works in Thee. And there- fore this day, and upon this occasion, we would realize that "promotion cometh neither from the East nor from the West nor from the South. God is the judge ; lie putteth down one and setteth up another." Then praise to Thee alone, thou Great Creator, for the leader and commander of this people, whose memory we seek to preserve and whose name we honor to day ! To Thee be all the glory for what he was and is to us. O, God, Thou wast his God ; his soul followed hard after Thee ; Thy right hand upheld him. lie was not ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crueitied and manfully to fight un- der His banner against sin, the world, and the devil, and to be Christ's faithful soldier and servant. .And we pray Thee that the influence of his life and the power of his example may never die out in the land. May a double portion of his spirit fall on his peo2)le, whom he loved, for whom he made such sacrifices, and for whom he labored with unwearied fidelity. 28 Ma}' they reverence Thy name ; may thev retain Thee in their thoughts ; may they ever live in obedience to Thy laws as did Thine honored servant ; may they follow him as he fol- lowed Christ ; may they love that Word which he believed, and uphold the faith which he confessed ; may the well-being of our people enlist our al)ilities as it did his; may we, like him, seek to make the world the better for our living in it. As lie was " subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake," so make us to be more and more a law-abiding people, in obedience to Thy will. Give lis a like patience under afflic- tions, and a like cheerful resignation to Thy blessed will, and l)y well-doing " may we put to silence the ignorance of foolish men." Kegard with Thy favor and visit with Thy blessing this in- stitution of which he was the honored head, and secure to it the patronage needful to the carrying of its designs into good effect. And finally, when we shall have served Thee in our generation, may we, like him, be gathered unto our fathers, having the testimony of a good conscience, in the communion of the catholic church, in the confidence of a certain faith, in the comfort of a reasonable, religions, and holy hope, in favor with Thee our God, and in perfect charity with the world. All of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. General Early then arose and spoke as follows: Friends^ Comi^ades and Felloio- Citizens, Ladies and Gentle- men : The sickness of Gen. Josej)!! E. Johnston, the distinguished President of the Lee Memorial Association, which prevents his attendance here, has devolved on me, as First Yice-President, the unexpected duty of presiding on this occasion ; and I am sure no one can regret tlie cause of this change in the pro- gramme more than I do. The great commander of the Army of Northern Virginia died on the 12th of October, 1870, and as soon as his remains were consigned to the tomb, a meeting of the citizens of Lex- ington was held, and steps taken for the formation of an Asso- 24 ciation to erect a monument to his memory. More effectually to carry out that purpose, an act of incorporation was obtained from the Legislature of Virginia on the lith of January, 1871, by which certain gentlemen, most of whom were residents of Lexington, and such other persons as they should associate with themselves, were incorporated by the name and style of " The Lee Memorial Association." Subsequently the Association was further organized by the appointment of Gen. John C, Breck- inridge, of Kentucky, who had been the last Secretary of War of the Confederate States, as President, and of fifteen Vice- Presidents, as also a Treasurer, — the nineteen persons named in the act of incorporation, by the terms of the act itself, con- stituting the Executive Committee. The chairman of that Committee was Gen. Wm, N. Pendleton, the distinguished Chief of x\rtillery of the Army of Northern Virginia, and the Secretary was Captain Charles A. Davidson, a gallant offi- cer of the First Virginia Battalion. The act of incorporation does not specify the place at which the proposed monument should be erected, nor the nature of it; but, after the passage of the act changing the name of Washington College to that of Washington and Lee Uni- versity, it was determined by the Executive Committee, with the sanction of the authorities of the University, that the monument should consist of a Mausoleum, attached to the Uni- versity Chapel, which latter had been constructed under the supervision of General Lee himself, where his remains should be deposited in a vault, to be surmounted by a recumbent figure in marble, representing our great chieftain at rest — it being part of the plan to provide vaults also in the same Mausoleum for the immediate members of his family, especially the esti- mable and noble lady who had been his partner in life. The resident members of the Executive Committee pro- ceeded to carry out this scheme with great energy and perse- verance, in which the Chairman and Secretary were especially conspicuous. A distinguished Virginia artist was selected to execute in marble the recumbent figure, and years ago he com-" pleted his work in a manner that links his name forever with that of Lee. 25 Upon the death of General Breckinridge, General Joseph . E. Johnston, the senior surviving officer of the Confederate Army, and the predecessor of General Lee in command of that army, wliich, under the lead of the latter, became so re- nowned as the Army of Northei-n Virginia, was made the President. On the 29th of November, 1878, the corner-stone of the Mausoleum was laid, under the superintendence of a distin- guished architect of Baltimore, who was charged with its con- struction. The requisite funds have beeii raised by great exertion, a large part having been contributed in small sums. The noble work has now been completed, and we are as- sembled here to perform the crowning act, in unveiling the recumbent figure of one of the grandest and noblest heroes, soldiers, and patriots, who have figured in all the history of the world. In doing this, we are not conferring honor on the mem- ory of General Robert E. Lee — we are merelv demonstrating to the world that we were worthy to have been the followers and compatriots of such a man. Unfortunately, neither the gallant soldier and Christian gentleman, Gen. Pendleton, Chair- man of the Executive Committee, nor the gallant Davidson, the efficient Secretary of that Committee, have survived to witness the completion of the work, to the success of which they con- tributed so largely. It is deeply to be regretted that President Davis, who was expected to deliver an address on this occasion, has been pre- vented by circumstances from being present, but his lovely and accomplished young daughter, whose pride it is to have been born on the soil of Virginia, has sent from his Southern home two Confederate flags made of immortelles, and two bay wreaths, one of each to be placed on the tombs of Generals Lee and Jackson, respectively, as tokens of her admiration for their great characters, and of the sympathy of her family Avitli us. There is also another whose absence is to be deeply regretted, though he is nearly within reach of my voice — I mean that war Governor of Virginia, who conferred upon Generals Lee and Jackson the commissions which brought them into the ser- §6 vice of their native State, in defence of I'ight, justice, liberty, and independence ; and who sustained them throughout, whether they M'ere in tlie State or Confederate service, with such unswerving fidelity and unselfish devotion — you must know that I can mean no other than John Letcher, with whom we all so heartily sympathize in the bodily affliction which alone prevents him from being with us. And now permit me to introduce to you, as the orator of the , occasion, Major John W. Daniel, who needs no words of commendation from me, but will speak for himself. Major Daniel was received witli rounds of applause. When this had subsided he delivered the following oration : ADDRESS OF JOHN W. DANIEL, LL. D. Mr. President^ My Comrades and Countrymen : There was no happier or lovelier home than that of Colonel Kobert Edward Lee, in the spring of ISGl, when for the first time its threshold was darkened with the omens of civil war. Crowning the green slo23es of the Virginia Hills that over- look the Potomac, and embowered in stately trees, stood the venerable mansion of Arlington, facing a prospect of varied and imposing beauty. Its broad porch, and wide-spread wings, held out open arms, as it were, to welcome the coming guest. Its simple Doric columns graced domestic comfort w^ith a classic air. Its halls and chambers were adorned with the por- traits of patriots and heroes, and with illustrations and relics of the great revolution, and of the Father of his country And within and without, history and tradition seemed to breathe their legends upon a canvass as soft as a dream of peace. The noble river, which in its history, as well as in its name, carries us back to the days when the red man trod its banks, sweeps in full and even flow along the forefront of the land- scape; while bej-ond its waters stretch the splendid avenues and rise the gleaming spires of Washington ; and over all, the ^7 great white dome of the National Capital looms up against the eastern ekj, like a glory in the air. Southward and westward, toward the blue rim of tlie Alle- ghanies, roll away the pine and oak clad hills, and the fields of the " Old Dominion," dotted here and there with the homes of a people of simple tastes and upright minds, renowned for their devotion to their native land, and for their fierce love of liberty; a people who had drunk into their souls with their mother's milk, that Man is of right, and onglit to be, free. On the one hand there was impressed upon the most casual eye that contemplated the pleasing prospect, the munificence and grandeur of American progress, the arts of industry and commerce, and the symbols of power. On the other hand, Nature seemed to m'oo the heart back to her sacred haunts, with vistas of sparkling waters, and verdant pastures, and many a wildwood scene ; and to penetrate its deepest recesses with the halcyon charm that ever lingers about the thought of Ilome. THE HOST OF ARLINGTON. The head of the house established here was a man whom Nature had richly endowed with graces of person, and high qualities of head and heart. Fame had already bound his brow with her laurel, and Fortune had poured into his lap her golden horn. Himself a soldier, and Colonel* in the army of the United States, the son of the renowned " Light Horse liarry Lee," who was the devoted friend and compati-iot of Washington in tlie revolutionary struggle, and whose memora- ble eulogy u]ion his august Chief has become his epitapli ; — descended indeed from a long line of illustrious progenitors, whose names are written on the brightest scrolls of English and American history, from the conquest of the Norman at Hastings, to the triumph of the Continentals at Yorktown, — he had already established his own martial fame at Yera Cruz, Cerro Gordo, Contreras, Cherubusco, Molino del Rey, Chepul- tepec and Mexico, and had proved how little he depended upon any merit but his own. Such was his early distinction, that Appointed Colonel March 16th, 1861. £>8 when but a Caj^tain, the Cuban Junta had offered to make liini the leader of their revolutionary movement for the independ- ence of Cuba ; — a position which as an American officer, he felt it his duty to decline. And so deep was the impression made of his genius and his valor, that General Scott, Com- mander-in-Chief of the army in which he served, had declared that he " was the best soldier he ever saw in the field," " the greatest military genius in America," that " if opportunity offered, he would show himself the foremost Captain of his times," and that " if a great battle were to be fought for the liberty or slavery of the countr}-, his judgment was that the commander should be Robert Lee." Wedded to her who had been the playmate of his boyhood, and who was worthy in every relation to be the companion of his bosom, sons and daughters had risen up to call them blessed, and there, decorated with his country's honors and sur- rounded by " love, obedience, and troops of friends," the host of Arlington seemed to have filled the measure of generous desire with whatever of fame or happiness fortune can add to virtue. And had the pilgrim started in quest of some happier spot than the Vale of Rasselas, well might he have paused by this threshold and doffed his " sandal shoon." THE ANTECEDENTS OF fOLONEL LEE. So situated was Colonel Lee in the spring of 1861, upon the verge of the momentous revolution, of which he became so mighty a pillar and so glorious a chieftain. But we cannot estimate the struggle it cost him to take up arms against the Union— nor the sacrifice he made, nor the pure devotion with which he consecrated his sword to his native State — without looking beyond his physical surroundings, and following fur- ther the suggestions of his history and character, for the springs of action which prompted his course. Colonel Lee was em- phatically a Union man ; and Virginia, to the crisis of dissolu- tion, was a Union State. He loved the Union with a soldier's ardent loyalty to the Government he served, and with a patriot's faith and hope in the institutions of his country. His ances- 29 tors had been among the most distinguished and revered of its founders; his own life from youth upward had been spent and his blood shed in its service, and two of his sons, following his footsteps, held commissions in the army. He was born in the same county, and descended from the same strains of English blood from which Washington sprang, and was united in marriage with Mary Custis, the daughter of his adopted son. He had been reared in the school of simple manners and lofty thoughts which belonged to the elder gene- ration ; and with Washington as his exemplar of manhood and his ideal of wisdom, he reverenced his character and fame and work with a feeling as near akin to worship as any that man can have for aught that is human. Unlike the statesmen of the hostile sections, who were con- stantly thrown into the provoking conflicts of political debate, he had been withdrawn by his military occupations from scenes calculated to irritate or chill his kindly feelings toward the people of the North ; and on the contrary — in camp, and field, and social circle — lie had formed many ties of friendship with its most esteemed soldiers and citizens. With the reticence becoming his military office, he had taken no part in the con- troversies which preceded the fatal rupture between the States — other than the good man's part, to " speak the soft answer that turns away wrath," and to plead for that forbearance and patience which alone might bring about a peaceful solution of the questions at issue. Years of his professional life he had spent in Northern com- munities, and, always a close observer of men and things, he well understood the vast resources of that section, and the hardy, industrious, and resolute character of its people ; and he justly weighed their strength as a military power. When men spoke of how easily the South would repel invasion he said : " You forget that we are all Americans." And when they prophesied a battle and a peace, he predicted that it would take at least four years to fight out the impending confiict. None was more conscious than he that each side undervalued and misunderstood each other. He was, moreover, deeply imbued 30 with the philosophy of history, and the course of its evolutions, and well knew that in an upheaval of government deplorable results would follow, which were not thought of in the begin- ning, or, if thought of, would be disavowed, belittled and deprecated. And eminently conservative in his cast of mind and character, every bias of his judgment, as every tendency of his history, filled him with yearning and aspiration for tlie peace of his country and the perpetuity of the Union. Is it a won- der, then, as the storm of revolution lowered. Colonel Lee, then with his regiment, the Second Cavalrj^ in Texas, wrote thus to his son in January, 18G1 : "The South, in my opinion, has been aggrieved by the acts of the North as you say. I feel the aggression, and am will- ing to take any proper steps for redress. It is the principle I contend for, not individual or private benefit. As an American citizen, I take great pride in my country, her prosperity and institutions, and would defend any State if her rights were invaded. But I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than a dissolution of the Union. It would be an accumulation of all evils we complain of, and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation. I hope, therefore, that all constitutional means will be exhausted before there is a resort to force. Secession is nothing but revolution. * * Still, a Union that can only be maintained by swords and bayonets, and in which strife and civil war are to take the place of love and kindness, has no charm for me. I shall mourn for my country and for the welfare and progress of mankind. If the Union is dissolved, and the government is disrupted, I shall return to my native State and share the miseries of my people, and, save in defence, will draw my sword on none." WAR. A few weeks later Colonel Lee was ordered, and came to Washington, reaching there three days before the inauguration of President Lincoln. At that time South Carolina, Missis- sippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana, had already seceded from the Union, and the Provisional Government of the Confederate States was in operation at MontgouKTy. 31 The Yirginia Convention was in session, but slow and delib- erate in its course. The State which had done so much to found the Union was loth to assent to its dissolution, and still guided by the wise counsels of such men as llobert E. Scott, Robert Y. Conrad, Jubal A. Early, John B. Baldwin, Samuel McDowell Moore, and A. II. II. Stuart, she persisted in efforts to avert the calamity of wan Events followed swiftly. The Peace Conference had failed. Overtures for the peaceful evacuation of Fort Sumpter had likewise failed. On the 13th of April, under bombardment, the Federal Commander, Major Anderson, with its garrison, surrendered. On April 15th President Lincoln issued his proclamation for 75,000 men to make war against the seceded States, which he styled : " Com- binations too powerful to be suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings." This proclamation determined Vir- ginia's course. War had come. Her mediation had been in vain. She was too noble to be neutral. Of the arts of duplicity she knew nothing save to despise. She must now level her guns against the breasts of her South- ern brethren, or make her own breast their shield. On April 17th Virginia answered Mr. Lincoln's proclamation with the Ordinance of Secession, and like Pallas- Athene, " the front fighter" stepped with intrepid brow to where, in conflict, his- tory has ever found her — to the front of war. _^ " UNDKK WHICH FLAG '. " Where now is Kobert Lee? On the border line, between two hostile empires, girding their loins for as stern a fight as ever tested warriors' steel, he beholds each beckoning to him to lead its people to battle. On the one hand, Virginia, now in the fore-front of a scarcely organized revolution, summons him to share her lot in the perilous adventure. The young Confederacy is without an army. There is no navy. There is no currency. There are few teeming work-shops and arsenals. There is little but a meagre and widely scattered population, for the most part men of the field, the prairie, the forest and the mountain, ready to stand the hazard of an auda- 32 cioiis endeavor, to meet aggression with whatever weapons freemen can lay their hands on, and to carry high the banners of the free, whatever may betide. Did he fail ? Ah, did he fail ? His beloved State would be trampled in the mire of the ways; the Confederacy would be blotted from the family of nations, — home and country would survive only in memory and in name ; his people would be captives, their very slaves their masters ; and he, — if of him- self he thought at all, — he, mayhap, might have seen in the dim perspective, the shadow of the dungeon or the scaffold. On the other hand stands the foremost and most powerful Republic of the earth, rich in all that handiwork can fashion or that gold can buy. It is thickly populated. Its regular army, and its myriad volunteers, rush to do its bidding. Its navy rides the Western seas in undisputed sway. Its treasury teems with the sinews of war, and its arsenals with weapons. And the world is open to lend its cheer and aid and comfort. Its capital lies in sight of his chamber window, and its guns bear on the portals of his home. A messenger comes from its President and from General Scott, Commander-in-Chief of its army, to tender him supreme command of its forces. Did he accept it, and did he succeed, the conqueror's crown awaits him, and win or lose, he will remain the foremost man of a great established nation, with all honor and glory that riches and office and power and public applause can supply. Since the Son of Man stood upon the Mount, and saw "all the kingdoms of the earth and the gloiy thereof" stretched be- fore him, and turned away from them to the agony and bloody sweat of Gethsemane, and to the Cross of Calvary beyond, no follower of the meek and lowly Saviour can have undergone more trying ordeal, or met it with higher spirit of heroic sacri- fice. There was naught on earth that could swerv^e Robert E. Lee from the path where, to his clear comprehension, honor and duty lay. To the statesman, Mr. Francis Preston Blair, who brought him the tender of supreme command, he answ'ered : "'Mr. Blair, I look upon secession as anarchy. If I owned 33 the four millions of slaves in the South, I would sacrifice them A all to the Union. But how can I draw my sword against Vir- J ginia?" ■»— -"""^ Draw his sword against Virginia? Perish the thought! Over all the voices that called him he heard the still small voice that ever whispers to the soul of the spot that gave it birth, and of her who gave it suck ; and over every ambitions dream, there rose the face of tlie angel that guards the door of home. On the 20th of April, as soon as the news of Virginia's seces\ sion reached him, he resigned his commission in the army of the United States, and thus wrote to his sister who remained with her husband on the Union side: "With all my devotion to the Union, and the feeling of loyalty and duty of an American citizen, I have not been able to make up ray mind to raise my hands against my relatives, my children, my home. I have, therefore, resigned my com- mission in the army, and save in the defence of my native State (with the sincere hope tliat my poor services may never be needed) I hope I may never be called upon to draw my sword." LEE DEVOTES HIS SAVOKD TO HIS NATIVE STATE. Bidding an affectionate adieu to his old friend and com mander, Genera! Scott, who mourned his loss, but nobly ex pressed his confidence in his motives, he repaired to Richmond Governor John Letcher immediately appointed him to the command-in-chief of the Virginia forces, and the Convention unanimousl}' confirmed the nomination. Memorable and im- pressive was the scene when he came into the presence of that body on April 23d. Its venerable President, John Janney, with brief, sententious eloquence, addressed him, and con- cluded saying : "Sir, we have by this unanimous vote expressed our convic- tions that you are at this day, among the living citizens of Vir- ginia, ' first in war.' We pray to God most fervently that you may so conduct the operations committed to your charge, that I it may be said of you that you are ' first in peace,' and when I 34 that time comes, you will have earned the still prouder dis- tinction of being 'first in the hearts of your countrymen.' " Yesterday your mother, Virginia, placed her sword in your liand upon the implied condition that we know you will keep in letter and in spirit: that you will draw it only in defence, and that you will fall with it in your hand rather than the ob- ject for which it was placed there should fail." General Lee thus answered : ''Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Co7ivention : " Profoundly impressed with the solemnity of the occasion, for which I must say I was not prepared, I accept the position assigned me by your partiality. I would have preferred had your choice fallen upon an abler man. Trusting in Almighty God, an approving conscience, and the aid of my fellow-citizens, I devote myself to the service of my native State, in whose behalf alone will I ever again draw my sword." Thus came Robert E. Lee to the State of his birth and to the people of his blood in their hour of need ! Thus, with as chaste a heart as ever plighted its faith until death, for better or for worse, he came to do, to suffer, and to die for us, who to-day arc o'athered in awful reverence, and in sorrow unspeakable, to weep our blessings upon his tomb. lee's vindication A PEOPLE IS ITS OWN JUDGE. I pause not here to defend the course of General Lee, as that defence may be drawn from the Constitution of a Republic which was born in the sublime protest of its people against bayonet rule, and founded on the bed-rock principle of free o-overnment, that all free governments '' must derive their just powers from the consent of the governed." I pause not to trace the history or define the grounds of that theory of constitu- tional construction which maintained the right of secession from the Union as an element of sovereign statehood — a theory which has found ablest and noblest advocacy in every section of the country. The tribunal is not yet formed that would hearken to such defence, nor is this the time or place to utter it. And 35 to ray mind there is for Lee and his compatriots a loftier and truer vindication than anj tliat may be deduced from codes, constitutions, and conventional articles of government. A great revolution need never apologize for nor explain itself. There it is!— the august and thrilling rise of a whole population! And the fact that it is there is the best evidence of its right to be there. None but great inspirations underlie great actions. JSTone but great causes can ever produce great events, A transient gust of passion may turn a crowd into a mob — a tem- porary impulse may swell a mob into a local insurrection ; but when a whole people stand to their guns before their hearth- stones, and as one man resist what they deem aggression ; \vhen for long years they endure poverty and starvation, and dare danger and death to maintain principles which they deem sa- cred — when they shake a continent with their heroic endeavors and fill the world with the glory of their achievements, history can make for them no higher vindication than to point to their deeds and say — " behold !" A people is its own judge. Under God there can be no higher judge for them to seek or court or fear. In the supreme mo- ments of national life, as in the lives of individuals, the actor must resolve and act within himself alone. The Southern States acted for themselves — the Northern States for themselves — Virginia for herself. And when the lines of battle formed, Kobert Lee took his place in the line beside his people, his kindred, his children, his home. Let his defence rest on this fact alone. Nature speaks it. Nothing can strengthen it. Nothing can weaken it. The historian may compile ; the casuist may dissect ; the statesman may expatiate ; the advocate may plead ; the jurist may expound ; but, after all, there can be no stronger or tenderei" tie than that which binds the fliith- ful heart to kindred and to home. And on that tie — stretching from the cradle to the grave, spanning the heavens, and riveted through eternity to the throne of God on high, and underneath in the souls of good men and true— on that tie rests, stainless and immortal, the fame of Robert Lee. 36 ?, LEE S EARLY SERVICE IN THE CONFEDERATE WAR. And now tliat war was flagrant, history delights to testify how grandly General Lee bore his part. Transferred from the State service to that of the Confederacy, with tlie rank of General, w-e behold him at first in the field in the rugged mountains of Northwest Virginia, restoring the morale lost by the early re- verses to our arras in that Department — holding invading columns in check with great disparity of force to meet them — bearing the censures of the impatient without a murmur, and careless of fame with duty done. Later, in the fall of 1861, we find him exercising his skill as an engineer in planning de- fences along the threatened coast of South Carolina ; and in March, 1862, he is again in Virginia, charged by President Davis " with the conduct of military operations in the armies of the Confederacy"- — in brief, and in some sort, under the President, Commander-in-Chief. But now a year of war had rolled by ; no brilliant accom- plishment had yet satisfied the pu})lic expectation with which he had been welcomed as a Southern leader ; and as the fame of revolutionary Captains can only be fed with victories, it is unquestionable that, at this stage of his career, the reputation of Lee, as a General, had sensibly declined. THE FALL OF GENERAL .JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON AND THE OFPOR- TUNFfY OF LEE. Meanwhile the Army of Northern Virginia had made a name in history under its famous commander, Joseph E. John- ston ; and I cannot speak that name without bowing the homage of ray heart to the illustrious soldier and noble gentleman who bears it. Under his sagacious and brilliant leadership, his forces had been suddenly witdravvn from Patterson's front near Winchestei-, and united with those of General Beauregard at Manassas ; and there, led by these two Generals, the joint connnand had, on July 21st, 1861, routed the Army of the Potomac in the first pitched battle of the war; had given earn- est of what the volunteers of the South could do in action, and liad crowned the new-born Confederacy with the glory of 37 splendid niilitary acliieveineiit. iStill later in the progress of events, Johnston had exhibited again his strategic skill in hold- ing McClellan at hay on the lines of Yorktoivn, with a force so small that it seemed hardihood to oppose him with it—had elnded his toils by a retreat np the Peninsula, so cleaidy con- ducted, that little was lost Ijeyond the space vacated*— had turned and fiercely smitten his advancing columns near the old Colonial Capital of Williamsburg on May 5th, 18r;2, and had planted his army firmly around Richmond. Pending the siege of Yorktown, a thing had liaj)pened that probably had no par- allel in history. The great body of General Johnston's army had reorganized itself under the laws of the Confederacy, while lying under the fire of the enemy's guns, the privates of each company electing by ballot the officers that were to com- mand them. A singular exercise of suffrage was this, but there was "a free ballot and a fair count," and an exhibition worth}' of "That fierce Democracy that thundered over Greece To Macedon and Artaxerxes' throne." —an exhibition which would have delighted the heart of Thomaa JefFerson, and which certainly put to blush the autocratic theory that armies should be mere compact masses of brute force. Still later, on May 31st, Johnston had sallied forth and stormed *NoTE.-The Philadelphia mnes of September 4tl^sl?rc^t'aTiT^^d^7H'ifO„ rora the pen of Allan K Ma-rnder, Ksq., brother of the late dlstin"uishofn •mi ederate ofhcer Major (Jcn.Tal John Kankhead Magruder, In win -h 1 o \ •ritoV takes exception to this stat(.in,.nt oimy address. He savs that to tie i oral Ala. gruder belongs the credit of the '-.strategic skill " which held McClellan at l^av ontheline.sot \orktown; that General .Johnston never comman ed on tho^A fence. ''^'^'^ ^hat the Army of Northern Virginia never fired a shot in their de- The high character and standing of the writer, and mv great respect for thf. memory ot General Magrader, to whom I Monld do allhouor inc v?co me to notice this article here. 1 do not deny that General Magriiat his life teaches the grandest lesson how manhood can rise transcendent over Adversity, and is in itself alone, under God, pre-eminent — the grander lesson, because as sorrow and misfortune are sooner or later the common lot — even that of him who is to-day the conqueror — he who bears them best is made of sterner stuff, and is the most useful and universal, as he is the greatest and noblest exemplar. And now he has vanished from us forever. And is this all that is left of him — this handful of dust beneath the marble stone ? No, the Ages answer as they rise from the gulfs of Time, where lay the wrecks of kingdoms and estates, holding up in their hands as their only trophies, the names of those who have wrought for man in the love and fear of God, and in love unfearing for their fellow-men. No ! the present answers, bendnig by his tomb. No ! the future answers, as the breath ot the morning fans its radiant brow, and its soul drinks in sweet inspirations fi'oni the lovely life of Lee. No, methinks the very heavens echo, as melt into their depths the words of reverent love that voice the hearts of rnen to the tingling stars. CONCLUSION. Come we then to-day in loyal love to sanctify our memories, to purify our hopes, to make strong all good intent by commu- nion with the spirit of him, who, being dead, yet speaketh. Come, child, in th}^ spotless innocence ; come, wonian, in thy purity ; come, youth, in thy prime ; come, manhood, in thy strength ; come, age, in thy ripe wisdom ; come citizen, come soldier, let us strew the roses and lilies of June around his S2 toiiil), for lie, like them, exlialed in his life Nature's benefi- cence, and the i»;rave has consecrated that life, and i^iven it to us all ; let ns crown his tomb with the oak, the emblem of his strength, and with the laurel, the emblem of his glory, and let these guns, whose voices he knew of old, awake the echoes of the mountains that Nature herself may join in his solemn requiem. Come, f(>r here he rests, and — 'On this green bank, l)y this fair slrcani. We set to-tlay a native stone, Tlial inoMiory may liis deeds redeem, \Vhen, like onr sires, our sons are ,<;une." Come, for here the genius of loftiest i>oesy ii\ the artist's dream, and through the scidptor's touch, has restored his form and features — a Valentine has lifted the marble veil and dis- closed him to ns as we would love to look upon him — lying, the flower of ktdghthood, in "Joyous (iard." His Sivord beside him is sheathed forever. But honor's seal is on his brow, and valor's star is on his breast, and the peace that pass- eth all understanding descends ujion him. Here, not in the hour of his grandest triumph of earth, as when mid the battle roar, shouting battalions followed his trenchant sword, and bleeding veterans forgot their wounds to lea[) between him and his enemies — but here in victory, supreme over earth itself, and over death, its conqueror, he rests, his warfare done. And as we seem to gaze once more on him we loved ami hailed as chief, in his sweet, dreamless sleep, the tranquil face is clothed with heaven's light, and the mute lips seem elo(]uent with the message that in life he spoke: " Tliere is a true glory and a true honor ; tltcgionj of duty done^ the honor of the integrity of principle.^'' 83 After the conclusion of Major Daniel's oration, Father Ryan, at the rccjiiest of (Jen. Early, recited his celebrated poem : TtlK SWORD OF LKE. Forth from its scabbard, pure and bright. Flashed the sword of Lee ! F'ar in the front of the deadly fight, High o'er the brave in the cause of right. Its stainless sheen, like a beacon-light, Led us to victory. Out of its scabbard, where full long, • It slumbered peacefully — Roused from its rest by the battle- song, Hhielding the feeble, smiting the strong, (Juarding the right, and avenging the wrong- • Gleamed the sword of Lee I Forth from its scabbard, high in air, Beneath Virginia's sky — And they who saw it gleaming there, And knew who bore it, knelt to swear Tiiat where that sword led they would dart To follow and to die. Out of it« scabbard I Never hand Waved sword from stain as free, Nor purer sword led braver band, Nor braver bled for a brighter land, Nor brighter land had a cause as grand, Nor cau.se, a chief like Lee ! I'^orth from its scabbard ! how we prayed That sword might victor be ! And when our triumph was delayed, And many a heart grew sore afraid, We still hoped on, while gleamed the blade Of noble lioberl Lee ! Forth from its .scabbard I all in vain I Forth flashed the sword of Lee ! 'Tis shrouded now in its sheath again, It sleeps the sleep of our noble slain, Defeated, yet without a stain, Proudly and peacefully. Nuv 9 lauu CEREMONIES CONNECTED WITH THE INAUGURATION OP THE MAUSOLEUM AND THE UNVEILING OF THE RECUMBENT FIGURE aENERAL ROBEET EDWARD LEE, WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY, Lexington, Va., June 28, 1883. ORATION OF JOHN W. DANIEL, LL D. i; HISTORICAL SKETCH Lee Memorial Association. LYNCHBURG, VA. : J. P. BEi.L & Co., Printers, 1883. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 013 706 545 9 1 L ^ -^■^■^^^■■^^PPP^^^ 1