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CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
GENERAL ROBERT EDWARD LEE.
Standards of human greatness.-Three classes of great men.-Nature and pecu-
liarity of genius.-A second order of greatness.-General Lee, as in the third
class of great men.-Key to his character,
CHAPTER II.
33
The Lee family in Virginia." Light-Horse Harry.”—Early life of Robert E.
Lee. His cadetship at West Point.-His home at Arlington Heights.-Ser-
vices in the Mexican war.-Commended by Gen. Scott.-Appointed Colonel
in the First Cavalry.--The John Brown raid.-Colonel Lee and the outlaws.--
The first act of "rebellion" at Harper's Ferry.-Governor Wise arms Vir-
ginia, 38
CHAPTER III.
Abraham Lincoln elected President of the United States.-Anxiety and hesi-
tation of Lee at the commencement of hostilities.-His sense of duty.-He
debates the question of his allegiance to Virginia.-His peculiar school of
politics.-A reply to a Northern newspaper.-Attitude of Virginia.—A sub-
lime struggle in Lee's mind. He goes to Richmond.-Appointed Comman-
der-in-Chief of the Virginia forces.-His reception by the State Conven-
tion.-Appearance and carriage of the man.-Military preparations in Vir-
ginia. She joins the Southern Confederacy,
CHAPTER IV.
48
Gen. Lee sent to Northwestern Virginia.-Description of the theatre of the
war.—Unfortunate military councils in Richmond.-Proclamation of Gov.
Letcher.-A caricature of secession.-Disaster of Rich Mountain. Gen. Lee's
plans thereafter. He is foiled at Cheat Mountain.-Marches to the Kanawha
Valley.-Escape of Rosecrans.-Failure of Lee's Campaign.-He is abused
and twitted in Richmond.-Scoffs of the Richmond "Examiner.”—He is
assigned to "the coast service."-Recalled to Richmond, and made "Com-
manding General."-This post unimportant, and scarcely honourable,
CHAPTER V.
58
McClellan's march up the Peninsula.-Recollections of the "White House."
Battle of Seven Pines.-Review of condition of the Confederacy.-An act
"to disband the armies of the Confederacy."-Carnival of misrule.-Gen. Lee
in command of the forces around Richmond.-Nearly two-thirds of his army
raw conscripts.-His adoption of Gen. Johnston's idea of concentration.-
Manners of Lee as a commander.—The great battle joined.—Beaver-Dam
Creek.-Gen. Lee resting at a farm-house.-The glory of Gaines' Mills.-
Brilliant audacity of Gen. Lee in delivering this battle.-Retreat of McClel-
lan.-Frazier's Farm.-Malvern Hill.-The circuit of Lee's victories broken.—
His official summary of "the Seven Days' battles,"
CHAPTER VI.
67
General Lee the favourite of the populace.-He moves out to the line of the
Rappahannock.-Cedar Run.-Bold and daring enterprise of General Lee,
in detaching Jackson to the enemy's rear.-A peculiarity of his campaigns.-
How he disregarded the maxims of military science. The battles of Second
Manassas.-Gen. Lee marches for the fords of the Potomac.-His address at
Frederick, Maryland.—Jackson_detached again.-McClellan finds an im-
portant paper. The Thermopyla of "South Mountain Pass.”—Battle of
Sharpsburg-Gen. Lee obtains a victory, but is unable to press it.-He
retires to Virginia.-An authentic statement of Gen. Lee's reasons for the
Maryland campaign. His constant and characteristic idea of defending
Richmond by operations at a distance from it.—Congratulations to his
troops.-Moral results of the campaign of 1862.-Testimonies to Southern
heroism, 78
CHAPTER VII.
General Lee's perilous situation in North Virginia.-His alarming letter to the
War Office.-The happy fortune of McClellan's removal.-The Battle of
Fredericksburg.—Gen. Lee's great mistake in not renewing the attack.—
His own confession of errour.-He detaches nearly a third of his army to
cover the south side of Richmond.-He writes a severe letter to the Govern-
ment.—The enemy's fifth grand attempt on Richmond.-Gen. Lee in a des-
perate extremity.-The Battles of Chancellorsville.-Three victories for the
Confederates.-The masterpiece of Gen. Lee's military life,
CHAPTER VIII.
93
Controversy between Gen. Lee and the War Department.--The Secretary
winces.-Gen. Lee's new campaign of invasion.-How it differed from that
of 1862.—Reorganization of the Army of Northern Virginia.-Some remarks
on its artillery service.-Gen. Lee across the Potomac.-His orders at Cham-
bersburg, Pa.-His errours with respect to the policy of "retaliation."-His
conversation with a mill-owner.-A letter from President Davis.-Gen. Lee
misunderstood and disappointed by the Richmond authorities.-Orders to
Stuart's cavalry.-The Confederate army blinded in Pennsylvania for want
of cavalry. The battle of Gettysburg has the moral effect of a surprise to
Gen. Lee.-The lost opportunity of the 1st July.-Why Gen. Lee fought
the next day.-Temper of his army.-He assaults the enemy's centre on the
3d July.-Recoil of the Confederates.-Gen. Lee cheering and comforting
his men.-His fearful retreat, and his wonderful success in extricating his
army, 101
CHAPTER IX.
Decline of the fortunes of the Confederacy.-Operations in the autumn of
1863.-Gen. Lee's patriotic exhortation to his troops.-His great care for
them.-Meeting of the chaplains in his army.-Relations between General
Lee and his troops.-His habits on the battle-field.-Intercourse with his
men.-Simplicity of his manners. His feelings towards the public enemy.—
How he rebuked a Yankee-phobist.-Sufferings of the Confederate troops.—
Commissary Northrop.-Gen. Lee demands food for his troops.-Touching