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in that great war drama, but ere the survivors pass away and nothing but tradition remain to those who come after us, let us make our record of these military events.
The day will come when this great Union of States will recognize the wondrous glories of the late civil strife; then the names of our heroes will be inscribed on the common roll of illustrious sons worthy of love and reverence.
In England, the White and Red Roses of York and Lancaster bloom on the same stem, and the genius and services of Cavalier and Roundhead, of Jacobite and Hanoverian, each working out the destinies of this nation in his own way and according to his own conscience, are equal now in public honor and remembrance, and if from English history the names of so called English traitors were stricken off, much of her glorious record would be lost.
Our Southern communities, self confident, in some respect careless of their historic record, need this Southern Historical Society for this special work, and it is with great pleasure that I present to you General Fitzhugh Lee, of Virginia.
General Lee arose amid a burst of applause, which lasted for some moments, and as soon as he could be heard commenced the delivery of his lecture.
After a full synopsis of the lecture, for which we have not space, the
News and Courier thus concluded its appreciative notice:
His summing up of the results of the campaign, and quiet humor over Hooker's famous general order, contained some very fine touches.
His closing eulogy on Stonewall Jackson, was an eloquent tribute from a gallant and able soldier to one of the great military geniuses of all history.
The lecture was, in a word, an able military criticism of a great campaign, a vivid description of interesting movements, and an eloquent tribute to the skill of our leaders, and the heroism of our men which emblazoned “Chancellorsville” on the tattered battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia.
General Lee spoke throughout in a strong, clear voice, and his every word could be heard in the most remote parts of the hall.
The closest attention was paid to the speaker, and all the finer passages of the lecture were received with warm and generous applause.
At the close of the lecture, Dr. Jones, in a few well chosen words, thanked the people of Charleston for the more than cordial manner in which they had received General Lee and himself, and for the magnificent audience which had greeted the lecturer.
He expressed also his particular gratification at the official recognition of the work of his Society, which had been so frankly vouchsafed by the city authorities.
Those who desired to aid the Society further by subscription to the Southern Historical Society papers, he referred to Colonel Zimmerman Davis, the Charleston agent of the Southern Historical Society.
After the lecture we fell into the hands of “an old cavalryman,” (
Mr. E. L. Wells,) who spread for us one of the most elegant suppers we ever saw, which was seasoned until “the wee sma‘ hours” with delightful converse and congenial company.
At ten o'clock the next morning the committee took charge of us again, and we had a most delightful excursion to the historic points of
Charleston harbor,--Moultre,
Sumter,
Morris Island, &c.--the time passing away most charmingly as a number of Confederate veterans pointed out to us everything of interest, and recalled reminiscences of thrilling or ludicrous incidents in the ever memorable defence of
Charleston.
