success which his genius, courage, and confidence in his army, had won, I thought it must have been from some such scene that men in ancient days ascended to the dignity of the gods.  His first care was for the wounded of both armies, and he was among the foremost at the burning mansion where some of them lay.  But at that moment, when the transports of his victorious troops were drowning the roar of battle with acclamations, a note was brought to him from General Jackson.  It was brought to General Lee as he sat on his horse near the Chancellorsville House, and, unable to open it with his gauntleted hands, he passed it to me with directions to read it to him.  The note made no mention of the wound that General Jackson had received, but congratulated General Lee upon the great victory.  I shall never forget the look of pain and anguish that passed over his face as he listened.  With a voice broken with emotion he bade me say to General Jackson that the victory was his, and that the congratulations were due to him.  I know not how others may regard this incident, but, for myself, as I gave expression to the thoughts of his exalted mind, I forgot the genius that won the day in my reverence for the generosity that refused its glory.

“There is one other incident to which I beg permission to refer, that I may perfect the picture.  On the 3d day of July, 1863, the last assault of the Confederate troops upon the heights of Gettysburg failed, and again General Lee was among his baffled and shattered battalions as they sullenly retired from their brave attempt.  The history of that battle is yet to be written, and the responsibility for the result is yet to be fixed.  But there, with the painful consciousness that his plans had been frustrated by others, and that defeat and humiliation had overtaken his army, in the presence of his troops he openly assumed the entire responsibility of the campaign and of the lost battle.  One word from him would have relieved him of this responsibility, but that word he refused to utter until it could be spoken without fear of doing the least injustice.

“Thus, my fellow-soldiers, I have presented to you our great commander in the supreme moments of triumph and defeat.  I cannot more strongly illustrate his character.  Has it been surpassed in history?  Is there another instance of such self-abnegation among men?  The man rose high above victory in one instance; and, harder still, the man rose superior to disaster in the other.  It was such incidents as these that gave General Lee the absolute and undoubting confidence and affection of his soldiers.  Need I speak of the many exhibitions of that confidence?  You all remember them, my comrades.  Have you not seen a wavering line restored by the magic of his presence?  Have you not seen the few forget that they were fighting against the many, because he was among the few?