Lexington Reacts to Lee’s Death
Historical Highlight: Lexington Reacts to Lee’s Death
October 12 served as the 155th anniversary of the death of Robert E. Lee.
(Mourners stand in line to attend Robert E. Lee’s funeral on October 15, 1870. | SOURCE: Michael Miley / Encyclopedia Virginia)
[The following historical highlight features an article from the front page of the Friday, October 14, 1870 edition of The New-York Tribune. Amidst coverage of the Franco-Prussian War, concurrently raging in western Europe, and domestic elections, The Tribune devoted the furthest-right column on its front page to cover the death of Robert E. Lee. In the article, the town of Lexington, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and much of the United States mourn the loss of an “idol.” Beyond the facts presented, the piece elicits questions: some about Lee, but many that illuminate broader themes of our understanding of history.
For instance, should Lee, or any individual, be an “idol”? How should we critically analyze and contextualize a primary source such as this one? What should we take from the reverence with which some, but far from all, of his contemporaries treat his legacy? What about the views of him from those on the other side of the conflict that defines his legacy? What weight should we place on perspectives of Lee that come from other historic figures? What about those who admire him now, perhaps uncritically, perhaps not so? How do we balance the legacies of Lee, the Civil War general, and Lee, the president of Washington College? How should we understand Lee’s influence in shaping the post-war and Reconstruction-era American South?What about his role in resurrecting Washington College? Most centrally, is Robert E. Lee worth caring about in 2025? Does the fact that we have either attended, are attending, or are otherwise affiliated with Washington and Lee University affect that calculus?]
ROBERT E. LEE.
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HIS LAST SICKNESS—CAUSE OF HIS ILLNESS—
CEREMONIES IN LEXINGTON YESTERDAY.
LEXINGTON, Va., Oct. 13.—I arrived here to-night, and find the town overwhelmed with grief at the death of him who was its idol. At the hotels, by the hearth-stone, in the schools, on the streets, everywhere, the only topic of conversation is the death of Gen. Lee. All classes of the community seem to be affected, even the colored people, who walk long in silence, with sorrowful countenance, and mourn the loss of “Good ole Massa Robert.” Every house in the town seems to be draped with emblems of mourning, and no business has been transacted at any of the stores.
The facts in regard to the last illness of Gen. Lee, … are substantially these: One Wednesday, Sept. 28, he was at Washington College and about the streets diligently attending to the duties of the Presidency. During the afternoon he presided at a meeting of the vestry of the church in which he was a communicant. Thence he went home, partook of a light tea, and, while sitting surrounded by his family, he was attacked with stupor, becoming speechless, and so continuing during the night. …
He did not seem as confident of recovery as his physicians and friends. His intellect, however, was without a cloud, and he gave many signs that he knew what was going on around him. On Saturday Dr. [Robert] Madison addressed him cheerfully, remarking: “General, you must make haste and get well, for Tavel[l]er (his favorite horse) is getting lazy, and you must give him some exercise.” The only reply was a shake of the sick man’s head, accompanied by a look that said has plainly as words could say, that he had no hope of engaging in out-door recreation.
… He died at 9½ o’clock on Monday morning. The physicians who attended him in his last moments say that the remote cause of his death was long-continued depressing influences incident to responsibilities resting upon him during the last year of the war, the disastrous termination of the struggle in which all his energies were enlisted, and the afflictions of the South since the surrender of the Rebel armies.
What he has gone through since few can know, who have not seen how he has been burdened with the sorrows of the whole people, who seemed to look to him as a father. He has borne a calm exterior, but the very fibers of his heart have been wearing away by degrees, until at last they have broken, and the vital spark has fled. His physicians concur in the opinion that he died rather from mental than physical causes, …
The funeral, … will take place on Saturday next at 11 o’clock in the morning. At noon to-day the body was taken from his late residence to the Chapel of Washington College, where it will lie in state on Friday from 10 until 5 o’clock. The procession accompanying the remains from the residence to the chapel embraced nearly all the leading citizens of Lexington, students of the College and Military Institute, and persons from neighboring towns, though there were not many of these, as Lexington is an isolated place, … There were about 1,500 persons in line, and many weeping women and children were silent spectators of the scene. The following was the order of procession: 1st. Escort of honor, composed of officers and soldiers of the Rebel army; 2d, the Chaplain of the College and clergy of the town; 3d, the pall-bearers and body; 4th, Trustees and Faculty of Washington COllege; 5th, students of the College; 6th, visitors and Fuclty of the Virginia Military Institute; 7th, officers and corps of cadets of the Virginia Military Institute; 8th, Masonic fraternity and Odd Fellows; 9th, citizens generally.
The pall-bearers were Judge [Francis T.] Anderson of the Court of Appeals, ex-Gov. [John] Letcher, Commodore M[atthew] F[ontaine] Maury, Prof. W[illiam] Preston Johnston, the Hon J[ohn] Randolph Tucker, and others not so well known. The body will be taken from the Chapel on Saturday morning, and placed in a vault erected for the purpose in the College Library. … Whether the body will be allowed to remain at Lexington is uncertain. Some think it will be taken to Alexandria, Gen. Lee having within the last year bought a lot in the cemetery of Christ Church there. Others incline to the opinion that the family will yield to the wishes of the State authorities, and allow the burial to take place at Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, in which case people from all parts of the State will be present.
The students of Washington College, of which Lee was President, held a meeting this morning, and appointed the usual Committees on resolutions, &c. The Rev. Dr. [John Lycan] Kirkpatrick made some feeling remarks. Many of the students were affected to tears. They seemed to have had for Gen. Lee the affection of children for a father. The college buildings are now draped with crape. Prater meetings and religious services are now going on in the different churches, and a Sabbath-like stillness reigns throughout the town. The only sound breaking the silence of this twilight hour is the monotonous tolling of the bells–the knell of Lee.