Lee Lee's close brush with Death

[War Horse]

I sometimes wonder how these Great men survived the war. There passion and determination simply would not allow them to stay out of harms way.

On Reconnoiter at second Manassas.

"Lee with his staff cantered ahead of the column to reconnoiter the front. After pausing at the edge of a woodlot, the commander walked forward alone. his attention focused on the skirmish fire billowing below him. According to Major Charles S. Venable one of Lee's aides, the general returned within a few minutes and said quietly: " A Yankee sharpshooter came near killing me just now." Lee's face bore the mark of the bullet that grazed his cheek."

Wert: James Longstreet the Confederacy's most controversial soldier. Page 167

How many times I wonder, but for the grace God these men escaped death.

 

[ErnieMac]

Lee was frequently on or close to the front lines during the War. The famed "Lee to the rear" episodes at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania immediately come to mind. Freeman relates two incidents at Sharpsburg. The first involved Lee, Longstreet and D. H. Hill, who were observing Union movements near the Sunken Road. Lee and Longstreet were on foot, Hill was mounted when a shot struck his horse and carried off both forelegs. Later in the battle Lee was on the Confederate right awaiting the arrival of A. P. Hill's division from Harper's Ferry near a section of the Rowan Artillery. As soon as Lee noticed Hill's troops arriving on the field, he directed Lieutenant John Ramsey, the artillery commander to open fire on the enemy. When Ramsey observed that opening fire would draw a response, Lee replied "Never mind me."

 

[diane]

I sometimes wonder how these Great men survived the war. There passion and determination simply would not allow them to stay out of harms way.

On Reconnoiter at second Manassas.

"Lee with his staff cantered ahead of the column to reconnoiter the front. After pausing at the edge of a woodlot, the commander walked forward alone. his attention focused on the skirmish fire billowing below him. According to Major Charles S. Venable one of Lee's aides, the general returned within a few minutes and said quietly: " A Yankee sharpshooter came near killing me just now." Lee's face bore the mark of the bullet that grazed his cheek."

Wert: James Longstreet the Confederacy's most controversial soldier. Page 167

How many times I wonder, but for the grace God these men escaped death.

There is a photo of Lee taken not too long before his death which shows that crease. It was scuffed up and not very well focused but somebody ran it through a computer and cleaned it up. Turned out to be a fine article - and the crease shows on his cheek just along the line of his beard. Durn near missed, that Yankee!

 

[War Horse]

There is a photo of Lee taken not too long before his death which shows that crease. It was scuffed up and not very well focused but somebody ran it through a computer and cleaned it up. Turned out to be a fine article - and the crease shows on his cheek just along the line of his beard. Durn near missed, that Yankee!

I wonder if he knew who he was shooting at?

 

[ErnieMac]

Most likely the sharpshooter was too far away for an ID, he was probably aiming at a figure on horseback.

 

[diane]

I wonder if he knew who he was shooting at?

Possibly made a good guess but I doubt that guess included Lee himself. That important of a personage would not be alone. Think it was a sharpshooter who saw grey and shot at it!

 

[DRW]

Gordon Rhea's Overland Campaign books contain several incidents where Lee came under fire, both artillery and small arms. I'll try to find the passages.

 

[Patrick H]

That's a near miss for sure. It's quite a story and I hadn't heard it or read it until just now. Thanks.

 

[Bernard West Sr.]

Never heard of this before either. Lee a near casualty at 2nd Bull Run. The "what if's" on this one are mind boggling. Jackson as commander of the ANV?

 

[Drew]

Never heard of this before either. Lee a near casualty at 2nd Bull Run. The "what if's" on this one are mind boggling. Jackson as commander of the ANV?

I don't imagine that would have happened, politically. There were so many General Officers killed and wounded on both sides, it seems like the same random walk that privates experienced. No rational reason to explain who survived and who did not. Grant in his private's smock could have got shot. "What if?"

 

[Nathanb1]

Well, it's a miracle he survived the Mexican War, anyway. For someone normally portrayed as so stodgy, he was essentially the Errol Flynn of the war.....actually they were all incredibly lucky, between disease, bullets and artillery in Mexico. That was some scary stuff.

 

[Drew]

Grant rode the lines from time to time, as did Lee. We know this. Just a question of "not winning" the lottery - a stray bullet. Others were not so lucky.

 

[Karen Lips]

I sometimes wonder how these Great men survived the war. There passion and determination simply would not allow them to stay out of harms way.

On Reconnoiter at second Manassas.

"Lee with his staff cantered ahead of the column to reconnoiter the front. After pausing at the edge of a woodlot, the commander walked forward alone. his attention focused on the skirmish fire billowing below him. According to Major Charles S. Venable one of Lee's aides, the general returned within a few minutes and said quietly: " A Yankee sharpshooter came near killing me just now." Lee's face bore the mark of the bullet that grazed his cheek."

Wert: James Longstreet the Confederacy's most controversial soldier. Page 167

How many times I wonder, but for the grace God these men escaped death.

I did not know this, glad you posted it

 

[JerseyBart]

Interesting story. Thank you for sharing.

Not to be controversial, but...well...good. If commanding generals and their subordinate generals, both union and confederate, are going to send men off to die or be wounded, maimed and/or forever changed, they should get a scare every so often too.

 

[War Horse]

Interesting story. Thank you for sharing.

Not to be controversial, but...well...good. If commanding generals and their subordinate generals, both union and confederate, are going to send men off to die or be wounded, maimed and/or forever changed, they should get a scare every so often too.

Can't lead from behind. I forget who said that. lol

 

[diane]

Grant rode the lines from time to time, as did Lee. We know this. Just a question of "not winning" the lottery - a stray bullet. Others were not so lucky.

That's about it. It wasn't all that easy for a sniper to get an officer unless he was sticking his neck out in some way. And stray bullets were always etched with somebody's name, but maybe not the one they missed. Sherman, at Kennesaw, was helping aim a cannon and put his face down close to the barrel to get a better sighting when a bullet zipped right past his nose. Made him sneeze but that was all! Forrest, who had so many close calls he wondered about it himself, was riding with Morton when he suddenly ducked his chin and yanked his hat off his head - there was a bullet hole in the brim. Grant was checking his lines and a bullet zinked off his sword - not into him. Lee had another good one but I can't remember the battle - maybe someone else can! He was looking at the field through his binoculars when an artillery round landed right in front of him, almost between his feet. He looked down - the fuse was still burning but was very, very short. There was no point in running so he just watched it burn down. Nothing. Not even a fizzle! Went back to looking at the field through his binoculars...

 

[diane]

Well, it's a miracle he survived the Mexican War, anyway. For someone normally portrayed as so stodgy, he was essentially the Errol Flynn of the war.....actually they were all incredibly lucky, between disease, bullets and artillery in Mexico. That was some scary stuff.

There's a good movie right there! I particularly liked when he and Beauregard came upon a deserter and tried to arrest him, but the guy shot at Lee, then took a swing at Beauregard. They piled onto him and tied him up - then Beauregard asked Lee where he was hit. It was point blank, after all. Lee wondered, too - he looked around his clothes and found a tear on the inside of the sleeve of one arm. The bullet had gone right between his arm and his chest!

 

[War Horse]

That's about it. It wasn't all that easy for a sniper to get an officer unless he was sticking his neck out in some way. And stray bullets were always etched with somebody's name, but maybe not the one they missed. Sherman, at Kennesaw, was helping aim a cannon and put his face down close to the barrel to get a better sighting when a bullet zipped right past his nose. Made him sneeze but that was all! Forrest, who had so many close calls he wondered about it himself, was riding with Morton when he suddenly ducked his chin and yanked his hat off his head - there was a bullet hole in the brim. Grant was checking his lines and a bullet zinked off his
sword - not into him. Lee had another good one but I can't remember the battle - maybe someone else can! He was looking at the field through his binoculars when an artillery round landed right in front of him, almost between his feet. He looked down - the fuse was still burning but was very, very short. There was no point in running so he just watched it burn down. Nothing. Not even a fizzle! Went back to looking at the field through his binoculars...

Great stuff, Thank you very much. I remember reading that one about the bomb at Lee's feet also. I will try and find it.

 

[War Horse]

There's a good movie right there! I particularly liked when he and Beauregard came upon a deserter and tried to arrest him, but the guy shot at Lee, then took a swing at Beauregard. They piled onto him and tied him up - then Beauregard asked Lee where he was hit. It was point blank, after all. Lee wondered, too - he looked around his clothes and found a tear on the inside of the sleeve of one arm. The bullet had gone right between his arm and his chest!

I never heard that one before. It seemed some men were just some how protected from harm. It makes you think and scratch your head.

 

[FarawayFriend]

Lee was frequently on or close to the front lines during the War. The famed "Lee to the rear" episodes at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania immediately come to mind. Freeman relates two incidents at Sharpsburg. The first involved Lee, Longstreet and D. H. Hill, who were observing Union movements near the Sunken Road. Lee and Longstreet were on foot, Hill was mounted when a shot struck his horse and carried off both forelegs. Later in the battle Lee was on the Confederate right awaiting the arrival of A. P. Hill's division from Harper's Ferry near a section of the Rowan Artillery. As soon as Lee noticed Hill's troops arriving on the field, he directed Lieutenant John Ramsey, the artillery commander to open fire on the enemy. When Ramsey observed that opening fire would draw a response, Lee replied "Never mind me."

Longstreet not only stayed cool observing that Hill's horse was shot under him he even showed some black humour by joking about it. As Hill tried to dismont his wounded horse, Longstreet was teasing him, telling him he should come down one side, then the other and then shouted "get over his head, Hill". This ability to stay calm even in dangerous situations is what I probably admire most in him.
But sorry, War Horse, I'm abusing your thread!