Show ‘N 1 Jt V 1 V L v - T 1 The ! If' 0 ! I'it 1 1 I The President's aide put his question plainly: would the colonel accept mmmnnd nf the Union A rmv? 1 ijij f 1 - shooting at Fort Sumter on April 12 1881 had decided the issue: the which had been founded in war would be tested in war Already the call for volunteers had gone out from Washington What President Lincoln needed now was someone to lead them a general to take the place of Winfield Scott At 75 Scott was the veteran of four wars and ready to step down as commanding general of the Army Looking over the list of officers who might be entrusted with the responsi-- x bility of leading the Union at such a critical moment Abraham Lincoln halted little-knoto politicians but who had earned 9t the name of a man who was a reputation for courage and tactical skill This officer a colonel was quiet to the point of taciturnity but he had made his mark at West Point and had served valiantly in Mexico In addition Scott thought he would be worth 1 ? wn 50000 men “Well” the President told Francis P Blair an aide “ask him to come and see you If you think he may be our man tell him he may be offered command ' of the Union Army” Dismayed as he was by the approaching civil war the officer was even more puzzled by the arrival of the message inviting him to come to an address in Washington Just down Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House Riding through the streets of the Capital he noticed the strain on people's faces the strange urgency with which they walked and talked These indeed were troubled times c he had tied his horse in front the The officer He wasescorted into a room and the door was closed behind him of house to which been “Colonel I asked you to come here by authorization of the President” Blair told him “He fears the trouble will grow General Scott speaks well of you What would your feelings be if offered command of the Union Army in his place?” ' The officer felt unable to answer the question immediately Always before duty had determined his decisions however distasteful But what was duty now? Command of the Union Army would be a great opportunity of course a promotion the chance to put military theories to stem test Still the colonel asked for a little time to think the matter over He rode home and went to his room “to wrestle with the haunting shadows of duty” The deliberation continued all day and in the afternoon came word that Virginia his native state was seceding from the Union As evening fell the officer’s wife could hear him pacing up and down back and forth weeping “tears of blood” and falling to his knees in prayer for God’s guidance Hours later he finally sat down at his desk picked up a pen and began to write: General Scott: There are agonizing moments in the lives of men and nations when the course of history is often determined here is one of them By JERRY KLEIN ' I have felt that I ought no longer to retain my Since my interview the commission in Army I therefore tender my resignation which I request you will recommend for acceptance It would have been presented at once but for the struggle it has cost me to separate myself from a service to which I have devoted the best years of my life and all the ability I possessed Save in the defense of my native state I never desire again to draw my sword Be pleased to accept my most earnest wishes for the continuance of your happiness and prosperity and believe me most truly yours Robert E Lee ILLUSTRATION BY ROBERT SHORE liT&fir COVER: Photographer Curt Gunther focuses on the star Bill Pittsburgh Pirates’ hard-hittiMazerosku Read Bill’s story on page 14: “ Baseball Hero with a Wife to Match” ng April 9 LEONARD S DAVIDOW President and Publisher WALTER C DREYFUS Vice President PATRICK 1 O'ROURKE Advertising Director MORTON FRANX Director of Publisher Relations Send all advertising communication to Family Weekly 153 N Michigan Av Chicago 1 III Address all communication about editorial Features to Family Weekly 63 E 56th St New York 22 N Y IMt FAMILY WEEKLY MAGAZINE INC mnliwuiimn 19S1 Board of Editors ERNEST V HEYN Editor-in-Chi- ef BEN KARTMAN Er rentier Editor ROBERT FITZGIBBON Managing Editor MARGARET BELL Feature Editor PHILLIP DYKSTRA Art Direr tor MELANIE DE PROFT Food Editor Bob Driscoll John Hochmonn Jerry Klein Harold London Murray MiUef Jack Ryan Peer Oppenheimer Hollywood 153 N Michigan Ave Chieogo 1 111 All rights reserved -- -- |