more peaceable
times he fills the post of Episcopal clergyman in Lexington, Virginia.
Unlike General Polk, he unites the military and clerical professions
together, and continues to preach whenever he gets a chance. On these
occasions he wears a surplice over his uniform.

General Pickett commands one of the divisions in Longstreet's
corps.[56] He wears his hair in long ringlets, and is altogether rather
a desperate-looking character. He is the officer who, as Captain Pickett
of the U.S. army, figured in the difficulty between the British and
United States in the San Juan Island affair, under General Harney, four
or five years ago.

[55] This part of Pennsylvania is much peopled with the descendants of
Germans, who speak an unintelligible language.

[56] M'Laws, Hood, and Pickett are the three divisional commanders or
major-generals in Longstreet's _corps d'armee_.

[Illustration: GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE.]

* * * * *

_30th June_ (Tuesday).--This morning, before marching from
Chambersburg, General Longstreet introduced me to the Commander-in-Chief.
General Lee is, almost without exception, the handsomest man of his
age I ever saw. He is fifty-six years old, tall, broad-shouldered,
very well made, well set up--a thorough soldier in appearance; and
his manners are most courteous and full of dignity. He is a
perfect gentleman in every respect. I imagine no man has so few
enemies, or is so universally esteemed. Throughout the South, all agree
in pronouncing him to be as near perfection as a man can be. He has none
of the small vices, such as smoking, drinking, chewing, or swearing, and
his bitterest enemy never accused him of any of the greater ones. He
generally wears a well-worn long grey jacket, a high black felt hat, and
blue trousers tucked into his Wellington boots. I never saw him carry
arms;[57] and the only mark of his military rank are the three stars on
his collar. He rides a handsome horse, which is extremely well groomed.
He himself is very neat in his dress and person, and in the most arduous
marches he always looks smart and clean.[58]

In the old army he was always considered one of its best officers; and
at the outbreak of these troubles, he was Lieutenant-Colonel of the 2d
cavalry. He was a rich man, but his fine estate was one of the first to
fall into the enemy's hands. I believe he has never slept in a house
since he has commanded the Virginian army, and he invariab