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GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 491
ington. Says Colonel Jones: * "It will ever be a matter of regret that
he failed to compass the execution of this plan. To his Memoirs he
would doubtless have imparted additional value and interest, but in
their present form they possess the highest merit and constitute the
best military record we possess of the heroic memories embraced within
their scope. Lives of Washington and Greene have been carefully stud
ied and well written; but for one I freely confess to the firm conviction
that biographies of these heroes by their gifted and eloquent compatriot
and friend would have far surpassed all others.'' More than four years
were spent by General Lee in the mild climate of the sub-tropics. But
the benefit which he derived from his long sojourn was only temporary •
and he could do no writing while he here lingered among the ocean
breezes. At length it became evident to the wan sufferer that the end
was near at hand. Accordingly, toward the close of the month of
January, 1818, he took passage in a schooner bound from Nassau to
Boston, the captain—who proved to be also the owner of the vessel—
agreeing to put him ashore at the south end of Cumberland Island.
For this service the captain refused to accept compensation, esteeming
it a privilege "to minister to the comfort and to respond to'the wishes
of so distinguished a hero of the Revolution."
It was early in the month of February, 1818, when, toward the hour
of 4 o'clock in the afternoon, a grandson of General Greene, a lad some
fifteen years old, who was amusing himself with boyish sports near the
water front, observed a schooner which seemed to be approaching
the private docks of Dungeness. Before reaching the wharf, however,
the schooner came to anchor in the middle of the narrow channel, and a
boat was lowered, into which a feeble old man was assisted by the captain
and mate, who took seats beside him, and together they were rowed
ashore by two sailors. The youth hastened forward to ascertain the
object of this unexpected visit and to welcome the guest. General Lee
• was tenderly lifted from the boat and brought ashore by the officers.
He was plainly, almost scantily, attired. The sailors placed upon the
wharf an old hair trunk in a dilapidated condition and a cask of Madeira
wine. General Lee brought no other baggage with him. Beckoning
the youth to his side, he inquired his name. Learning that he was a
grandson of his old war comrade and that Mrs. Shaw was at home, the
, strange visitor threw his arms lovingly around the lad, who, without
knowing what it meant, returned the old hero's warm embrace. Then
leaning heavily upon the stout arm of the youth, General Lee walked
a short distance from the landing and sat upon a log, overcome by ex
haustion. Too weak to proceed further, he bade the boy run at once
to the house and to say to his aunt that an old friend and comrade
of her father's—General Lee—was at the wharf and wished the car
riage to be sent for him. "Tell her," he added, "that I am come pur
posely to die in the house and in the arms of the daughter of my old
friend and companion."
* "Reminiscences of the Last Days, Death and Burial of General Henry Lee," by
Charles C. Jones, Jr., Albany, New York, 1870.