The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-12-13
rhe Case OF General Pickett.
PETITION or GENERAL PICKETT.

Sir-I have the honor to state that you,
Amnesty Proclamation Of the 29th of MAY
has b,sa read. find myself among the
classes of persons excepted from the bene
| Sts at he proclamation under exception,
third. fifth, and eighth, shaving held the
rank Of major general in the Confederate
State army" "resigning my position a,
captain in the United States army" ant
being graduate Of West Point"
Write, making special application. Al
the commencement of our domestic fou.
blos was stationed on the disputed isand
Of San Juan, occupying it coniointlywith
the British forces, and did not leave Until
my resignation had been sent in and was
properly relieved by the commanding
! officer of the Department of the Pcihc,
I'D leave granted me to proceed . my
home, and then only through the con-
scientious duty, Gas | conceived" 70 my
mother State-Virginia. Had she nt Sc
coded, should not have been in theCon-
iederatc army, as no one was mon at
ached TO the old service, or stood b and
fought for ii with more fidelity, nor ould
any one have been sadder and NOR 10th
to leave il than ], who, from my youu had
been so devoted TO it and | now an and
have been since the surrender of Geeral
Lee,-to whose army | belonged-Slling
and ready TO renew my allegiance as a
loyal citizen TO the United States Goern-
ment, and have advised and counselh all
the men belonging to my division toiturn
10 their homes and the peaceful pusuits
of life; to take the oath of allegianc and
observe, with Scrupulous truth, its stula-
tions and TO faithfully obey the lis of
their country. NY wish, as espresso is a
sincere one, and this communication adj
dressed with a hope that the libelity
spoken Of in the amnesty proclaptlon
may be extended to cover my case.
| have the honor to be, &C., &C.,
GEORGE +. PICKETI
Major General Confederate States amy.
GENERAL PICKETT TO GENERAL GRAZ.
WASHINGTON, March II, l6.
lieutenant General L. S. Grant, Co,Rnnd-
ing armies Of the United States, lPo>ng-
ton, u. c.:
General,-I have the honor to Statthat
shortly after the surrender of the Condo
rate forces under the command of Geral
K. +. Lee to General u. s. Grant, m
mandcr-in-chicf United States army, 1.-THE
past year, being at the time paroled bthe
last-namcd officer, made cOmmuniclon
10 his Excellency the President ofthe
United States asking for his clemency. he
papers in the case were presented brx-
Senator o. III. Browning, Of lllinoitor
the consideration Of the Executive. ley
consisted of the application referret to,
required oath, recommendation by To-
vernon Peirpoint, Of Virginia, and celin
statements of officers Of the Contcdate
Observation-Disclosures of general court-ar-
tial-in reference to the execution a
number Of dcserters from said Selce
while was in command of the Departi mt
of North Carolina in 1868.
My object now in presenting this per
is 10 ask your favorable considerable OF
my case, aud that you will, if you belve
in nv sincerity-tor which | have pleCd
YOU my honor as an officer and geIe-
man-tO put such an endorsement on as
will obtain from his Excellency the Psi
dent a guarantee that l may be permied
NO live uumolested in my native Ste,
Dyhere am now trying 10 make subt-
encc for my family-much impoverlsd
by the war-by tilling the land.
II Aho NNAAAN W III nHS"iNN5N
tain evil-diSpoSed persons are attempg
to REOPEN the troubles Of the past, and h
brOil me for the action taken by me vile
the commanding officer of the ConfedeIe
forces in North Carolina. l acted simy
as the General commanding the dept
ment. Certain men dese~ting from NIh
Carolina regiment were taken with ans
in their hands fighting against the cors
which they had enlisted under; chars
werepreferred against them; regularly
gained court martial was assembled, cn-
|, posed of officers from North Carolh,
Georgia, and Virginia, before whom &c
men were tried. The evidence in the &c
being perfectly unmiStakable, the men,
ing identified by numbers of their old I'll
mental comrades, they were found guy
and condemned 10 be hung. The senteEs
were approved by me, and they were dy
executed according 10 the custom OF n
in like cases. My action was sanctiod
bythe then Confederate Government.
If the time has not arrived for the <
ecutive clemency to be extended toy
case, and which point ] am not pressiD |
merely wish some assurance that ! wlllt
be disturbed in my endeavor TO keepty
family from starvation, and that my part,
which was given 10y me in good faith, ny
protect me from the assaults OF those l.
! sons DESTROYS of still keeping mp the N,
which has ended, in my humble opinh,
forever. Appealing to you as sold,
and feeling confident that you will app
ciate my position, ! sign myself, with mlh
esteem, your obcdient servant,
G. E. PICKET
GRANTS ENDORSEMENT.
This letter is endorsed by General u.
Grant as follows:
Respectfully forwarded to his Exc
lcncy the President of the United Stas
with the recommendation that clemer
be extended TO this case, or assuraE
given that no trial will take place for I,
offences charged against q. l.. Plcke.
During the rebellion belligerent rights we
acknowledged 10 the enemies OF our cob
try, and il is clear TO me that the pap
given by the armies laying down their arr
protects them against punishments for &C
lawful for any other belligerent. In u
case know il is claimed that the m,
tried and convicted for the crime of desc
ton were Union men from North Carolin
who had found refuge within our lines, al
in our service. The punishment was
harsh one, but ii was in time OF war, an
when the enemy no doubt felt 1t necesSar
20 retain by some power the service Q
every man within their reach. Genera
Pickett know personally to be an honoi
rable man, but in this case his Judgmen
x.xo,n,,.d -, % Al what cannot well ID