The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-12-21
MRS. GEN PICKETT TELLS HOW SHE
JOINET THE BLUE AND GRAY.

employee--a first class clerk-whose
history is not only exceptionally inter
esting, but in sense nationally So
for to her belongs the honor of bring
ing about fraternal union of the Blue
and the Gray who survived the late war
of the rebellion. The first interest, how
ever, attaches to her as the widow of
the late Confederate general, George
Pickett, whose bravery and manliness
both sides concede.
All mankind-and we grant at once
that they only are judges of what con-
stitute womanly beauty-consider Mrs.
Pickett a beautiful woman. She is
above medium height. Her figure is
all soft lines and curves. Her eyes
and hair are black, the first large, melt
ing or flashing as is her mood. Her
hands and feet are small, and her taste
in dress is good, and she Is still in her
forties, and as charming as when she
became bride at fifteen, with that ad-
ditional grace of manner which comes
only with maturity and experience.
On a recent occasion Mrs. Pickett
was persuaded by the writer to go into
the details of the fact so often simply
stated that after the close of the war
Gen. Pickett and wife sought safety
from possible arrest for treason by an
incognito residence in Canada, She
said:
GAS l told you once before, l was
only IS when | was married, my home
was in possession of the Yankees. My
lover was on the other slde-Gen.
Pickett. Our wedding day was at hand,
and he could not come for me, but he
managed to communicate with me. All
stratagems are fair in love and war.
My family got permission to 60 through
the lines, and Gen. Pickett with guard
came as far on the way to meet me as
he dared. We met half way, and were
married at Petersburg by the Rev. DR..
Platt. We at once went into the field,
and | must say l was happier in the
midst of wars alarms than | was when
at home with absence and anxiety for
companions.
81 was as arrant a little rebel as the
South ever provided. l did not be-
lieve a Yankee could be as refined and
intelligent gentleman as those on our
side, nor did | think them as well edu
Gated or as brave. l would scarcely
look at one, much less shake hands.
All this amused my husband, for he
was educated at West Point, was a
cosmopolitan, and looked upon my
opinions as the Informed ideas OF a
mere girl. A change In my sentiments
came about after the war in this WISE
We had become self imposed exiles,
because we supposed all active parti-
cipants, such as officers, would be pun
ished for treason. We hed to Canada
under my husbands mothers family
name of Edwards, and we were as poor
and obscure as church mice. | will
tell you about that directly. Well, after
various vicissitudes, and remaining there
year and half, Gen. Grant heard OF
our case and he telegraphed to Gen.
Pickett that he could return to the
States, as the term of the surrender
would be carried OUT We returned to
New York and reception was given to
my husband by old comrades in the
city, and SO many Union officers came
to see US and treated US so kindly, were
SO we'll educated, so refined, l was
heartily ashamed OF my former estimate
of Yankee, especially after Gen.
Grant offered to make my husband
marshal of Virginia.
"To give some expression to nay
feelings, on our return to Virginia, l
thought l would have my husbands S
watch, which was an heirloom, en-
graved unknown to him and present it
TO him on the anniversary of the battle
of Gettysburg, to indicate to him my
changed sentiments. l thought by
giving all the battles in which he had
fought during the Mexican war, and as
a Confederate, and by crossing the flags
to symbolic the union of the Blue and
the Gray, that could DO so. No jew
eler in Richmond would engrave such
piece of 'treachery to the South
Public sentiment was against any such
feeling being expressed and l had to
send 1t to Baltimore to have 1t done,
after which l had the pleasure of giving
it to my husband on the anniversary OF
the battle of Gettysburg, as l had plan
| ned.
Returning to our Canadian expert.
ence, as l said, we were without any
resources. Our home, our country,
our cause, each was lost. | was only
I6l years old, and l felt our situation
deeply. l had a young child, voice
and tolerable education. These last
| looked upon as capital. My husband
could not get enough to do to support
US.
"One Sunday l was desperate.
went alone into St. Johns Episcopal
Church. We were at Montreal. l had
on my wedding dress. which was a
dove colored lustre with a dove-col-
ored, drawn silk poke bonnet with
pink roses under the brim. | wore a
wide turn down collar and large black
silk visite, and l looked like a guy but