The Washington weekly post., 1899-06-20

The Iatast contribution 10 the history Of
the War OF the Rebellion. which has been
increasing tn accuracy and charity, ar
Neil - volume since the close OF that
terrible interuecinc struggle third OF a
century ago b. rom the pen OF south
ern Woman. widow OF one of the heroes Of
the CsnfcdeTacy-Gen. George +. Pickett.
Il has been said that the women OF the
south were the last TO surrender and, iu
fact, some fcV OF them nave not yet ar
rived at point where they can lo"K
back upon those days Of dlssstsr 10 them-
selves and all they held dearest IN the
world with anything like equanimityr
stu Iess zee anything DenehCial Tesuis-
ing from the downfall Of the COnie0eracy.
Nobody can blame them for their bitter
ness. Ior the women OF the Soutn were
dountless the principal sufferers from
that War. They not only shared with
their Northern sisters the pdngs OF be-
Yeayernent by the death in battle, nos
ritsIs or prisons of their best beloved.
hut they had all the horrors OF war
brought home 10 them They knew what
q Was 10 tremble Al the roar OF the
guns. 20 suffer siege, priyation, ana de-
feat. 10 see their homes 90 up IN smoke.
their property ruined, their servants sea-
Tered. and themselves reduced from affiG-
ence TO positive penury. Small wonder.
then, that even the hand OF time mas no.
yet entirely smoothed out the wrinkles OF
wrath and hatred IN their hearts; but
this fact renders still more remarkable
the volume entitled Pickett and His
Men" written with loyalty 10 friend anl
charity TO foe by la Sale Corbell Pickett,
o. this city.
As the child wife % the dashing Con
Tolerate General. she knew what It was
80 suffer al the anXieties and actual pTl-
Nations OF war: she saw the home 70
which she was taken as a bride, ana
where her first son was born, burned and
utterly destroyed; she waited in the fallen
city OF Richmond while her husband was
making his last fierce fight at Five Forks,
and heard the newsbOys calling on the
streets the happily untrue tidings of his
death. Even after he was restored TO her.
There were more terrors 10 follow. She
knew what il was TO be a fugitive fear
ful OF every eye, as, with her baby in her
arms, she followed her husband 10 Can
ada, alone and unprotected, twice under
arrest and terroTized almost 10 death.
Then she knew " hat il was 20 return TO
q desOiated home and gather up the rem
nants of shattered fortune TO begin
life anew: and after the death Of her
husband she was obliged to fight the bat
tie OF life alone. silently and unCOmplain-
ingly. Yet this is the woman who writes
in her preface TO the present volume:
Why do ! write this book? To add
nv tribute 20 the memory of my hero
husband and the noble men who followed
him through the trials, dangers, and
hardships Of "a four years war The i'm
pufe which moves me is love. and l
have endeavored that nothing should be
written unworthy of that motive. If
anything expressed or implied shall give
pain 10 any, whether he wore the gray or
the blue, IL is contrary TO the purpose
or the wishes Of the author. contrary to
the Chivalrous soul OF the soldier and
patriot. George F.. Pickett, whose courage
and constancy this work is intended 10
commemorate
Her dedication is likewise unique and
characteristic:
To ny husband the no le leader Of that hand Of
heroes whose deeds sparkling jewels set in the
history Of the Army Of Northern Virginia | would
gladly inscribe this book-to him alone 10 whom
my life had been dedicated: but remembering how
often. in the humility OF his great soul he has
said i did not do tiny men cid it all" | feel
that he would be better pleased TO know that the
lTavs men wlem he led through those four long
NV NN'N iAihs lieNt W NY ARolEAls 81
! have written, hence
To the men Of Picketts division who vet clasp
hands with me in the friendship that vas oemented
IN blood 10 grow stronger through all the passing
years, and to tse memory Of those who have gone
from our sight 70 be everpresent in Our hearts and
ca the most glorious page Of our countrys history
this volume is lovingly dedicated.
Gen. Longstreet's Tribute.
The preface by Gen. Longstreet is as
follows:
The distinguished subject of these
memoirs ] first met as a cadet 1T West
Point. in the hey-day of his bright. wing
manhood. in 1892 Upon graduating, he
was assigned 10 the regiment to which |
had been promoted, the Eighth United
States Infantry. and Lieut. Pickett served
gdlldntly with us continuously until, sor
meritorious service, he was promoted
Captain in 1856. He served with distin
guished ValOr in all the battles of Gen.
Scott in Mexico, incluling the siege of
Vera Cruz, and was always consDicu,us
for gallantry. lie was The first 10 scale
The parapet Of ChapulteUec on the 18th
OF September, lSiI. and was the praVe
American who unfurled our iiag over the
castle, as the enemies troops retreated
nring AT the splendid Pickett as re floated
our victorious COlOrs. In memory / can
see him. of medium height. of graceful
build dark, glossy hair, worn almost 10
his shoulders in curly waves, of WOnurouS
pUlchritude and magnetic presence as he
gdllantly rode from me On that nemJra-
bic Sd day of July, 1868, saying in obedi-
ence 10 the imperative order. 10 which |
could only bow assent: I will lead nv di-
vision forward, Gen. Longstreet."
He WAS devoted TO his martial profes-
sion, toieratlng no rival near the throne
except the beautiful charming, and tai
ented lady, whose bright genius ana Ioyal
heart have penned these memories 10 her
noble soldier husband, and VINO, since he
left her, has fought. single-haaded and
ai'ne, the battle Of life, OF her and other
ex-Confederdte widows. il can b. said
that they have. sine. the war between
the States. fought as fierce battles as cNer
their warrior husbands waged. 70. IN the
rilrnt passdges Of the heart many srvcrer
battles are waged Than were ever fought
!p Gettysburg.
George r. Pickett's greatest bate was
really At Five Forks, April ]. lS5. Nrere
his plans and operations were mlstsrful
and skillful. and II they had 1eaa eNecut-
I'd az he designed them, there Iaighf nave
Teen 10 APPoH-sAtoAs ana atSElte the dis
parity Of overwhelming numbers. a Iril-
liant victory would have been his. II re-
endorsements, which he had yy--y .,ason
10 expect had opportunely reached him.
bat they were not ordered an season. and
did not join the hard pressed PicksIt un-
tn night when his positions mad long
since been attacked by vastly Superior
numbers with repeating rir-s. tIe was Of
81 open, frank, ard genial temperament.
hut he fell very krenly the distressing
,alamitics eniailed upon IFS beloved
sunny South by the results pf Ntr; Vel.
with the Characteristic fJriitude OF 4 col-
|ier he bowed t0 the inevitable. graceful
~ accepted the situation. JgatzaI the
duty OF the unfortunate Ia ACCEPT me re-
sult il no guerul0us spirit, and felt hIs OBJ
legation 60 share its effects
~No word Of blame or ceusu.e. even. Of
h.t superior officers ever escaped Pick
ttrs lips. hut ne nevertheless felt rro-
foundly the sacrifice of his gallant sol-
dlers whom ne 40 loved. Al Five Forks
nc mad a desperate but 4 lighting c1tnco.
aud n any soldier could have snatched
ss.Fffrg from defear 10 nas IN. frrr.rf.g