Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-04-17

Gen. Mead reported his loss at %, 900.
In order TO give a more accurate
knowledge OF what was at that time
supposed 10 be the cause OF General
Lees defeat, we shall have 10 review
and recapitulate in concluding.
Gen. Pickett reached the heights
OF Cemetery Hill, drove away the fed
eral line, capturing their batteries,
but could not hold them for want Of
reinforcements. Why did not Long
street, who had 80, 600 men at his dis
posal, reinforce Pickett? 1t stands to
reason if Gen. Pickett could cross a
plain a mile wide, storm a stone wall,
capture the enemy's works and artil-
cry, that with the aid Of as many
more men as he took their works with
he could and would have held them.
When he was struggling at the
bloody angle before he took the works.
why was he not reinforced? 1t was a
common saying then among those who
survived that bloody charge that it
was Longstreet's fault that reinforce
ments were not sent to Pickett. Gen.
Pickett in his written report to Gen.
Lee, said that IL Longstreet had sent
him aid he could have held theenemyiS
works, and upbraid Longstreet for not
doing 50; in fact, Pickett used such
strong language that Gen. Lee request
ed Pickett 10 withdraw that report
and only report his casualty list, say
ing; I'VE have a great deal OF hard
lighting yet TODD. We do not wish to
offend Gen. L0ngstEeet. There seems
TO have been a want OF cooperation
throughout the entire three DAYS
fighting" From the time Longstreet
proposed bis flank movement and was
objected 70 by Gen. Lee things began
10 go wrong, although every affair, so
far as we know, was In full accord
with Gen. Lees plan, and men, too,
for thatmatter. Longstreet was per-
sistant 10 his demand on Gen. Lee To
adopt his lLongstreet's) plan OF a
sank movement around the left Of
Mead's army, so much so that Long
street says Lee lost his temper. Gen.
Lee had seen Longstreet before In
various engagements take such whims,
but eyened up matters with him by
giving him the post OF honor, and
sought to do so on this occasion by
selecting him and his gallant corps TO
storm Cemetery Hill, but this did not
p~alliate LOngstreet. He did not order
the charge as early In the day as Lee
desired; in fact, be did not order il at
all, for when Pickett went to Long
street for orders he found him In a
clump Of trees In a secluded place
away from his headquarters laying on
a blanket. Pickett had to ask for
orders and only received a nod of the
head. Why did not Longstreet with !
energy support every desire Of Lee on
that memorable campaign? Simply.
as we all then believed, from the fact
that Lee would not do as Longstreet
wished.
This seems plain, from the fact that
after it was all over, LOngstreet says:
why did Gen. Lee select me to assault
Hill, knowing that l had no
faith in it, did not believe that sue
cess was possible. Why did be not Sc
iect Gen. Early" Lee seemed to have
confidence in Early and Early believed
In Lees plans. tLongstreet despised
Early as the devil does holy water.)l
Longstreet, just before the beginning
Df the battle, told Col. Alexander.
Longstreet's chief Of artillery, that he S
had no confidence in the move, but u
be says, Gen. Lee has set his head on
H. there is no way out Of IL only by J
Johnson island. Why did not Long
Itreet emulate the example in this as
he immortal jackson did at Chancel- .
,rsville. When jackson wanted to :
the North Anna river their line .
u defense, Lee says no, we will fight :,
zen. Hooker here. jackson says: "Do =
ne the honor 10 let me lead the fight. I
\ glorious victory was the result Had n
songstreet done this at Gettysburg :,
would have crowned ourefforts :.
here, at least that was the belief al y.
he time among those who took part 4
D thatsangulnary battle. LOngstreet Al
asa brave and efficient officer. and
ad done and did do, some noble Hgbt-
~. The best corps Of seasoned troops
! Gen. Lees army composed his COM sa
land and was a favOrite OF Gen. Let;l 10
no had the most implicit confidence ",
! both men and officers Of that dis O.
nguished corps. All men have their NJ
Iults and Longstreet was no excep- OF
this rule. He likedto have his fn
way. He was presumptl0us and an
Eotsstical and was ready % Gnd fault N;
ith Others, but did little 20 correct CT
IS " faults. He often seemed 20 Ella
link that he was not properly favored
the Confederate goyernmen al
edmond OF the general Of the army ite
Is favorite expressions being: ~ am on
t a Virginian or | could do this and fh'
or that ] am under the political eF'
n" and kindred sayings. which IL
'uld make one believe that be har- Ia
red deep In hissoul a most ~resentfui eul
lrit. The most charitable view We eFs
D take Of him that he did not, with wi
at true energy that should character. an
every good soldier, carry out Cen. q
orders at Gettysburg, parti. ~
Is OF Longstreet seem b. think bis 49,
litieal course since the war Is the a.,
use Of 80 much blame against Long ~
eet at Gettysburg; that cannot be ~
for all this blame was at that time a.
ached to him, although II is hard sbo
believe, even BY his strongest adyo- onr
that a general Of his rank -
the Confederate army could have \
n perfectly loyal 70 the cause, and AZ.
as the war was over 60 bOOts -,
J breeches into the camp Of the 40.
pet-bag government Of the south, -
Oring every principle that southern 4
D held dear. II he had waited later Is
Joined the more respectable eIe- i
lt u the Republican party, there -
I'D have been a better excuse for IT,