The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-01-24
On Road to Gettysburg.

The following exquisitely lyrical and
spiritual passage was written on the
road to Gettysburg:
Our whole army is now in Pennsylvania,
north of the river There were rumors
that Richmond was threatened from all
sides-Dix from Old Point, Getty from
Hanover, Keyes from Bottoms Ridge, and
so on-and that we might be recalled. 1t
turned out to be a Munchausen, and we
are still to march forward Every tramp,
tramp, tramp is a thought thought,
thought of my darling, every halt bless
ing invoked, every command a loving ca
ress, and the thought of you and prayer
for you make me strong, make me better,
give me courage, give me faith. Now, my
Carissima, let my soul speak to yours.
Standardization! You hear-I am an
swered!
This was written the night before
the charge of Gettysburg:
Well, my sweetheart, at / o'clock the
awful silence was broken by a cannon
shot and then another and then more
than 100 guns shook the hills from crest to
base, answered by more than another 100
the whole world a blazing volcano, the
whole of heaven a thunderbolt, then dark
ness and absolute silence, then the grim
and grewsome, low spoken commands,
then the forming of the attacking col
umns, the hurrying of the men to the po-
sition assigned to them. My brave Vir-
| ginians are to attack in front Oh, may
God in mercy help me as he never helped
me before!
1 have ridden up to report to old Peter.
1 shall give him this letter to mail to you
and package to give you if oh, my
| darling, do you feel the love Of my heart
the prayer, as l write that fatal word
| "if?"
Now, my darling, i go, but remember
always that l love you with all my heart
and soul, with every fiber of my being
| that now and forever l am yours-yours
my beloved 1t is almost o'clock. My
soul reaches out to yours-my prayers.
The following is part of the dramatic
narrative of the battle of Gettysburg:
All, If had only had my other two bri
gades a different story would have beer
flashed to the world! Poor old Dick Gar
| nett did not dismount, as did the Others
of US, and he was killed instantly, falling
from his horse. Kerhper was desperate
ly wounded, was brought from the fielC
and subsequently taken prisoner. Poo
old Lewis Armistead-God bless him!-wa
mortally wounded at the head of his com
mand after planting the flag of Virginia
within the enemy's lines. Seven of m!
colonies were killed, and one was mortal
ly wounded, Nine of my lieutenant colo
htlS were NOuHutuI anu lnTe6 ItulendIl
colonels were killed. Only one field office
of my whole command, Colonel Cabel wa
unhurt and the loss of my company Off
GERS was in proportion.
l wonder my dear, If in the light of tn
great eternity we shall any OF us feel thl
was for the best and shall have learne
to say, Thy will be done?" No castle
today, sweetheart No; the bricks of hap
piness and the mortar of love must lie un
touched In this lowering gloom. Pray
dear, for the sorrowing ones
,, Writes on Birth of Son.
This letter was written upon tn
/ news to General Pickett Of the birth O
! bis son, "the Little General" as h
was known in the whole Confederat
army:
God bless you, little mother of our boy
bless and keep you'll Heaven in all II
} glory shine upon you! Edens flower
, bloom eternal for you! Almost with eS
cry breath since the message came relieN
ing my anxiety and telling me that m
3 darling lived and that little baby ha
E been born to US have been a baby my
self. Though I have known all thef
months that from across loves enchante
land this little child was on its way
: our twin souls. now that Gods promis