The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-01-24
MiSSiVeS Written Mid Roar
Of Cannon In Bloody
Civil War.

Confederate General re-
markable series of communi-
cations sent by a soldier to his beloved,
under the most dangerous and des-
perate circumstances-lette written
from the thick Of war, ringing of love
and of valor-has been running in the
Pictorial Review. The letters have
stirred up a controversy that has run
with particular zest through the south
ern states, and now that the last of
them is about to be printed the woman
to whom they were written has con-
sented that the anonymity be destroy
ed. They were written by General
George Pickett to the girl who was
first Lasalle Corbell, afterward Mrs.
Pickett.
Mrs. Pickett is now living in Wash
ington and has been the leader of the
southern coterie there for many years.
The "little general" to whom the let
tiers refer came in after years to be a
major in the United States army and
died year and half ago, returning
from service in the Philippines. His
two little sons now live with their dis
tinguished grandmother in Washing
ton.
Allegiance to the South.
In the first one of the series Gen
eral Pickett tells why his allegiance
went to the Confederacy. He writes
"** No, my child, had no conception
of the intensity of feeling, the bitterness
and hatred toward those who were so
lately our friends and are now our enc
mics. l. of course, have always strenu-
ously opposed disunion, not as doubling
the right Of secession, which was taught
In our textbooks at West Point but as
gravely questioning its expediency. l be-
iieved that the revolutionary spirit which
infected both north and south was but a
passing phase of fanaticism which would
perish under the rebuke of all good citi-
zens, who would surely unite in upholding
the constitution, but when that great
sembly, composed of ministers. lawyers,
Judges, chancellors, statesmen, mostly
white haired men of thought, met in South
Carolina, and when their districts were
called crept noiselessly to the table in the
center of the room and affixed their sig
natures to the parchment on which the
ordinance of secession was inscribed, and
when in deathly silence, in spite of the
gathered multitude, General Jamison arose
and without preamble read, THE ordi-
nance of secession has been signed and
ratified proclaim the state of South Car
olina an independent sovereignty" and,
lastly when my old boyhood friend called
for an invasion, 1t was evident that both
the advocates and opponents of secession
had read the portents Alright.
You know, my little lady, some OF those
cross stitched notices on the cardboard
samplers which used to hang on my nurs-
cry wall, such HE who provides not
for his own household is worse than an
infidel," Charity begins at home" ETC.,
made lasting impression upon me, and,
while I love my neighbor-that is, my
country-I love my household-that is, my
state-more, and I could not be an infidel
and lift my sword against my own kith
and kin even though l do believe, my most
wise little counselor and confidant, that
the measure of American greatness can
be achieved only under one flag, and l
fear, alas there can never again reign for
either of us the true spirit of national
unity, whether divided and under two
flags or united under one.
The subject is pursued in later let
ter, which runs:
Why, Chulita mia, all that we ask is a
separation from people of contending in
terests, who love us as nation as little
as we love them; the dissolution of a un-
ion that has lost its holiness, to be let
alone and permitted to sit under our own
vine and fig tree and eat our figs peeled
or dried or fresh or pickled just as we
choose The enemy is our enemy be-
cause he neither knows nor understands
us and yet will not let US part in peace
e and be neighbors, but insists on fighting us
to make us one with him, forgetting that
both slavery and secession were his own
institutions. The north is fighting for the
Union and we for home and firesde. All
the men / know and love in the world
comrades and friends, both north and
south-are exposed to hardships and dan
gers and are fighting on one side or the
other and each for that which he knows
to be right
Will you come, my darling, and have
some coffee with your soldier? 1t is some
we captured, and it is real coffee. Come
The tin cup is clean and shining, but the
corn bread is greasy and smoked. And the
bacon-that is greasy, too, but it is good
and tastes all right II it will only hold
out till our stars and bars wave over oul
land of the free and our home of the
brave and we have our own home. New
ermore Wen hear of wars, but only love
and life with its eternal Joys.
On the night before General Picket
was wounded at Gaines Mills he wrot'
the following note:
This was never contemplated il
earnest. 1 believe that II either the nortl
or the South nad expected lnat lls ulI
ferences would result in this obstinate
cruel war the cold blooded Puritan ant
the cock hated Huguenot and cavalie
would have made a compromise. Poor oil
Virginia came oftener than Noah's dow
with her olive branch. Though she de
sired to be loyal to the union Of states
she did not believe in the right of coer
cion, and when called upon to furnis
troops to restrain her sister states she re
fused and would not even permit the pas
sage of an armed force through her do
main for that purpose With no though
of cost no consideration of disparity o
relative strength or condition she role
up her sleeves, ready to risk all in defens
ef a principle consecrated by the blood c
her fathers. And now, alas, 1t is too late
We must carry through this bitter tas
unto the end. May the end be soon
Begged For Immediate Marriage
Tn Anril 1859 Genaral Pickett q