Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-01-29
MlSSiVeS Written Mid Roar
Of Cannon In Bloody
Civil War.

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 we're written has con-
sented that the anonymity be destroy
ed. They were written by General
George Pickett to the girl who was
frst 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 n year and a 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 ene-
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. | be-
iieved that the revolutionary spirit which
infected both north and south was but
passing phase Of fanaticism which would
perish under the rebuke of all good citi-
zens, who would surely unite in upholdlng
the constitution, but when that great as
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. It was evident that both
the advocates and opponents Of secession
had read the portents Alright.
You know. my little lady, some OF those
l,aA an NRa 0rfih Fl
samplers which used to hang on my nurs-
cry wall, such as "He who provides not
for his own household is worse than an
inldel," Charity begins at home," ETC.,
made lasting impression upon me, and,
while | love my neighbor-that is, my
country-I love my household-that is. my
state-more. and l could not be an infidel
and lift my sword against my own kith
and kin even though do believe, my most
wise little counselor and confdant that
the measure Of American greatness can
be achieved only under one flag, and
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, ChuIita mia, all that we ask is q
separation from people OF contending In
terests who love us as a nation as little
as we love them; the dissolution Of a un
ion that has lost It's holiness, to be lei
alone and permitted to sit under our owr
vine and fig tree and eat our figs peeled
or dried or fresh or pickled Just as W.
choose The enemy is our enemy be
cause he neither knows nor understand
us and yet will not let us part IN peac'
and be neighbors but insists on fighting u
to make us one with him. forgetting tina
both slavery and secession were his owl
institutions. The north is fighting for tn
Union and we for home and nreside. Al
the men know and love in the world
comrades and friends, both north AM
south-are exposed to hardshIps and dan
gers and are fighting on one side or tn
other and each for that which he know
to he rIpht
VIII you come, my darling, and hav
some coffee with your soldler2 II Is som
we captured, and II Is real coffee. Come
The tin cup is clean and shining, but tn
corn bread is greasy and smoked And tn
bacon-that is greasy, too, but II is goo
and tastes all right II II will only hol
out til our stars and bars wave over ou
land OF the free and our home OF tn
brave and we have our own home. New
ermore we'll hear Of wars but only Low
and life with It's eternal Joys
On the night before General Picket
was wounded at Gaines Mills he wrot
the following note:
This was never contemplated
earnest. | believe that II either the mort
or the south had expected that It's di
ferences would result In this obstinate
4 "a "a
the cock hated Huguenot and cavallt
would have made n compromise Poor o
Virginia came oftener than Noah's doN
with her olive branch. Though Fhe d.
sired to be loyal TO the union OF state
she did not believe In the right OF coe
cion, and when called upon to furnis
troops to restrain her sister states she r
fused and would not even permit the pa
sage of an armed force through her d
main for that purpose with no thoug
Of cost. no consideration OF disparity
relative strength or condition, she rolf
up her sleeves, ready to risk all In defen
OF a principle consecrated by the blood
her fathers. And now. alas, II Is too lat
We must carry through this bitter tai
unto the end May the end be soon
Begged For Immediate Marriage
In April. 1868, General Pickett,
dlstraught with the fear that death
battle would overtake him before
could make Little Miss Sallie" b
wife, wrote her to come to him ut on
and be married. II need be, by roa
side In this letter he says:
This morning awakened from a bea
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