The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1913-07-04
A Letter that Went to General Pick
ett's Sweetheart from the Field
of Gettysburg.

end of the third day. This charge
concluded the battle and indirectly
determined the outcome of the war.
The following extract from the arti-
Gle. which Is herewith reprinted
through the courtesy of The Ameri-
can Magazine gives a dramatic pic
ture of Picketts charge, and Of the
final events leading up TO the great
catrastrophe that overflow the Gonfed-
eracy. At this point In the narrative
Pickett is just leaving Iongstreet to
go into battle.
There was one touch of humanity
in the parting between Pickett and
Longstreet that has just come to
light after fifty years. II humanizes
the hero Of that daring charge 10
know that he was much In love. As
Pickett turned to go, he placed IN
Longstreet's hands a letter addressed
to a brown-eyed Virginia girl who
yet lives. And this was the post
script which he had written IN the
brief interval between the cannonade
and the charge:
+" Now, my darling, ! 60 but re
member always that | love You With
all my heart and soul, with every fiber
of my being; that. now and forever
| am yours, my beloved. 1t Is almost
three o'clock My soul reaches out 10
yours-my prayers
Now the smoke of guns lifts like
a great curtain, and discloseg 10 the
eyes OF the whole Army of the Poto=
mac the sublimest spectacle Of the
Civil War
And how pitifully cruel It wasi
The long gray line had To cover al
most a mile OF open ground before It
could use its guns, but 1t was within
the range OF the replenished Union
batteries from the start
The Union gnnners began On II
with solid shot. as the silent line
draws nearer, they change to bursting
shell and shrapnel. The YIrglnians
fell like sheaYes before the sickle. nut
the ranks silently close. About mid
way the line Is halted and dressed
under fire. Then 1t moves slowly for
ward in the face of storm Of canister
that literally mows great sections 10
the ground. But the shattered hri-
gades preserve their alignment.
obliquo to the left. and sweep against
the stone wall from which now come
the cruel voleys of the infantry.
ne ulBU- NHltI HlATk u III IIAI =
was reached by Armistead's brigade
of Virginians. With his cap upon the
point Of his sword 10 guide his men,
like the Helmet of Navarro. he press
ed far beyond the fence. rushed the
batteries. and I'll dying beside The
guns that he had taken. So desperate
was the fighting here that twenty
Confederate iiags were captured With
In a space not hundred yards
square.
'Picketts division lost 2.sss men
killed and wounded. of whom 1.1e1
were from Armistead's brigade alone.
The death which spared not his three
brigadiers passed over the eonHnIeu=
Gus leader with his long black haIr.
and the voice that had cent Tie men
across the field of blood nov gave tho
command TO fall back And InaI n
that hour, far away 10 the southwark,
Grant and Pemberton we're standing
together under a tree, arranging the
details OF the surrender Of Kickabnrg
"Of all the descriptions Of Pick
ett's great charge, that OF the great
est human interest Is the latest-his
letter to the Virginian girl Who later
became his wife
You never saw anything Ike II
They moved across that field Of death
as a battalion marches forward IN
line Of battle upon drill. each COM
mander In front of his command.
leading and cheering on his men Two
lines Of the enemy's infantry we're
driven back; two lines of guns we're
taken-and no support came
All, II ! had only had NJ other
two brigades, a different story would
have been flashed to the world
Seven OF my colonies were killed
and one was mortally wounded Nine
of my observation-disclosures we're wound
ed and three Northumberland we're
killed. Only one field officer Of ny
whole command, Colonel cabeil. vas
unhurt, and the loss of my company
officers was In proportion
AS the tumult and the shouting
die, an eye turns away from Pickett
and the bloody field and seeks the
Chieftain who has lost. From IN
eminence overlooking the heroic bat
tleground, the son of Light Horse
Harry Lee has seen the hopes Of the
Southland perish With uncovered
head he rides forward To meet Pickett.
who comes slowly up the slope With
the pitiful remnants of his broken
legion, the tears washing the CRIME
OF battle from his cheeks. Lees faee
is calm and gives no hint Of the
emotions within his breast. Il Ms
all my fault he says. Now help me
to save that which remains
AT midnight a calvary officer IN
charge OF the rough wagons thai we're
gathering uD the mangIed men waited
at the Generals tent At last the
the dim moonlight, and Lee YEARLY
dismounted. This has been sad
day, General he said. and then
leaned against his horse in utter ex-
haustion, seemingly unmindful Of the
others presence.
You are much fatigned. General.
said the cavalry officer.
oh, it's too badiIt's too bad he
exclaimed. Then he gave the last
command Of the day-and It concern
ed the wounded men who had fought
In vain and whose means were the
Miserere OF the Lost Cause.
THE officer went to his narrowing
task, and Traveller was led away b.
an orderly. Then the Captain Of the
Confederacy, with his soul exceeding
sorrowful, drew back the flaps Of his
tent and entered the valley Of his
Gethsemane alone.
And he went forward little and
fell on his face.
-=zs~---=e=
To Issue Election Writ.
Governor Goldsborough last Friday