Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-30
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GENERAL LEE AT GETTYSBURG
Southern Army Officers Love Letter
Sheds Light on Famous contro-
yersy as 10 Blame.

The battle of Gettysburg, as every
Echooiboy knows. practically decided
the War Of the Rebellion. Bitter con-
troversy has always existed between
the southern generals who took part
in this wOrld-famous battle as to who
was TO blame for the ill-advised as
sault upon the impregnable position of
the Union troops which resulted so
disastrously TO the southern cause.
New light is shed On this interesting
question in Pictorial Review, wherein
is published the second instaIlment of
THE Love Letters Of a Confederate
General, in which the blame for fore
ing the battle is clearly put I'D to
General Lee. These letters were writ
ten by a world-famous general to the
woman who later became his wife.
The situation at Gettysburg is de-
scTibed as follows on the day proceed
ing the final assault:
All three sent regards to you, and
Old Lewis pulled a ring from his little
finger and, making me take it, said,
Give this little token, George, please,
TO her Of the sunset eyes, with my
love, and tell her the "old man" says
since he could not be the lucky dog
he's mighty glad that you are Dear
DID LeWis-dear old Lo, as Magruder.
always called him, being short for
Lothario, Well, my Chula, I'll keep
the ring for you and some day III
take it to John Tyler and have it made
into breastpin and set around with
rubies and diamonds and emeralds.
Just as we three separated to go
our different ways, after silently
clasping hands, our fears and prayers
voiced in the Good luck, old man a
summons came from Old Peter Long-
street,, and I Immediately rode to the
top OF the ridge where he and Marse
Robert were making a reconnaissance
of Mead's position. Great God!' said
Old Peter as I came up. Look, Gen
eral Lee, at the insurmountable diff
culties between our line and that of
the Yankees-the steep hills, the tiers
OF artillery, the fences, the heavy
skirmish line-and then we'll have
to fight cur infantry against their bat
tertes. Look at the ground We'll have
to charge over, nearly mile of that
open ground there under the rain Of
their canister and shrapnei.'
The enemy is here, General Long
street, and l am going to strike him
said Marse Robert in his firm, quiet,
determined voice
about eight o'clock l rode with
them along our line of PROSTATE in
fantry They had been told to lie
down to prevent attracting attention,
and, though they had been forbidden
to cheer, they voluntarily arose and
lifted in reverential alteration their
caps to our beloved commander as
we rode slowly along. Oh, the re-
sponsibility for the lives of such men
as these. Well, my beloved darling,
their fate and that of our beloved
Southland will be settled ere your
gracious brown eyes rest on these
scraps of penciled paper-your sol
dier's last letter, perhaps.
Our line of battle faces Cemetery
ridge. Our detachments have been
thrown forward to support our artil-
1ery. which stretches over a mile
along the crests Of Oak ridge and
Seminary ridge. The men are lying
in the rear. my darling, and the hot
July sun pours its scorching rays al
most vertically down upon them. The
suffering and waiting is almost IN
bearable Now and then an olive
branch Of hope in the shape of
courier bearing a message revives
them.
We'll, my sweetheart, at one
o'clock the awful silence was broken
by a cannon shot, and then another
and then more than hundred guns
shock the hills from crest to base,
answered by more than another hun
dred-the whole world a blazing vol
cano, the whole heaven q thunder
bolt-then darkness and absolute 81
lence-then the grim and grewsome,
Iow-spoken commands then the
forming of the attacking columns, the
hurrying of the men to the positions
assigned to them. My brave Virgin
ians are to attack in front. Oh, God,
in mercy help me as he never helped
before!
I have ridden up to report to Old
Peter. I shall give him this letter to
mail to you and a package to give you
if-oh. my darling, do you feel the
love of my heart, the prayer, as |
write the fatal word-'if?'
Nov, my darling, I go; but remem
Der always that I love you with all
my heart and SOUL with every fiber
Of my being; that now and forever /
am yours-yours. my beloved. It is
almost three o'clock. My soul reaches
out to yours-my prayers. I'll keep
I'D a shook-um-tumtum for Virginia
and you, my darling.
..vnIrp SOI nIER OVER ="