The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-29
PEOPLES FORUM.
FIRST At Gettysburg.


which fact is OF record on tablet.
on the Gettysburg pike. From first
to last. except in the night time, we
were in continuous action, and suf-
fered great damage and loss. Nnen
Pickett made his famous charge our
company, with four other Virginia
batteries, formed his support. We
saw that magnificent body of Vir-
ginians, with steady and unfaltering
step, cress that shotriddled field,
raked by. sharpnel and canister. In a
way that classed them as regulars.
Amid binding smoke and roar of
artillery. with ranks all depleted ana
broken. we saw the sickening return.
In all the four years of struggle sure
ly nothing could in any way compare
with the carnage and desoiation OF
Pickett's charge. During the she'll
fire theif-fire) which followed, three
of our men were knocked down al
most simultaneously: Lieutenant
John Conway Eustace, John III. How
iston and myself. Enstace and Howis-
ton died. / recovered--the good Lord
only knows why. Nearly forty years
later quite a large party of ladies and
gentlemen visited this famous field.
l being among the number. | had
no difficulty in locating the position
occupied by our command during the
tsnree days engagement. We We're
piloted to the various points of In
terest by citizen who has establish
ed business for guiding tourists
and sightseers. and who gives des-
cription. or kind of lecture, explana-
tory Of the battle. 1t is somewhat
parrot-like. but quite interesting, and
very instructive. He well earns his
money. When we reached the line
of Pfckett's charge he said: Cen
eral Pickett came wrlnging his hands.
and with tears in his eyes. said Cen
eral Lee. my command is all cut to
pieces; and General Lee patted
Pickett on the back and repiied.
Never mind 1t is all my fault. The
while performance was so ridiculous
that ] could not refrain from say
ing: Stranger, l challenge that state
ment. General Lee may have said.
Never mind, General Pickett, | am
responsible'--and he was but he was
too honest and truthful to assume
fault when he well knew where the
fault lay" The lecturer replied. well,
maybe that was it,; but doubtless he
is still repeating that fault story to
visitors. if, indeed. he is still livssg.
In your issue of June /. under the
UedQ|lS ILLS IddS MI. L. -.
Marye, of Charlottesville, Va, under
takes to give two instances of mag
nanimity in the life of General Lee.
One is we'll authenticated by Colonel
Charles Marshall. when General Lee
wrote General jackson, You have
lost your left arm; ! have lost my
right. The credit of the victory Is
due to YOU" The other is somewhat
different from that of the Gettys-
burg man. but nevertheless, not all
together creditabie to a great leader
like Lee Mayre says General Lee
rode among the demoralized men
exclaiming. This is all my fault. We
will talk this over another time. etc. =
1t would seem as though Mr.. Marye
might have found greater magnanim-
ity by pointing out that, though
somebody Numbered" at Gettys-
burg, and General Lee wei knew who
that somebody was, no power could
wiring that name from the great man
during his lifetime. IL was whispered
all through the army that an officer
of high rank had failed General Lee
at Gettysburg, but no word or init
| nation ever escaped from the glorious
old chieftain to that effect.
l Sound this same fault" story in
Miss Mason's Life of General Robert
l<tCs DuA SQI1EWD INHERENT
/ narration from the other two.
Two weeks ago there was .leld in
this city Chautauqua, and one of its
leading attractions was a lecture by
Mrs. LaSalle Corbell Pickett. widow
of General George z. Pickett, of the
Confederate army. This queniy look
| ing lady is deservedly popular all
through our Southland and beyond.
and her Virginia people feel great
! pride in her literary attainm.nts and
successes. Her lecture has charm
all its own, and chiefly because Ii is
unconventional. and Is lacking In the
| systematic style of the professional
lecturer. All through tsere runs a
romance, beginning in her childhood.
! going on to a time when she was the
| .'girl-bride of the Confederacy," petted
and cared for by prominent people.
and with just pride for My Soldier"
! 1t is impossible to know how this
| lecture is received by the present gem
Grafton. but to the old soldiers-of
both sides--it carries interest from
start to finish. "Jchnny Reb" will
swallow ali she says about his side,
| and ask for more. Well, "Yank,' will
make a gentle. mental kick, probably,
but will take 1t all goodnaturedly.
Both will admit that she Is well
equipped Tor ner WOTk. NOW comes
the fly in the pot of ointment,
which cannot be omitted-that same
fault" story. When Mrs. Pickett
| reached the point in her lecture bear
Ing upon Gettysburg. she became trn-
Iy eloquent and highly dramatic, for
was II not the browning act, the brill
liant hour in the career of her sol
dier'--his Balaklava? With tense
.. Il b lner. and in the most impressive
way she said, when General Pickett
confronted General Lee with his tale
Of woe. General Lee said. 1T 10 all
my fault"
| still doubt and am unconvinccd,
though this comes from SO high a
source as Mrs. Corbell Pickett. Gem
eral Lee was so highminded. SO truth
full and noble. and all else that goes
to make mp a superb and peerless be-
ing, that one wonders that he should
have said fault" where evidently
responsibility was meant. To me
1t seems impossible.
Miss Mason, Mrs. Pickett Lawrence
Mnrye and the Gettysburg liveryman
may adhere to the version they use
IL they so desire; but to see our grand
old hero stand In the presence OF de-
feat. caused by another. and with
sublimity almost godlike. say--not
to General Pickett only. but to the