This is a letter from George Pickett to Thomas J. Goree of Huntsville, TX. George Pickett, famous for leading Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg, wrote to Goree, discussing a disagreement the two had concerning the assignment of rifles to a certain battery.
It reads:
Captain
Your note of this date in reference
to the Rifle guns taken from Macon’s Battery is
received. In reply I must state that I am
more than surprised at its purport and the
apparent censure contained therein.
I had two conversations with the Lt Genl Comdg.
on the subject of the Batteries in this Division
in, which, he not only agreed with me about
the necessity of having the rifled guns in the Art’y
Battalion consolidated but feel confident that in
the first conversation suggested it. In our last
conversation which took place the day before we
crossed the Blackwater, and while on the subject
of the Art’y on the Division I told him Blunt had
two rifled pieces and Macon two, he said he
thought it would be much more effective to have
them all in one battery. I then said to him Genl
I will order those two pieces of Macon’s to Blunt
giving him then a Battery of Rifle guns to which
he replied yes. Without his acquiescence and advice
I should have made no change. If an order
did not come directly from the Lt. General it was
virtually one. Had he have had any objections
to it a simple word or intimation from him
would have been sufficient to have prevented its
publication. On the contrary I thought I was
carring [sic] out his wishes distinctly and plainly
expressed. I have ordered Maj Dearing to report
to Genl. Longstreet in person and should be happy
if the Lt. Genl. Will give him such instructions as he
may deem necessary for the efficiency of his Battalion.
The copy of the order referred to is enclosed and it does
not appear that the Lt. Genls name is mentioned.
I am Captain
Very Resply You Obt Serv
GE Pickett
Captain T.J. Goree Maj Genl
A.D.C. Comg
Hd Qrs Dept N.C. & Va.
See a higher quality version here: Letter from G.E. Pickett to Thomas J. Goree
To see other examples of the Goree Collection, go here: Goree Family Papers
Out of the Box! 