Virginia-born military officer (1825–1875) who fought with distinction during the Mexican-American War, resigning his commission to join the Confederate forces shortly after the beginning of the Civil War. Rising to the rank of Confederate brigadier general within a year, a division led by Pickett arrived on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg. In an attack that would come to be immortalized as “Pickett’s Charge,” more than half of the Confederate forces were wiped out. Though the disastrous attack had been directed by Lee, Pickett’s military career went into sharp decline, his reputation further worsened by the defeat of his division at the Battle of Five Forks on April 1, 1865, a blow to the Confederacy that precipitated the surrender at Appomattox just days later. After fleeing to Canada, Pickett returned to the U.S as an insurance agent and was finally pardoned for his support of the Confederacy a year before his death at the age of 50. Excellent ALS signed “G. E. Pickett,” three lightly lined pages on two adjoining sheets, 7.5 x 9.5, May 23, 1870. Pickett responds to a letter from General Fitzhugh Lee sent four days earlier. In part: “Yours of the 19th Inst. was delivered by Capt. Minegerode, and would have been replied to ... this but for Circumstances over which I had no control. I have at this present writing no copy of my report of the engagement of Five Forks at hand. My recollection of the part in that affair to which you allude in your communication are as follows. Whilst taking up the position at the Five Forks I directed you to cover the right & left flank of the Infantry line with your cavalry. And in reply to a remark of yours that your horses needed rest and feed, I said you would have to dismount and act as infantry. Sometime afterwards Gen. Ransom sent a courier to me saying that his left was uncovered and the cavalry not in the position assigned. I immediately dispatched a courier to you asking you to have this matter attended to. I think afterwards a more urgent message came from some source saying the enemy had appeared ... and that the cavalry were still not in position. I then sent a staff officer to you, Capt. Bright asking the cause after delay and to the effect that the left must be immediately reinforced. At the time you spoke of holding a short conversation with me ... near of the creek, I had gone back to change my horse and write a dispatch to Gen. R. E. Lee and was under the impression that the order had been executed—as it also appears from your letter must have been your own idea, but which in reality could not have been the case, as the last message brought to me from Ransom by one of his staff (and upon receipt of which I lost no time in Friday to my line of battle was to the effect that the enemy were still moving to his left which was unprotected, which they were at same time attacking his front. I in very short time withdrew ... Stewart in front, and ... upon the left flank, as also some ... new fighting with obstinacy too late but it was too late. The enemy being so very much our superiors numerically, entirely enveloped us. I now see Gen. by your letter that you were evidently of the same opinion with myself that the Cavalry has been put in the designated position, and also your reasons for not firing me. I shall take the liberty and also great pleasure in forwarding to Genl. R. E. Lee an extract of your letter bearing on these ... and ... him to make the necessary alterations accordingly. Col. Wallin Harrison to whom I some time since ... all the papers in my possession concerning our late ... and who is almost publishing a history of my division, tells me that the ... mentioned by your communication to me, had been omitted by him before sending to publishers.” The Battle of Five Forks, sometimes referred to as the “Waterloo of the Confederacy,” pitted Union Major General Philip H. Sheridan against Pickett, then in Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. Pickett’s loss at Five Forks triggered Lee’s decision to abandon his entrenchments around Petersburg and begin the retreat that led to his surrender at Appomattox Court House. In fine condition, with light intersecting mailing folds, faint soiling, and an ink spot underneath signature. Auction LOA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA.
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