By a divine birth long ago, peace and good will came between those that
had been at enmity. An earthly suggestion of this is that related by
Mrs. Pickett, widow of Confederate General George E. Pickett, on the
occasion of the birth of a son:
General Grant had been a dear friend of my Soldier’s ever since
the Mexican War. At the time our first baby was born, the two
armies were encamped facing each other. Bonfires were lighted
in celebration all along Pickett’s line. Grant saw them, and
sent scouts to learn the cause. When they reported, he said to
General Ingalls:
“Haven’t we some kindling on this side of the line? Why don’t we
strike a light for the young Pickett?”
In a little while bonfires were flaming from the Federal line. A
few days later there was taken through the lines a baby’s silver
service, engraved: “To George E. Pickett, Jr., from his father’s
friends, U. S. Grant, Rufus Ingalls, George Buckley.” (Text.)
(1277)
See CHRISTMAS.