Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 19, 1910.
"I am in receipt of your favor and note what you say about the
extract from the book published by the Wisconsin History Commission
relative to the description of the Battle of Gettysburg, by Col.
Haskell. It confirms what I stated in my letter to the "Public
Ledger" in September last. My daughter, who resides in Milwaukee, has
sent me a copy of the book that you mention. I knew Col. Haskell
intimately and was confident from the intimation that I possessed
that had Col. Haskell lived to see the end of the Civil War he would
have modified his description of the battle, as compared to that
shown in the publication made by the Loyal Legion of Massachusetts.
Yours very truly,
W. YATES SELLECK."
Mr. Selleck was the military agent at Washington for the State of
Wisconsin. The remains of Col. Haskell were forwarded to Mr. Selleck, at
Washington, D. C., who sent them by express, on June 7, 1864, to Haskell's
mother, at Portage City, Wisconsin. In Mr. Selleck's letter to the "Public
Ledger" of Philadelphia, under date of September 21, 1909, he said: "I was
intimately acquainted with Haskell and had several conversations with him
after the Battle of Gettysburg in regard to that battle, and I have good
reason for stating that had Haskell lived until the close of the War the
criticisms contained in his diary would not have been made public."