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                        To General [...]
            General,
                  We are [...]

earnestly, tearfully & prayerfully entreating, that you will remove from us the requirement of taking the oath.

            It is not the treasure

which "moth & rust doth corrupt," that our agonized hearts rebel at leav_ ing, for in that sense, all that was most valuable, has long ago been taken away, but we cannot with_ out bitterest, deepest anguish, leave the homes of our childhood, the scenes of our youth; those grassy mounds, & Oh Holy Dust , how can we give thee up _ all that is left to some bereaved hearts of what once made life precious.

            In your dying hour that

hour, which must come alike to all, the Good, the Wise, the Great, as well as to the lowly, this thought will come that you exercised the noblest gift & [prerogative?] of a sol_ dier clemency, Yes this remembrance

(Page 1)

[...] points in human na_ [...] like an experienced General [...] in knowing when & where [...] & it is a truth well known to all, that when imperatively forbidden to pursue a line of conduct that is the path, we are most eager to follow.

        The Confederates in Wil_

liamsburg are as to numbers a mere handful; & will never give informa tion to the enemy.

        Now General, please grant

our request & when the present be comes the past, & the record of the war is written, _ your name in_ twined with the history of your coun try, that name will go down to the latest of time, in all lands, & all lan_ guages, inseparably united with a kind act, & a generous action is sure ly the most grateful tribute we can offer to Heaven.

        We do not present our

petition in our own name but in the name of that precious Saviour, who died for us all, & has given to us the Divine Evangel contained in the fifth Beatitude "Blessed are the mer

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[...] sup_ [...] tearfully, & prayer_ fully entreating that you will re_ move from us, the requirement of tak_ ing the oath.

         It is not the treasure, which

moth & rust doth corrupt, that our agonized hearts rebel at leaving; for in this sense, much that was valua_ ble has been taken away, but we can not without bitterest, deepest anguish leave the homes of our childhood, the scenes of our youth, those grassy mounds, _ Oh! Holy Dust how can we give Thee up _ all that is left to some bereaved hearts, of what once made life precious.

         In your dying hour that

hour which must come alike to all the Good, the Wise, the Great as well as to the lowly, this thought will come that you exercised the noblest gift & perogative of a soldier, clemency. Yes this remembrance will help to light the "dark valley of the Shadow of death."

          Taking the oath may be to us

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[...] to pursue a [...] path, we are most [...]

        The Confederates in Williams

burg are as to numbers a mere handful & will never give infor_ mation to the enemy.

        Now General please grant

our request, & when the present be_ comes the past, & the record of the war is written, & your name in_ twined with the history of your country, that name will go down to the latest of time in all lands, & all languages inseperably united with a kind act; & a generous ac_ tion is surely the most grateful tribute we can offer to Heaven.

       [...]  that precious Saviour,

who died for us all has given to us the Divine Evangel contained in the fifth Beatitutde, "Blessed are the Merciful for they shall obtain Mercy.

          Sally M. Galt