July 9, 1935

My dear Young Lady!-

I have been waiting patiently for a nice long letter from you. In fact I go through the mail every morning, hoping for two letters, -- one from you and one from Mudder. This morning I didn't get one from either of you.

Sunday, I went up to Gettysburg and went all over the battlefield. You know it is one of the great military contests of history. I stood on the spot where General Robert E. Lee stood while the famous and immortal Pickett made his charge. The charge that was to win or lose the third day's battle. It lost and I wondered what 'Morse Robert' thought when the rennaments of those brave battalions came straggling back across the field. I picked two little flowers from the foot of the Virginia Monument which stands on the spot where Lee stood and I am sending them to you. They will remind you of how a great man takes a terrible defeat.

Lee didn't blame anybody. He accepted the responsibility and stated that if there was any fault it was his, although two of his principal leaders had been remiss in their duties. Longstreet did not come up and Ewell wouldn't move forward. Yet Lee blamed no one.

The Secretary of the Senate gave me a picture of him and I am hanging it under Washington and over Margaret. I am still going to look for that letter. Kiss mamma and practice everyday. Your loving,