Crisp-Lee-Wilcox County GaArchives History - Letters .....OATH OF ALLIGENCE May 1865 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: WYLIE SHEPPARD JR http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00030.html#0007303 April 14, 2011, 9:31 pm CAPTAIN WISEHAD A TYPICAL EXPERIENCE WHEN HE WAS CALLED BEFORE A PROVOST MARSHAL IN RICHMOND,WHO TOLD HIM THAT HE MUST TAKE THE OATH. "WHY MUST I TAKE IT? I WILL NOT. MY PAROLE COVERS THE GROUND." "YOU FOUGHT UNDER GENERAL LEE?" "YES AND SURRENDERED WITH HIM,AND GAVE MY PAROLE.TO DEMAND THIS OATHOF ME INSULTS ME AND MY GENERAL." "I'LL MAKE A BARGAIN WITH YOU ,CAPTAIN," THE FEDERAL SAID "CONSULT GENERAL LEE AND ABIDE BY HIS DECESION." IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE ENEMY ,AS WELL AS DEFEATED SOUTHERNERS,INSTINCTIVELY THOUGHT OF LEE AS THE LEADER OF THE LATE CONFEDERACY. WITH JEFFERSON DAVIS IN HIS PRISON CELL,THE REVERED COMMANDER OF THE ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA HAD BECOME THE SYMBOLIC HOPE OF THE SOUTHERN PEOPLE. WISE FOUND LEE IN HIS RICHMOND HOME,PALE AND WEARY, BUT WILLING TO SEE ANY VETERAN WHO WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE ENEMY. WISE HELD A COPY OF THE OATH."THEY WANT ME TO TAKE THIS THING,GENERAL MY PAROLE COVERS IT AND I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE REQUIRED OF ME.WHAT SHOULD I DO?" "I WOULD ADVISE YOU TO TAKE IT,"LEE SAID,"IT IS ABSURD THAT IT SHOULD BE REQUIRED OF MY SOLDIERS,FOR, AS YOU SAY,THE PAROLE PRACTICALLY COVERS IT,I SHOULD SAY." "GENERAL .THIS IS SUBSMISSION TO AN INDIGNITY,IF I MUST CONTINUE TO SWEAR THE SAME THING OVER AT EVERY STREET CORNER,I'LL MOVE TO ANOTHER COUNTRYWHERE I CAN AT LEAST KEEP MY SELF-RESPECT." AFTER A MOMENT OF SILENCE LEE SAID SADLY,"DON'T LEAVE VIRGINIA.OUR COUNTRY NEEDS OUR YOUNG MEN NOW." WHEN CAPTAIN WISE TOLD HIS FATHER THAT HE HAD TAKEN THE OATH THE FIERY EX- GOVENOR ROARED,"YOU'VE DISGRACED THE FAMILY!" "GENERAL LEE ADVISED ME TO DO IT." "OH THAT ALTERS THE CASE. WHATEVER GENERAL LEE SAYS IS ALL RIGHT, I DON'T CARE WHAT IT IS." Additional Comments: LOYALTY TO LEE File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/crisp/history/letters/oathofal345ms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 2.3 Kb