Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-10-27
THE LATE BATTLE IN The VALLEY.
ADDRESS OF GEN. EARLY TO HIS ARMY.
HEApo'Rs VALLEY DIsfRICr.
October %, 1864. !

Soldiers Of hs Army Of the Valley:
had hopsd 10 have congratulated you the splen-
did victory won by you on the morning Of the l9'n a.
Belle Grove on Cedar Greek, when you urprissd ana
Foutsd two ccrps of SnsrdRnS army, and drove buck
sever miles the remaining corps, capturing eighteen
pieces OF artillery, thouiOnd ave hundred PFon-
sFs number Of eolorS, large quantity OF small Anne,
and mAby uAgors and AmbuAncss, With the entire
camps OF he two routed corps; bat have the mort
6o.Oa Of announcing % you that By your suSS'q1snt
HIssssdues al the benefits OF thai Ve.sry Eers Lost
ana serioua dissStSr Incurred. Had you TsmAlasd
isaSfsst 70 Jour duty aud yoIf eoloFs, 1hs victory
veud hays bssu ous Of the most bril- AIT aud decisive
Of tds var; yeu would have glolou'lJ fesrieTed
the rsVsrsss - Winchester and Fishers hill
a,d emil I'D yourselves 70 the Admiration and
gratitude 81 your country. Bu. many OF lou, Inc
SluiiuR soms comm sslons1 chdceIs, yielding to
dsgrseeful propensity for plunder, deserted
your eoors TO appropriate TO yourselves the abandoned
nFopsrty Of the enemy, and subsequently, th)se who
nd previously remained at their posts, seeing their
ranks thinnsd By the absence OF the punderrS when
the enemy late in the afternoon, with his shattered
columns made LuS feeble eHjFt to retrieve the Tor
tunes of the day, yielded 70 needless panic a. d3d
he hsld in confusion, thereby converting splsndld
Votory into disaster. Had any respectable number OF
Won liStsned 70 the appeals made TO you and made
stand even at the last moment, the disaster would
have bsen SVerted and the substantial fruits Of victory
secured but usder the insane dread OF bsug Inked,
and tAuc-Itrcken terror Of the enemys cavaFy1 you
Voud i,eu 10 no appeal threat order, and allowed
small body ofcGVAhy to per rae to our train ana carry
fauuu hqr Of p Of ilary and wagons which your
disorder kf. unprotected. You have thus ooscured
that Ror ous fame won 10 conjunction with ibe gallant
men Of the Army Of Northern Virgin Who stu remain
proudly defiant IN the trenches arouod Richmond and
Pstarsourg Before you can Agaln claim Z EN- As
comrades you will have 10 erase from your esoutohsons
tns blemihss which obscure them and this you can
do II you vii hut be true 70 your former puta-
ton, your country and your homes. You who have
Al
rioS,burr OhsncelorsVills Gettysburg and from the
Wilderness 20 the banks OF James river; and Is .ecay
,ou Tho veFe with the immortal Jackson u all his ri-
umphs are capable Of better things. Arouse your
selves then, 70 3 ssnse oil your manhood and spp.ec-
sCn of the sacred 10 WHICH YOU are engaged
Yisd % the mandates Of dscpne resolve 70 stand By
tour eolors in future at all hsElrds and you can yet
retrieve your reputation aud strike effective blows Tor
your country and its cause L1t every spurn from
nm the le punder gathered on the hsd oil the lSso
and lat no mas WhaeVsr his rank, whether comoatant
or non -combatank dare exhibit his spols Of that
dGy They vii! DO badge Of his dshonor, the in
siGnia of his Disgrace. The othoer who pauses IN
he career of VctorJ 10 place guard oVr suffers
WAGON for bis private q s as bad as the soldier who
nsts 10 secnre for himself the abandoned clothing or
money of ing toe and they bo:h sell Ibe honour OF
tbs srmV ana the blood Of their country for patry
,rica He who follows his colours into the ranks Of
the enemy in pursuit of victory, dsdaining the miserA
ole passion for gathering booy c)mes out OF the bat.
ia
and ragged il far TO be enVied than he that Is
AIened 9Th rich spois gathered in the trail Of bis
:, q or Gus comrades There we're some exceptions to
,he general misconduct the afternoon OF the 10 b,
On. L you'd De difficult to specify them ALL Let those
mo aid their 6u!y be satisfied with the cousnss5 Of
having done it, and mourn that their efforts pArsl
ed by the msbehaVior OF others Let them DC console,
70 some ex enI by the RED elton that the enemy has
nothing to boast Of on his pSr. Tne artillery and
wagons taken we're not won by his Val0r. d clmp3
i.
moral d. hs losses far heavier than ourS even in pro-
norion 10 the relative strength Of the armies his plans
materially impsded, and hs vas unable to pursue BY
reason Of his crippled condition. Soldiers Of the Amy
Of the Valley, 90 not speak to you in anger; wish
70 sneak in kindness, though in SORROW. Ny purpose
h o sboW YOU the causes Of our late misfortune and
pont out the way to avoid similar in future, and
spsure success 70 arms. Success can ouly be
cured BY the enforcement and observance Of the most
rRId dh pns Officers Whstevsr their rank, must not
ony give orders bu set he example OF obeyiDg them,
and the men mustfoloW that example FsloW-sOldiers
am ready to lead you again il defence Ct cur COM
mon cause and l appeal TO you Oy the rems mbfance
/ of TIE glorious career in which you have formerly
narte ma I'D BY the Of your bleeding c,uatry,
he ruined homes and dsVasAIed fields you see around
YOU the cries Of anguish which come up from the Wid-
ows and orphans OF your ad comrades, the horrors
sbe1 await YOU and all that is yours in the future if
your country is subugaed and your hopes Of freedom
for yourse and your pos;ety, to render cheerful
and wiling ooed ence to the rules o! drcplre, aud to
/ shoulder your musket again with the determination
never more to turn your backs upon the foe tu to co
battle like men and soldiers until the last vestge tho
footsteps Of bbaroul and cruel enemies is erased
frO the soil they de- eorae, and the adep ndenee Of
cue country Il firmly established. 1 you will do this
aud ely upon the protecting OF Just and merciul
God, al will be vel; you will again be what yCu once
Usrs, and will b. proud 70 lead You once more in bat.
/ l., J. A. EARLY,
| Lieutenant General