The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-03-14
Early and Sheridan.

Early and Sheridan. q .@'
- aYa7 B G.Rah
YofHE EbiroR1 or TIE N. Y. NEWS: iE
,.gThe letters Of Generals Early aud Sheri.
dan recently published, place these two
officers in o position which involves the
conviction Of one or the other of inevitable
falseho0d. iF pa t,fi4as5i s9H a8aL5 s3e
General Early has presented a statement
which, if true, shows that his forces In his
Yalley campaign did not exceed III mum
befS 1900 men, 5aHs& t5i4il3 a33H*J 5st W.
General Sheridan has replied with the
assertion that he killed, wounded and cap
tifred 26,S3l men from Early's command,
leaving out of consideration the number OF
tlatlc0mmand returned to General Lee at
Richmond, which would have further in
CREASED Eariy's numbers. ee 3aa a.ti},t
sgIn Earlyis statement, he puts his infan-
3 try force at $3.50 as the highest number
commanded by him in any engag cement
with Sheridan, and In this statement he
has already ibeen5vin,licated by the testi.
niony Of q we'll Endorsed letter writer in
Tile New Orleans Pleayiine, who was an
officer IN Early's communal, in a position to
know the truth of his statements, and who
eontradiets In distinct terms, Sleridan's
assertions as to the number of EarN's
losscsg q 3@9 81 9tt5 Stsaf ss We" a"e ~
elm conirmation of this New Orleans OIL
GERS Statement, the writer 9of this has in
his possession the highest and most cOnclu.
siSe evidence Of tile truth Of that, and
HI fact, without this proof it could have
been substantially established. by the eti-
denee here in Lynch burg, Of these facts,
that fifteen trains OF the Virginia and Al
exandfia Railroad Ono one train Of d capac-
ity ofcarrying 500men) brought the whole
6f'stl1e Second Corps of the Confederate
affayy uhdefSd division commanders Gordon,
Rhodes, and Ramseuri to this place; that
Hrebkinridg diNisiSn then here Mas only
ABOUT 2 ,OOQ men; and that these, Mere all
Of the infantry carried from this place by
Early dewnthe Valley, after Lis chase Of
Humters sd. sgW ,T9N erode aa9 gnFyg99
eyIt,yillthns be perceived that Early 'saes-
innate $500, was, quite full SO far, and
after. the Winchester and Fishers Hin en- en-.
gagenients,@ lis statement that Kepshaw's
division OF 2,100 then added, did not oex-
coed his previeusl losses, oughtl certainly
not to be objected to by Sheridan.
The above constituted. all the infantry
eyer under Early in, the Valley, exceptYa
small number Of reserves hereafter to be
noticed at WaynesbMo.f g.
The New Orleans officer, embarrassed no
,dUubtTby uncomfortable proximity t0This
military governor, deemed it prudent to
loffer q salvo to his irhpugned vGraeity,, by
the wide field he opened to him, from
which to gather the fruits of hisryictories
his B3sl casualties out of Early's army
i hope eur friend was successful SO far
as his own personal safety is concerned,
but if the multitpdingus Sheridan, from
habit, has not; lestell aPplrceiatieniof fhctsi
he must have taken this suggestion as
cruel irony. : no '''''i' 'i''' .
Sheridan assails Early's veracity with
-tileFasserti0n that he inflicted upon him d
.aoss of 26, 831 men. eHe is, by the forego.
cling testimony, himself convicted of false-
3hO0d.g 9dt hIss ,aHaI 3lfS bGG geftns ijsGe9
But, again, Early said he had only about
ID, coo fmuskets 9at 0Waynesboro, and here
Sheridan undertakes to make aSspecifC
tissue with him, not soc remarkable for the
magnitude of this Federal officers rnentlac
lily, ms for its nlinntenhss, malice, and the
gconclusive proofs he furnishes for his own
conviction T9ht8 tl;a9 . = - D. gGi8t3K
,nTsHc reported ut the time to General Gran,
b(according to- that, officers published re-
epOrt) that he had attacked Early in force
imam mtrenched position at dWayrcsboro
band that he had there captured ], 600 pris
-1Orlersand Hgnls, etc. ID visasBtxg on oil 4
wg'fnahis New Orleans letter these figures
kase aeduced to orcr. i s4tto eprisoners and {
-fgnns.eas BEd} nnfE,hg geadiE oaaoid9 odj I
= As for the intreachod position! Hard bs
1.-THE Hsoscalled n Virginia Central Railroad
stands the now quiet alittls, 1village ao1
WaynAsboro, with little evidences that d
ebatfle waseyer fought ita that place; and
natures silent earth is an thndying witness
eth tho falsehood of the assertion, that there
ever was an intranehed iposit;on on the
ground which Early occupied.
- On the day of the above enlargement.
81 Early arrived at Waynesboro with Briga.
dier General Wharton's command, having,
as shown by that officers morning reports,
vi men for duty. In addition to these,
Colonel McCue had less than so reserves
from Augusta, making in all not over 96O
muskets IN Early command on that dayy..
and Of which the writer Of this has indubSi.
table proofs. pa aat&st ,tRi.f bea' ,7G5Ef
,hae Being imisinfonned as I'd the numbers 81
3 she enemy approaching him at the. time
and being engaged in the transfer of what
iiframs and supplies he had there, EARLY aid
Isn6t occupy the naturally strongest position
n,,ihs mlght have reached because this. would
g have involved the abandonment of, his
: trains and supplies. He. was attacked in
the position which he took (not in intreIiei,.
ments, there being none, and the most ),
his command .caf)fufcd After fhaa 4,