Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1867-01-19

Gen. EarlI,s. Book.


The preparation Of this book was an
nounced sometime ago /; il is small vol
ume entitled IA Memoir Of the last
year oflhe Far for The Independence
tof the Confederate States. &c.. by Lteut' |
Gen. Jubal a.. Early." From the pre-
( face we make The following selection:
II have no. found il necessary to be
gully of ihe injustice Of attempting loi
pull down the reputation OF any OF my
fellow officers in order TO build up my
own, My operations stand on their own
merits, whatever they msy be. u
7 believe tha, the world has never produ-
ced a body Of men superior in courage,
patriotism and endurance to the private
soldiers Of the Confederate armies. Il
have repeatedly seen these soldiers sub,
nit with cheerlulness 10 priyations and
hardsbips which would appear to be al
most incredible, and the wild cheers OF our
brave men when their thin lines sent back
Opposing hosts of Federal troops, s'agger-
ling, reeling and flying, have often thrill.
ed every fibre in my heart, | have seen
with my own eyes ragged, bareloo'ed
and hungry Confederate soldiers perform
deeds which if performed in days Of yore
by mailed warriors in gll'erlng armour
would have inspired the harp OF the min
s,re and pen Of the poet, ass, . a
Following is an account Of the march
after Hunter and down the Valley TO
Monocacy and Washington. Of bis COM
mand a, the beginning Of this march
Gen. Early says:
1.-The 2nd Corps now numbered 1T.
lie over 5000 muskets for duty. |! had
Ibeen on active and arduous service in the
field for 40 days and had been engaged in
all The grea, battles from The Wilderness
to Cold Harbor. Of the Brigadier Gen.
lerals with it at the commencement OF The
lcampsign only one rem aimed in command
OF lis brigade. Two had been made
Major Generals, one had been captured,
lour bad been severely wounded, and four
had been killed in action. Divisions were
no, stronger than brigades out to have
been, nor bIigades than regiments.
In giving his reasons for The burning ol
!. Chambersbure, he says: 't.'as'ss't l..
IL had often seen delicate ladies who
had been plondered, insuhed and render
}, ed desolae by ihe acts Of our most afro
> cous enemies and in The snguislIed ex-
T pfessions OF their features while narrailng
+ their misfort0nes, there was rnufe ap-
lpeal 10 every manly sentiment OF my DO
II som FER reiribu,ion, which | could no
: longer withstand. May God defend and
, Bless those noble women OF the Valley.
/. who SO often ministered 10 the sick,
4 " wounded and dying Confederate soldiers
J, aud gave ,l.eir last morsel OF bread 10 the
hungry! They bore with. heroic cour
age, The privalons, sufferings, persecO!
{ lions and dangers to which The war exf
! posed them and upon no portion OF the
Southern people did ihe disasters which
finally befell our army end country fall
, with more crushing effect than upon
them" 40
"For This acl (he burning of Cham
bersburg) | alone am responsible as the
officers engaged in il were simply execu-
!. ting my orders and had no discretion left
,hem. Notwithstanding The lapse Of time
| which has occurred and the resuli Of the
war, am perfectly satisfied with my
conduct on This occasion and see no rea-
son 10 regret it,"
Ia, a note near The end OF the volume,
The old bachelor General says aiis
.Sfhe men whose names form the roll
of honor for The armies Of the Confeder-.
ale States, are those who voluntarily en-.
tered the service at the beginning Of the
4war and served faithfully 10 the end, and
| would advise The unmarried among my
fsif countryvomeD 10 choose their hus-
bands, fronn tbis class and not from among
1.-The skulkers.g BY, following this advice
they may not obtain as mDch pef, but
ltheyi NAV rest assured that they will not
fbe ibe mothers of towards and their pos
tieriiy will have no caBse 10 blush for ihert
Econdpet'of their progeniiors." "sta'5 4
This mosl entertaining Memoir closes
lin this appropriate style and temper: !
''Immedialey afier lhe batlle Of Cedar
Creek had written to Gen. Lee, stating
my willingness 10 be relieved from CON.
mand if he deemed il necessary for The
public interests. and ! sbould have been
content with the course pursued iowsTd
me, had his letter mol contained The ex;
pre- ssions Of personal confidence in'me
twBichii does: foroI. knew that in seseiy-