Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-05-06

left operated, Swinton's being word fo
word the same as mine, which latter wa
written some four or five years before hi
was, and is very minute; and any one ac
quainted with the topography of the Vale,
will recognize the accurate description of i
contained in my published account of tht
Valley campaign, which description wal
written in the City of Mexico in the early
part of 1856, without maps or notes relating
to the subject to refer to.
The official returns of Sheridan's army
for the latter part Of August, 1864, and the
10th of November Of the same year, now
ON file in the Adjutant Generals office al
Washington-there being no intermediate
returns on file in the office-show that al
the former date his infantry and artillery
numbered about $4,000 for duty in the
field, while his cavalry numbered less than
5000; and that at the latter date his infan.
try and artillery numbered about 40, 900 fol
duty in the field, while his cavalry num-
bered less than 5000. . Yet Gen. Rosser
says the greater part of my adversary's ar
my was cavalryi Er uno disco omnes.
The statement that on his return from
New Creek my army was starving, will be as
surprising to my officers and men as his ac-
count of the capture of New Creek is doubt
less to Gen. VIM. II. Payne and his gallant
brigade who did all the capturing there, as
the account of the rout of Custer's camp
at Lacy's Spring will be to the same par
ties, who did the main work ON that occa-
sion, when the whole force on our side did
not exceed $50, instead of being 1900 as
stated by Rosser.
The statement that / refused him per-
mission to make the expedition to Beverly,
and that in my absence he obtained the
permission from Gen. Fitz. Lee, is also en-
tirely imaginary. l gave him the permis-
sion and he made the expedition in January,
instead of February, as stated by him. If
had refused him the permission and he
had applied to Gen. Fitz. Lee and obtained
it from him in my temporary absence, both
would have been guilty of insubordination,
for which they ought to have been court
martialed; and | would never have allowed
Col. Munford to have been tried by a mill
tary court, on charges preferred by Gen.
Rosser, for not properly seconding him in
the preparation for that expedition, of
which charges Munford was acquitted.
His statements in regard to the affair at
Waynesboro' are equally as unreliable as all
the oShers have noticed.
1t is great pity that Gen. Rosser has so
far forgotten himself as to have written
the articles for the Philadelphia Times, and
his folly in doing so will be deeply regretted
by many of his old comrades. He furnishes
another lamentable instance of Confeder-
ate officer who has undertaken to build up
a fictitious reputation for himself on the
ruins Of that of others, his being the worst
instance of the kind have yet seen.
His recent contribution to the "Annals
of the War" cannot fail to recall to the
mind of the intelligent reader the fanfaron-
dde of such characters as Ben Jonson's
Captain Bobad5 and Shakspeare's Falstaf.
In nothing that I have said do mean to
reflect in the slightest degree on the 'Lau-
rel Brigade" which was composed of as
gallant soldiers as our army furnished.
j. A. EARLY.
Lyachbmg, April "a, 1884.