Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1885-04-29
Grant and Early.

Speaking of Jubal Early recalls
two incidents we do not remember to
have ever seen in print, or if given
only partially related. Shortly after
the battle of Winchester the Rich
mond government forwarded to Ear
ly's army, then at Fishers Hill, ten
or twelve Napoleon guns, admirably
equipped. The guns were unloaded
from the cars at Stanton, and pack
ed in the wide street near the railroad
track just west of the depot. The
day after their arrival an orderly SER
geant named May, belonging to Com
pany A, Twenty-eighth Virginia vet
eran infantry, Pickett's division, then
stationed on the lines below Richmond,
arrived at Stanton, on his way to his
command. May, who was wag, see
ing a youth about Is years of age
connected with the quartermaster's
department, then under the orders of
Majer Edward Mcmahon, engaged
with pot and brush marking and di-
recting barrels of mess beef to Early's
command, and learning from him who
the guns we're for, May borrowed the
boys outfit and proceeded to direct
each gun in plain letters. much to
the amusement Of the soldiers gather
ed around:
Maj. Gen. Phil Sheridan,
Care of Maj. Gen. Early,
Near Winchester,
Va"
The arrival of the guns thus direct
ed at their destination some days later
created good deal of mirth and some
anger in the artillery camps. and
report of the matter reached Early's
ears. Mounting his horse he rode out
to the different batteries to which the
guns had been assigned, and saw for
himself the indignity the wag had put
on his command. Towering with pas
sion, with n volley of oaths, he order
ed the offensive lettering to be remov-
ed, "he did not care how" by the
next review day under the penalty of
cashiering and reduction to ranks of
every commissioned officer who failed
to obey. On his arrival at his tent
he ordered an inquiry to be at once
instituted for the offender, and the facts
as related by the boy were placed before
him. A long list of double and twisted
charges with accompanying specifca-
tions were drawn up against the or
derly and forwarded with the usual
request to the war department, that
the offender be arrested, tried and
dealt with as provided in such cases.
Before the department could act, the
battle of Fishers Hill was fought,
and Sheridan had the guns. A few
days later the charges were returned
to Early, then at Mount Jackson, with
the shattered remnant of his CON-
mand, with the pointed Endorsement
thereon signed by James A. Seddon,
then secretary of war, that "his ex-
cellency the president had ordered a
court of inquiry to investigate the
late disasters in the valley, and as the
guns had duly reached their destina-
tion as directed by the only known
method of delivery at the earliest pos
sible day for such an event to happen,
and the consignee, Gen. Sheridan, the
only person who had right to COM
plain, had expressed no dissatisfaction
as to the direction or mode of delive-
ry, the charges, with specifications
and accompanying papers, are respect.
fully returned to the general COM
manding the department Of the Shen-
and soon thereafter Early
was relieved of all command by order
of Gen. Lee.-Correspondence of the
Inter Ocean.