River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-05-14
JURAL,s JEALOUSY.
Reasons Why Early Hates Everybody,
Especially General Grant

Reasons why Early Hates Every BODY,
Especially General Grant.
Speaking of Jubal Early recalls two
incidents we do not remember to have
seen in print, or, if given, only par
TALLY related. Shortly after the battle
of Winchester the Richmond govern
ment forwarded to Early's army, then
at Fishers Hill, ten or twelve Napo-
leon guns, admirably equipped. The
guns we're unloaded from the cars at
Staunton, and packed in the wide
street near the railroad track just west
of the depot. The day after their ar
rival an orderly sergeant named May,
belonging to company A, Twenty
Eighth Virginia Veteran Infantry,
Pickett's division, then stationed on the
lines below Richmond, arrived at
Staunton on his way to his command.
May. who was wag, seeing youth
about 10 years of age connected with
the quartermaster's department, then
under the orders of Major Edward Me-
Mahon, engaged with pot and brush
marking and directing barrels of mess
beef to Early's command, and learning
from him who the guns were for, May
borrowed the boys outfit and proceeded
to direct each gun in plain letters,
much to the amusement of the soldiers
gathered around:
Major General Phil. Sheridan,
Care of Lieutenant General Early,
Near Winchester, Va.
The arrival of the guns thus directed
at their destination some days later
created a good deal of mirth and some
anger in the artillery camps, and a re-
port 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 passion,
with volley of oaths, he ordered the
offensive lettering to be removed, she
did not care a d-n how" by the next
review day under the penalty of cashier
ing and reduction to ranks of every
commissioned officer who failed to obey.
On his arrival at his tent he ordered an
inquiry to he 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 specifications, were
drawn up against the orderly and for
warded with the usual request, to the
War Department, that the offender be
arrested, tried, and dealth with as pro-
vided 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,
l,aA
tered remnant of his command, with
the printed Endorsement thereon sign
ed by James A. Seddon, then Secretary
of War, that His Excellency the Presi-
dent had ordered court of inquiry to
investigate the late disasters in the val
ley, and as the guns had duly reached
their destination as directed by the
only known method of delivery at the
earliest possible day for such an event
to happen, and the consignee, General
Sheridan, the only person who had a
right to complain, had expressed no
dis satisfaction as to the direction or
mode of delivery, the charges, with
specifications and accompanying papers,
are respectfully returned to the general
commanding the Department OF the
Shenandoah, and soon thereafter Early
was relieved of all command by order
of General Lee. This piece of drunk
en- folly was a fitting finale to II long
career of inconsistency, military brava-
do and official lncompetency.
Several of the captured guns, with
their prophetic directions partly oblit-
Grated by use and the weather, could be
seen as late as July, 1865, at the Mar
tinsburg depot, whittier they had been
sent after the battle.
The other incident occurred while
General Grant was acting secretary of
war, during Johnson's administration.
Several Virgiuian's, headed by Beverly
Douglas, called on Grant, and proceed
ed to intercede for Early, who was then
refugee in Canada. Grant in
his quiet way replied, that General
Early seemed very DESTROYS of being
made martyr of, but he will be disap-
pointed. His case in no wise differs
from that of many others now living
peaceably at their homes, he was clear
" included in the terms of the surrend-
er, which will be sacredly kept on my
part, and he can return to the United
States whenever he sees proper to do
so. This department, so far as | know
has no charge to prefer against Gener-
eraI Early, and no other department of
the government has any thing to do
with him or his alleged actions during
the late war" Early came home soon
after thoroughly disappointed and
Disguised man, and, it is needless to
say, this indifference has had more to
do with his carping and bitterness than
if he had been subjected to trial and
conviction, for form sake, and could to-
day show an executive pardon.-Lynch
burg (Va.) Cor. Inter Ocean.