The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1894-03-15
TIE DEAD WARRIOR.
The UncaIled For Criticism Of Gen.
LOngstreet.


The military record of Geu Jubal
Early bias been thought tit To be Il
subject OF severe remark by Gen.
Longstreet We can hardly believe
chat Gen. Longsteet has so far lest
his head or tongue as to use me Ian
guage attributed 70 him by the press
OF recent date,
1t is well known iact that Gen.
Lee deemed Gen. Early as the man
who could come nearest filling the
place Of Jackson, with Jackson's old
command under the immediate con-
trol OF the grand old Trio, Gordon,
Ramsuer and Rhodes, protected by
the uncomfortable cavalry Of Lomax,
Fitzhugh Lee and Rosser,
Why? Because Early, from the
very outset Of the war, had ever been
known to 30 wherever sent At Ma
nassSs it was Early who threw his
brigade upon the advancing masses of
the blue lines to the left, SCATTERING
the Federal right wing, and turning
the tide OF battle to victory. So say
both Johnson and Beauregard. They,
at the same time, reported Gen. Long
street as unable to advance from
Union Mills, because the enemy was
in his front. Many such events &C
Cured during the years 81, '62 and
'63, which, as We said, proved to Lee
that Early was the officer whom he
could truat to perform that most won
dertul march from Lynchburg to
Washington City, during the summer
of 1864.
The writer hel eof, being member
of Vaughn's Tennessee Brigade, Lo
max Division OF Cavalry, was sent to
explore the camp Of Gen. Hunter,
whose army had just pushed our
small force b'ck from the Valley of
Virginia, when Early arrived just in
time to save Lynchburg from the de-
stroying hand OF the cruel invader.
By 2 o'clock next morning we knew
and reported what became the means
of an immediate advance upon Hun
ter, who was, by the constant rush of
Early's small force, compelled to
leave the valley and hide himself in
the mountains of West Virginia. No
general, not even Jackson, had ever
80 completely rid the valley of Federal
forces. Early drove everything be-
fore him, captured the entire depot of
supplies at Martinsburg, Va, July 4,
1854; proceeded at once to Sheppards,
town, crossed the Potomac, fought and
gained battle at Sharpsburg, moved
at once to Frederic City, fought the
battle of Monocacy, defeated Gen. LIE W
Wallace, marched at once to Washing
ton City, held his army there until
Grant sent 10000 men to occupy the
defense, when Early withdrew with a
large amount of supplies and many
prisoners. Again, no Confederate
army ever approached so near the
city. Vaughn's Tennessee Brigade of
Cavalry had the honor of riding into
the very suburbs of the city, while
Grimes Brigade, under command of
Col. John r. Winston, OF North Caro-
lima, fought upon our left and gained
victory upon the hills of Brightwood,
where he lost many brave soldier of
the Old North State.
Early did all Lee told him to do, and
withdrew to the Vallev of the Shen-
andoah, by way OF Leesburg, turned
upon the enemy and beat them back
at every point, and almost utterly de-
stroyed full New York brigade at or
near Suyker's Gap.
History will show that Early fought
thereafter for three months one of the
most skillful generals in the Federal
army, viz, Sheridan, who had none
other than the very best equipped
parts OF the Union army, while Early
had the mere remnant of what had
been a strong army.
We need only to remind the reader
of the TACT that Early defeated every
advance OF the enemy, ana again
crossed the river, once to Hagerstown
and then into Pennsylvania, gaining
every contest until September 10, at
Winchester, from which he withdrew
after five days hard fighting, during
which his little army withstood the
charges of at least 10000 men. Sheri-
dan, in fact, had $4,000 men on the
field, Early had less than 10000, who
were not driven from the field, but re-
tired as late as p. M, to prevent be-
ing fanked. See what history says
as to the conduct of the braves, Cor
don, Rhodes, Ramsuer, Lomax and
others.
Early was entirely free from the in
fluence of whisky. May have tasted
a little brandy offered him by Gen