Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-14


states that Early's Division stormed the
enemy's works a. Winchester, capturing
their cannon. etc, with little loss on our
side" This Is the brief summary or the
dank movement and brilliant assault sug-
eested and executed by Early. ana OF the
sulendid victory that sent Milroy routed
10 Harper's Ferry and cleared 'he pain
for our northward march.
PENNSYLVANIA AND GETTYSBURG.
Early commanded the vanguard OF the
Army Of Northern Virginia that now pen
etrated Pennsylvania. 1t was MS uVi-
eion that made the decisive charge In the
first DAYS battle at Gettysburg when the
scales we're trembling In the balance; IL
was he. who, when that charsc
had so largely contributed TO win us
the victory with 5000 prisoners OF war
,,r,ed that our forces should pursue the
attack: 1t was his division that took
Cemetery Hul in the second DAY as
sault with the batteries that defended
q and had TO give back because others
failod. This division was the rear-guard
that covered Lees retreat, ana nave
never seen 1t present sterner front thah
that ith Of July morning. lsof' When
il stood ready to meet Meade on semi
nary Ridge. In this campaign part OF
Early's infantry under Gordon, but Eariy
himself being present went farther norm
than any troops Of the South during 'he
conflict. and at Wrightsvil!e' on the gus
ouchannah, June =. 1861, the Conlederdte
yar shot forth IT'S pinnacle OF flame.
THE WILDERNESS.
Az the wilderness. May 5. 1864, Grant
made his first assault on Lee. III leli
suddenly at our extreme left on Gen
eral Edward JohnsOn's Division OF the
second Corps and IL was pressed back
I'm confusion There were no reinforce
ments on the field. The fate OF Lee
army was imperilled. Happily Eariy hah
ridden ahead of his troops which were
marching in the direction OF the sud
den battle: and he GENT post haste LOT
Gordon's Brigade. the nearest at hahu'
AZ double quick il came; under Early
e,a I. was formed amidst shot and smell.
and thus that magnificent held marshal'
John IL. Gordon, led the counter-charse,
which restored the fortunes OF lost
field. The next day. May 6th' Early.
with Gordon leading again, assaulted
Grants left flank, and put the boot on
the other leg. for the result was the cap
ture of 800 prisoners. including Generals
Seymour and Hayes.
Early was with Lee In both or his
northern invasions, and Is the only other
Confederate general who himself led TWO
| invasions. 49,,
lie won the only battle ever won by
Confederate arms beyond the borders Oh
| the Confederacy, as witness the deleat
| of wallace. on the Monocacy. july 3, lS6i
/ His three victories In 1864 were the iast
| in which the Army of Northern virginia
| drove it's toe from the battlefield as VIII
ness Hunters fight from LynchpurS'
Iune 18th; WallaCe's. from Monocacy'
frpr * n.
| August 23d.
| He led the expedition which. though the
smallest in numbers,i anne nearest OF al
20 capturing Washington.
lie made the greatest march OF 'he
| civil war or Of modern war.
| He was not finally overcome until the
| army OF his adversary numbered on lts
| rolls more men than the Army or North-
ern Virginia. under Lee. inclusive Oh
| Early's own troops and those OF bedule-
| gard at Petersburg; not until those III
| his immediate front were more thah
| thrae-fold his own in numbers: not until
| the cavalry of his enemy were more nuiile.
| rous than his own infantry, and reported
| moro men present than his entire COM
| mand: not until he had killed, wounded
| and captured more men than he ever
| mustered upon a field OF battle.
| FOUR YEARS or CONfLltl
He who fought this good fight was
| amongst the last OF the statesmen 10
| cling to peace and union, ana ne was
| amonq the first when his State was IN
| vaded. 10 enter the ranks Of war. Offering
| his services the very day the convention
| adjourned, and making no condition OF
| rank as 10 their acceptance; ana. the
| sword once drawn, none welded
| trustier blade or returned II more Slowly
| or reluctantly to the scabbard.
Amidst the thunders Of Manassas IN 'he
victorious dawn OF the young nation
| struggling TO be free. he won his first re-
! novn. and from that day TO the. sunse'
| guns Of the Lost Cause he illustrated us
| rsnius its self-sacrfice, and its proWess
| With deeds that will live as long as pure
| hearts are open to receive the story or
| rotrlot's devotion, a generals skill. or
| heros valor.
Swift marches and desperate en-
| counters. brilliant manoeuvres, STUBBORN
| defencss. and fiery onsets mark his ca
re.r al along the pathway Of the four
wears Of conflict, and you have only 10
follow their fiery and bloody trail 10 ma
| lin. In the last OF those years-in TER
| rible 1Sit-when the flame or the inceh-
diary lit the pathway Of the reeKlns
sword. he led the forlorn hopes or MS
| cctntry in such splendid fashion that
II seemed as II Stonewall lived again
He swept across the field Of Mars with
his meagre ana decimated battalions rs
If invincible hosts trained at his back
and assured victory beckoned him 10 q
feast Of conquest.
In the midsummer OF that year. when
the army under Lee lay in the trenches
around Richmond. confronted by tht
| Army Of the Potomac under Grant ano
| Hunter with 1890 strong concentrated
| upon his rear TO capture Lynchburg and
| compel surrender, il was then that Early
rushed upon him with such precipitat'
steps that with half his numbers he
drove him into the wllds OF West Nir
ginia and when the one paused pant
ing on the banks Of the OHIO the othei
! .as laundering at the gates Of Wash
ineton. and Grant was Fastening troops
| from his army to defend 1t. Twice du
| ring that year did he penetrate into th'
North with a band scarce more thar
a skirmish line compared TO the masses
that were marshalled against him. tread
| ing In the dying days Of the Confede
| racy with a firm and equanmious step IN
paths which Lee and Jackson had troC
in the DAYS Of strength and triumph, an'
winning victory where even their con
querlng footsteps had been halted.
Hopt-DIsAPPOINT NATURALIZATION
SO high. indeed, did he elevate IN
hopes of his countrymen by the briliian
auIacity and the tremendous energy h
impaired 10 their last struggles that IN
| catastrophe which he so long averted wa,
scarce expected. and was all the more al
nicting when il came; and so d!i ne con
| ceal his own weakness Of numbers fro1
the enemy. such alarm and terror did
arouse among them. that they scarcet
| yet believe with what handful he op
posed. retarded, and menaced them.
II the soreness OF defeat made him 70
awhile the scapegoat Of that lmpatien
ard intolerant criticism which eve
springs from sudden disappointment an
pessionately demands victim. such crit
cism was the mere froth!ng OF franti
tcur. 1t gradually subsidized in the calf
OF peace, It's rude tunes were transforme
into those OF praise and admiration. an
az truth has slowly unrolled the scroll
OF history with even pace. justice has Dc
randsd and will give reparation.
The history OF the late war VIII ,
, written as the history Of no war eve
/, was written before. so ample are IN