Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-02-28
From the Richmond State, Feb. 22nd.l
HE IS PASSING AWAY.
General Jubal Early is Getting Weaker.
His VARIED CAREER.
Legislator, Commemorative Attorney and
General.

LYNCHBURG, VA, Feb. 22.-There is
little doubt that General Jubal A.
Early is not far from the close of his
eventful life. He is growing weaker
hourly and his wanderings increase
His doctor has little hope. His nearest
relations realize that the end is not far
off.
During the past three days they
have been deluged with kilograms from
various sections of the United States
asking about the veteran soldier
When it was possible these kilograms
have been read to him and the old
soldier expressed great appreciation
Jubal Anderson Early is the ranking
officer of the late Confederate Army
He is the last Lieutenant-G General.
WEST POINT CADET
His life has been an unusually event
full one. He was born in Franklin
county, in this State, November 3rd,
1916. He was appointed cadet to West
Point and graduated in 1887, He was
then assigned as lieutenant of artil-
lery at Fort Monroe. He served in the
his genius as a soldier was shown. He
determination and more than one
veteran army officer predicted for the
gallant young lieutenant brilliant
future.
YOUNG LAWYER.
After that war, as there seemed be-
fore him a life of inactivity and as his
heart yearned for his old Virginia
home, he took step that he had been
carefully weighing, and resigned from
the army in 1888, returning to his
native State. Here the soldier betook
himself with his usual ardor to the
study of Blackstone. He spent many
hours far into the night studying by
prising, therefore, that the old there
abouts were as emphatic as the veteran
warriors had been in predicting for the
young lawyer brilliant career. Nor
were they wrong in their predictions,
for he Immediately jumped into large
practice.
A MEMBER OF THE LEGIS LATURE.
| He took an active interest in all pub
lie questions and was soon called upon
to serve his State in the Legislature, of
which body he was memuer in 1841-
AZ He was elected Commonwealth
| Attorney in 1842-'47, and again in 1S48
$50.
During the Mexican war he was
major of a regiment of Virginia volun-
teers, serving from January, 1S47, till
| August, 1S4S. He was acting Governor
and after the disbanding of the army
| HIS GREATEST EXPERIENCE.
| Anyone acquainted with Major
Early's character knew that at the
sounding of the tocsin of war, he would
be in it from the start. When the
| Civil War, known in Federal parlance
as the Great Rebellion" and by the
rest of the world as the WAR of the
Southern Confederacy for Indepen
dence,' began, he at once entered the
Confederate service as colonel and
commanded a brigade at Bull Run.
He enjoyed the result of that battle
thoroughly, and as he saw the Federals
flying northward, doubtless had his
first taste of the exhilaration of moving
Into the enemy's country"
ALMOST FATALLY WOUNDED.
In the battle of Williamsburg, May
9Th, 1862, he received a wound that was
supposed to be mortal. He was pro
NOTED Brigadier- General, and i'll May
1858, commanded the division that hello
the lines at Fredericksburg, while Lee
was fighting the battle of Chancellors
vile. He also commanded a division
at Gettysburg.
THE VALLEY CAMPAIGN.
In 1864 he was ordered to the Valley
of the Shenandoah, where his opera
tiOns were at first successful. In July
he crossed the Potomac, gained the
battle of Monocacy, and threatened
Washington, but was obliged to re
treat. Toward the end of the month
a portion of his cavalry advanced into
Pennsylvania as far as Chambersburg
which. by his orders, they burned. He
was afterward, 10Th of September, de
feated by Sheridan Oh the Opequan
and again at Fishers Hill, three days
later
On October 10Th, General Early sur
prised the Federal forces at Cedar
Creek in the absence of General Sheri
dan; but the latter, having arrived in
| the afternoon, rallied his army anC
managed to be successful. General
| Early lost some of his artillery anG
trains. In March, 1865, he was defeated
by General Custer at Waynesboro'
and few days later he was relieved
by Lee from the command in the Val
ley.
LEES DELICATE LETTER
General Lee said in his letter OF
March 30. 1865 =
"Your reverses in the Valley, OF
which the public and the army judge
chiefly by the results, have, fear, i'm
paired your influence both with the
people and the soldiers, and would
greatly add to the difficulties which
will, under any circumstances, attend
our military operations in s. w. Vir-
ginia.. While my own confidence in
your ability, zeal, and devotion to the
cause is unimpaired, l have neverthe-
less felt that | could not oppose what
seems to be the current opinion with
out injustice to your reputation and
| injury to the service" -
| HIS LIFE IN EUROPE.
| After the close of the war he went to
Europe where he spent some time and
| on his return resumed the practice of
law in Virginia. He subsequently took
| up his residence in New Orleans, alter
nately with Lynchburg, where with
Gen. Beauregard he became manager
of the Louisiana State Lottery. He
has always evinced great interest in all
matters appertaining to Americas
greatest war.
He was active in organizing the As
ISOLATION of the Army of Northern Vir-
ginia, and was it's president. He was
also president of the Southern Histori-
cal Society and published a pamphlet
entitled "a Memoir of the Last Year of
the War for Independence in the Con.
federate States"
Gen. Early, while never seeking noto-
riety, has gained great deal of it ow-
ing to his readiness at all times to de-
fend the cause for which he fought
That cause had few more devoted fol-
| lowers. He has always worn the Con-
federate grey. Had he been man of
smaller calibre, he might have had
some hard feelings against General
Lee for relieving him OF his command,
but, on the contrary, he has revered
the memory of Lee and jackson and
has never failed to pay warm tributes
to them. Certainly he can not be
charged with anything else than devo
ton to the Confederacy; it has always
been a strong and abiding sentiment
with him.