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

patience you have often shown upon the
weary march | will appeal to facts and
hy them shall hope TO vindicate my
theme.
GENERAL EARLY'S BATTLES.
Let me lay before you. to begin with.
some OF has most important and distin-
guished services He was a graduate OF
West Point, veteran Of three wars
and ne took part in the civil war in we'll
nigh fifty battles and skrmishes. He was
engaged therein at Bull Run, Manassas
Yorktown Williamsburg. Malvern 1ill,
Cedar Mountain, Groveton. Fauqnier
Springs. Brstoe, Second Manassas, OK
Hm (or Chantilly) Hapers Ferry
Sharpsburg fredericksburg, Chancellors-
vile (or Second fredericksburg. Salem
Church, Winchester. Gettysburg, Second
Bristoe Rappaharnock, Mine Run, the
Wilderness Spotsylvana. the Po. Be
thesda, Lynchsurg. MonOcacy Washing
ton, Parkers Ford, Shepperdstown,
KernstoWn, Winchester again tor tOp-
uequau1, Fishers Hill. Cedar Creek, ana
Wayncsboro', and in many lesser a1airs'
such as Auburn, Summervlle Ford, falf-
field, and Port Republic. Some OF these
names stand for several days OF battle.
/ doubt If there was an officer or SOLDIER
in the Army of Northern Virginia VINO,
In the open Dtll, was OitcHtT uIbtI III iN'
He was the right-hand man of jackson,
In his corps, and the rignt-hand man OF
Lee after Jackson had fallen, and he
enjoyed the abiding confidence of both
He was successfully "a colonel, a brlga-
dier-general a majOr-general and ileu-
tenant-general, each promotion coming TO
him unsolicited and unsOught and he
commanded with equal ability regiment
a brigade a division, u corps. and an
army.
II was his brigade which, after a swift
march from right to left, at the first battle
Of Manassas. broke the last front of re-
sistance offered by the enemy; and Gene
raj Joseph l.. Johnston says of Colonel
Early In his narrative OF the war: lie
reached the position intended just when
the Federal army was apparently about
to assume the offensive. and assailed IT'S
exposed front. The attack was conducted
with too much skill and courage to be
for a moment doubtful. The Federal right
was at once thrown into confusion.
general advance Of the Confederate line.
directed by General Beauresard, completed
our success. and won the battle" This
gave Early promotion to the rank OF
brigadier- general.
WILLIAMSBURG AND SHARPSBURG.
At Williamsburg on the 5th of May.
1862, he led the Twenty-fourth Virginia
and Fifth North Carolina regiments of
his brigade in an assault upon a six
gun battery and redoubt, defended by
the brigade OF General Hancock. and was
badly wounded in the charge. The move
ment was so bravely made that IL won
from the chivalrous Hancock the COM
pliment which President Davis quotes in
his history Of the Confederacy. THAT
nj
North Carolina regiments should have
the word immortal Inscribed upon their
banners"
lie reported for duty at Malvern Hill
before he was well of his wound, and
made his mark at Cedar Run, Groveton,
and Manassas on Jackson's northern
march to Sharpsburg.
Critical conjuncture was that of the
! Confederate army there on September
II. lS62-the bloodiest day in American
| history. With river at his back and
his entire command in the front, with
! out reserves. Lee with less than 1000
| men, resisted Mcclellan all day long
with his heavy masses, including two
/ CORDS that never fired gun. Jacksons
! Division, under J. r. Jones. and Ewelfs
| Division, under Lawton. were nearly an
! initiated by the tremendous assault of
! Summers and Hookers corps. Jones was
! wounded; Starke. succeeding him, was
! killed: I.awton was wounded, and Early
/ succeeding him. found but little more
| than his own brigade left In fighting shape.
| Assisted by Grigsby and some 800 men
! of Jackson's Division, he, with his bril-
| gade repulsed one assault. when suddenly
| Green's Federal Division penetrated our
lines and appeared on his right flank
| Promptly facing his men by flank 10
meet II and marching behind a rocky
/ ledge he repelled these intruders. and
then, reinforcements arriving, he Joined
| them and beat back Summers Corps.
FREDERICKSBURG AND CHANCEL-
louisville.
| II was a splendid scene when the fog
! lifted December 1S. 1852, and revealed
| ON the plains OF Fredericksburg In mar
tial array Burpside's army OF 10000
| men and 200 guns. confronting the hills
crowned with the batteries and bayonets
OF the Army Of Northern Virginia. That
day Early was put In the most difil-
cult position that ever tests the soldier
| metal.
summers grand division threw itself
4 upon the Confederate left and was dashed
| 10 pieces against the lines of Msrye' $
I'M Frankln's grand division was now
! launched against our right held by jack
sons Coxps. and Early was just exc
! cuting orders from Jackson to hold his
! division in readiness 10 move to our
right flank. then being threatened. But
| there came galloping TO him the adJu-
tant of Walkers Artillery Battalion with
the startling information that the enemy
had made ian awful gulc' between