Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-03


OF that hotly-contested field. at Warren
ton Springs his command was sent across
the Rappahannock. and. upon the sudden
rise OF the stream. became separated Tor
"A day from the main army. and but for
the cool strategy OF Early would have
been overwhelmed by Popes army. He
marched with Jackson by the circuitous
route Of 1horoughfare Gap to the scene
OF the Second Manassas and rendered
most essential service In repelling the
successive assaults OF the enemy for
three days until the arrival OF Long
streets Corps on the 10Th. 1t was the men
OF his command who hurled stones at tho
enemy at the railroad crossing when their
ammunition was exhausted. He was then
made majOr-general and assigned 10
division, and at Antietam sustained anu
repelled the fierce assaults OF McClellans
forces on the left OF the Confederate line.
His next most notable service was at the
battle Of Fredericksburg. the 18th OF De-
cember. 1862 His division was on the ex-
treme right at Hamilton's Crossing. When
about / o'clock Frankin's Corps broke
through the Confederate lines. threaten
ing the disastrous rupture Of Lees army,
Farly's Division advanced and drove
them back. At the battle OF Chancellors-
VILE that followed four months later
General Early was assigned with S,JD
men to the responsible position OF hold
ing the Rappahannock front at Freder-
icksburg against the advance OF Sedg-
wicks powerful corps Of 3.ODO troops
This he successfully accomplished, for
although Sedgwick on Sunday morning oc-
cupled Marye's Heights. yet Early. In
combination with two divisions OF Long
streets Corps, on Monday drove the enc
my from this commanding position and
s.I -. st1lr frar
rescue OF Hooker in his dire extremity.
AT GETTYSBURG.
The distinguished services Of Early at
Gettysburg in repulsing the onemy on
the 1st of July, and holding the lCft OF
Lees army during the two succeeding
days, are two well-known notable events
of history At the battle of ;ne WIDER
ness in the following May Early clVFion
acted a conspicuous part. OF the tih
his division was mainly instrumental III
repulsing the attack OF Warrens tIIs.
At the fierce attack Of the iOth OF HaH
at Spotsylvania Courthouse ana the sun
more sapguinary assalit Of the 2;h lie
rendereI most eiliciCnt s6r.Ice lie Was
made maior-gehEral and assigned D tne
command Of A. u. HIS corps Unat t'i'-
Ger being sick and unable Ia com nalD.
on the 18th OF June, 1864, IN front OF
Richmond Early received orders from
Corps to the Shenandoah Valley 10 meet
Hunter. This was the day before Grant
put his army In motion to JOIN ButleT ON
James river. Early had discretionary
powers to operate in the valley OF 10
move across the Potomac into Maryland
and Pennsylvania. Arriving at Char-
lottesville on the 10th OF June in advance
Of his troops, Early received telegram
from General Breckinridge, at Lynchburg'
TT I'M hat
ford county, and moving on Lyncnburg.
The distance was sixty miles. EarIy.
with the instinct of soldier, assntned
responsibility took possession or the trains
and rolling stock. and by instant cHorts
dispatched his troops by railway TO Lyhch-
burg These arrived in the urgent hour
Of need and In the extreme moment 10
save the city from the ravages Of Hun
ters overwhelming cavalry ana infantry:
That Iynchburg was not destroyed anu
desolated by the merciess myrmidons OF
Hunter is due exclusively To the quick
perception and prompt action OF Early.
General Lee. as said above, had given
Early discretionary powers, but on the
retreat of Hunter suggested TO Early the
expediency OF operating in the Valley
without crossing the Potomac The lat-
ter. however, acting on his own plenlpo-
tentlary powers decided against the eau
tlonary counsel Of Lee to enter Maryland.
The animating annals Of history recount
how he routed the vastly superior FORCES
Of General Lew Wallace at Monocacy,
and marching forward for three days
threatened Washington ia plain view OF
the spires of the city and the dome Oh
the Capitol.
THE VALLEY CAMPAIGN.
on his retirement from Maryland In the
carly days of August. 1864. he held me
Valley. protecting Winchester anu the
adjacent section. The next eventful story
Of his career was the battle or Nlnches-
Ter. There with less than 10000 men OF
all arms he withstood over 10000 of the
enemy's infantry and artillery. with splen-
didy-equipped cavalry, exceeding IN
numbers his entire force. That Early was
permitted at nightfall to withdraw his
troops in good order. without molestation
from a cavalry force. exceeding In num-
hers his entire command of all arms
IS one Of the most notable events Of skill
and heroism chronicled in all the annals
Of Rtrategetic warfare. IL Is useless here
To recapitulate the succeeding disastrous
days Of Earlys command in the Valley
That will doubtless long continue to be
a dubious and angrily-disputed page In
the closing scenes of that direful
struggle. With the fierce and crowding
scenes Of the Valley campaign that fol-
lowed upon the battle of Winchester II Is
not possible now TO dcscant with com
posure. Envious comrades of General
Early and rival commanders have sought
to disparage his services In this unfortu-
nate epoch The battle of Cedar Creek
on the 18th of October which commenced
in a signal victory and ended in n signal
defeat is the sole instance in the long
and illustrious career of Early Of a dis
astrous failure; but the pen Of impartial
history will recount that this disaster was
not to be accounted to him. Where the
fault lay is not the part of this sad tri-
butte to record. 1t will come out in lumi-
nous letters in the veracious record of
the Confederate war. yet TO be written
by the colorless and dispassionate pen
OF history.
1t is a pleasing tribute TO the military
genius OF General Early that General
Lee retained his confidence in him, and
wrote him a letter expressing his un-
diminished regard for him for his mill
tary capacity. notwithstanding the unto
ward results of his final campaign in the
Valley.
General Lee said in this letter Of March
80. 1866:
Your reverses in the Valley, Of which
the public and the army judge chiefly by
the results. have. I fear, impaired your
AiiAhShNt pOtil Win inc DcOplt anu tNt
soldiers, and would greatly add to the
difficulties which will, under any circum-
stances, attend our military operations in
Southwest Virgiria. While my own conf
dence IN your ability. zeal, and devotion
TO the cause is unimpaired, have never
theless felt that could not oppose what
seems to be the current opinion without
injustice to your reputation and injury
TO the service"
The General is supposed to be worth be-
tween 100000 and 10000 He has received
over 100000 during his connection with
the louisiana Lottery. But large part OF
this he has spent in placing his near and
remote family connections in comfortable
circumstances, and in responding literally
to the thousand calls upon him from the
widows and children OF Confederate SOL
diers throughout the South. He has gene
rously opened his purse-strings to these.
even in hundreds Of cases where he did not
know them. He was a rough diamond.
Beneath an exclusive and repeilant exte-
rior he had warm. sympathetic heart,
even as the eagle that scars with un-
winking eye nearest the sun wears be-
meath his wing the scftest down.
Property Transfers.
Richmond: William r. Clyde and wife