The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-12-14

again in battle until 1854. when he took
command OF defeated army AT Daitoh
and conducted a mastery retreat 10 AT
lanta. fighting as he fell back at Dalton
Resaca. New Hope Church, AMI Kene-
saw. and indeed all along the way with
courage, skill and effect. Tn fortunately
removed from command ere his plans
matured, there was no chance to judge
them by the event and when he re-
turned TO broken but undismayed
army, and led IL in its last gallant
nght at Bentonville, 1t was only the pre-
Jude Of surrender
General Beauregard defended Charleston
and Savannah with great gallantry and
engineering skill. but he was engaged in
but three great actions during the war.
Manassas in 1861, Shiloh in 1862 and
Petersburg in 1864. He was victorious in
the first fortune failed him in the second,
II perched again upon his banner in the
last when he saved the Cockade city, the
very day Early saved Lynchburg, after
three days fight against enormous odds.
in one OF the best fought battles OF the
civil War, which followed his skilful
,bottling up" Of Butler lat DreWry,s
Bluff. But in his case as In Joseph r..
Johnston's the record is so fragmentary.
after Manassas neither Of them tried
conclusions with an adversary In gen.
eral engagement CBeauregard at
Petersburg excepted neither OF them
drove an enemy OF the field Of conflict
and whatever their abilities. which I'M
doubtedly were great. they were never
uut 10 Tnal tests Dy uninterrupted cam
pagns. and can hence not be the subject
OF satisfactory comparison.
Battles unfOught and campaigns I'M
tried must be left with deeds undone
and songs unsung. We may tax Forever
about the real or assumed greatness or
men, but war has one only measure
What did they dare? What did they do?
Summing up Early's four years Of bloody
deeds of unsurpassed daring and or long
continued AMI sustained travail and point
ing thereto. who | pray you, presents
record superior In all that tests the SOL
der and the man?
EARLY SUSTAINED BY EVERY MILITARY TEsr.
BY whatever test you try him, Lee and
Jackson stand alone before him amongst
Confederate army commanders.
n marching be the test, no one III
given time marched so much. so far'
so fast.
II fghting be the test, no one fought
so steadfastly, so continuously, so ire
quently. so daringly. so stoutIy.
II difficulties and odds encountered be
the test. no soldier of the war occupied
so many TO oppose him, or met such
great odds man 10 man In open neiu
fight.
II damage done an enemy be the test,
none other but Lee killed, wounded and
captured as many men as he had.
II success be the test, no one can count
the names of more victories; or OF VIC
tories that had more effect.
If result be the test, let this be SAID
that his desperate campaign OF 1864 pro-
longed the life OF the Confederacy a
year-the very day he left the field Grant
marched to victory-and when he fell at
last, the general crash came down upon
us all. On these deeds done and well
done 1 rest his fame.
FAILURE NO BAR TO FAME
VIII you tell me that Early failed,
and does this bar the door of famei
Hannibal failed Napoleon failed Lee
there n there
is also a Pontne Marsh, a Waterloo, and
an AppomattoX. \ great young nation
was extinguished like dying star. A
whole people, genius. valor. patriotism
and renoun went down in calamity and
ruin. Does not Providence cast down the
great, the gifted and the good TO demon
strate virtue and to instruct US be
careless Of fortuneI 4 soldier must take
his fate whether it comes with death, as
IL did TO Charles the Twelfth, to Waller
stein, to Gustvus Adolphus. TO Hampden
and Sidney, to Jackson and Stuart, 10
Polk. to Cleburne to Pegram and Pei
Johnson; whether it comes by wounds
as 10 Joe Johnston, and Ewell, whether
IN gloom and disaster, as to Hannibal,
to Napoleon. TO Lee and Early. But the
deed lives. What did he dare? what did
he do? "Adparebat quo nibil iniquiusest
eX eventua famam habiturum," said Livy
or old, of one who got fame not from
his own deed but from happy deliver
-
motley wear OF this tumultuos sphere has
not learned that the tricks Of the tickle
goddess which cast down are ever con-
doned and repaired by the slow and
even hand of justice. Her harsh DEGREES
in one age are revised by the equity
Of the next age; and all history tells me
with its splendid tale of tragic grandeur
and pathetic fate that immortality cher
ishes for its nursings the wrecks and
castawayS of fortune. Failed. that was
yesterday; to-day he stands gloriohs.
PERSONAL QUALITIES OF GENERAL EARLY
COURAGE.
Let me say something ere / say good
night, OF some personal characteristics.
Early's courage was supreme. Never did
mortal breast hold drawer soul nor
one more firmly set. IL is as natural 10
die as it is to be born, and as natural
TO fear as 1t is to live. or love, or hate;
and many OF the bravest men that ever
lived have been exercised by apprehen-
sonS that caused their hearts TO thrill
and their frames to quake. Frederick
the Great is described Dy McCauley as
marching through Europe with "a bottle
of poison in one pocket and a copy Of
bad verses in the other lie feared ms
tate. Napoleon carried an amulet or
poison around his neck and once took
IL. When Marshall Turenne. on one oc-
casion, was leaping on his horse to meet
sudden assault, his legs shook as his
feet sought the stirrups. An, you ras-
Gals" he exclaimed, as he smilingly look
ed down upon them, II you knew where
| was gong 10 take you you would shake
worse than that Chinese Gordon, who,
after a life OF haiTbredth adventures, fell
at Khartoum, writes in his diary that he
was always been frightened and very
much so. not the fear of death but lear
OF defeat and It's consequences | DO not
believe. he says, in the calm unmoVed
men. | think it is only that he does not
show it outwardiy." Early had that SUI
preme courage that shrinks before no
responsibility and that dared with com
posture to face defeat and disaster for his
country Whatever pangs may have
stirred his secret breast were never dis
closed i'm outward manifestation. His
hand never quivered, his face never
changed when he launched the thunder
bolts OF war or received its rude shocks.
and if ever he took account of danger
or death or misfortune. or blame, or
shame, it was a matter left behind the
mask Of his impressive countenance be-
tween him and his Maker
MAGsAsIMITY. GENEROSITY AND CHARITY.
He possessed great magnanimity. gem
crosby. and charity. His opposition TO
secession gave him a commanding polit-
ical position and the confidence of the
people when at last his forebodings were
realized But he never uttered the raw
ems croak, II told you So" he never
reprOached any secessionist that backed
his opinions with his service and he
never summed himself in the approving
smiles of the conquerors. On the con-
trary. he contended that the subsequent
course that Virginia and the South pur-
sued II Is well known. and | am per-
sonal witness of the fact, that as soon
as he occupied the town Of Gettysburg
in the first days fight he earnestly urged
the immediate pursuit Of the enemy. I'm
able for he moment 10 find Ewell tho