Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-03-10
vas peaceful.

For long time it was thought the
old warrior was improving, but his
great age, rs years, was too much
against his chances, and he gradually
weakened during the last week until
the pallid messenger with the inverted
torch beckoned him to depart.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
tGen. Early was one of the most picturesque
| survivors of the Lost Cause" He was "a ma
tive OF Franklin county, Va, where he was
born November 3, 1916. Like so many others
who afterwarl attained distinction under the
flag of the cotfederacy. Gen. Early was grad
uatc of West Point. Shortly following his grad.
| uation in 1897 he was appointed a lieutenant Of
artillery and assigned to duty at Fort Monroe
Va.
The Florid, war broke out the same year. and
after about twelve months service he resigned
and began piacticing law lie served In the
| Legislature, and was twice elected common.
wealth attorney
During the uexican war he was major OF q
regiment OF Virginia volunteers and for a
| short period vas acting governor of Monterey
When the civl war broke out Gen. Early was
| practicing law He entered the service of the
| confederacy as n colonel He commanded a
Dllbduc ht Dun Itull anu ulStliS uiSiltu HllStl
| at the battle OF Williamsburg, where he re.
ceived what was at that time regarded as a
| mortal wound He recovered, however, and in
| remarkably short time was again in active
| service He vas promoted brlgadier general
| and in May, 1888, commanded the division that
held the lines of Fredericksburg while Leo
was fighting the battle OF Charlottesville.
| He also commanded a division at Gettysburg,
In 1864 he was ordered to the valley OF tho
| Shenandoah, where his operations were at
| first successful. In July he crossed the Pc.
tomac, gained ,he battle of Monocacy and for
n time threatened Washington,but was obliged
| to retreat. Toward the end Of the month o
portion of his cavalry advanced into Pennsyl
vania as far Us Chambersburg, which by his
| orders they burned.
Gen. Early during this campaign several
| times met Gen. Phil Sheridan, to his sorrow
He was defeated at OpeQuan and again al
Fishers Hill, three days later 1t was on Oc'
tober 10. 1851, that he surprised the federal
forces at Collar Creek in the absence Of Sheri-
dan, when the arrival of the latter on the
scene turned veritable rout into brilliant
| victory for the Union army.
Gen. Early received another overwhelming
blow in March following, where he was
whipped by Gen. Custer at Waynesboro. This
| defeat lost MIN his command in the Shenan
| doah valley Gen Lees letter relieving him
OF his command was model OF courtesy
Your revenes in the valley, OF which the pub
lie and the army judge chiefly by the results" "
wrote Gen Lee, "have, fear, impaired YOU
influence 10th with the people and the sol
diers, and would greatly add to the diff1oul
ties which will, under any circumstances
attend our military operations in south
western Virginia While my confidence il
your zeal, ability and devotion to the cause 1;
unimpaireo | have, nevertheless, felt that
could not oppose what seems TO be the current
opinion without injustice TO your reputation
and injury to the service"
After tn. close Of the war Gen. Early spen
some time in Europe, and on his return re
sumed the practice Of law in Richmond. Afte
he accepted the management OF the Louislan;
state lottery, in conjunction with the late Gen
Beauregard his residence was alternately il
Lynchburg and New Orleans.