Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 22.djvu/323

 Menii,r'il of Gen. Jubal A. Earl;/. 311

and Early soon sent Kershaw's Division and the Second Corps back to Lee; and then made his headquarters at Staunton, with Wharton's infantry and Rosser's cavalry, which he alone retained.

Thus ended 1864, Early having some 3,000 men at Staunton, and Sheridan at Winchester, with 43,000, the enemy holding, as Presi- dent Davis says in his history, "precisely the same position in the Valley which he had before the beginning of the campaign in the spring." Meantime, Sherman had marched through Georgia, and was at Savannah.

WAYNESBORO* AND THE END.

On the 2jth of February Sheridan started from Winchester with his cavalry, Early having Rosser, with a few hundred men, and Wharton's two small brigades and Nelson's Artillery, to meet him. Rosser could only hang on the skirts of this column, ten thousand strong, for he was powerless to check it; and Early retired to Waynesboro', where he placed Wharton, with a thousand muskets, and Nelson, with six pieces of artillery, on a ridge, some sixteen hundred men, all told. He did not intend to make this his battle- ground, but only to cover the getting-off of his equipments; but here he was attacked on the 2d of March. His orders to post artil- lery, in anticipation of the attack, miscarried, as did also his message of warning to Wharton; and, as the event disclosed, most of his command and his artillery were captured, he and General Wharton barely escaping. Sheridan now rode rough-shod through Virginia, destroying as he went, and joining Grant at Richmond. Early, after several narrow escapes, reached Richmond, after passing twice between the enemy's camps and his pickets, and, consulting with General Lee, was sent to Southwest Virginia to organize with Gene- ral Echols what force might be collected in that section. There, on the 3Oth of March, he received a telegram from General Lee reliev- ing him from duty.

Notwithstanding the gloomy close of a great career, it cannot be denied that Early demonstrated the qualities of a great commander. No one whose mind is open to light can fail to see in him quick divi- nation of his enemy's plans, prompt and unhesitating decision, inde- fatigable energy and industry, cool, discerning judgment the quick- ness of the eagle's flight in movement, the fearlessness of the lion's heart in action.

He assumed the gravest responsibilities when he might have easily