Jubal Early Writes of the History of his Confederate Service

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EARLY, Jubal Anderson (1816-1894) He commanded a brigade at Bull Run, was wounded at Williamsburg, and had a division at Antietam and afterward. He had temporary command of both the Second and Third corps, Army of Northern Virginia, during the Wilderness campaign, and in June, 1864, was sent with the Second Army Corps to the Shenandoah valley, whence he made his way to Washington and attacked the city on July 12th. His forces were finally routed at Cedar Creek, October 19th, by Sheridan. He was relieved of the command of the Trans-Alleghany Department in March, 1865, after a defeat by Custer.Autograph Letter Signed, “J.A Early” 8p. octavo, Lynchburg, Virginia, March 7, 1872, addressed to Colonel Charles Jones, with excellent content, it reads in most part: “...I was commissioned Colonel in teh Virginia service on the 2nd of May 1861, to count from that date. My regiment was the 24th Virginia Infy. I was commanding a brigade of 3 Regiments, the 7th and 24th Va. and 7th Louisiana at the 1st Battle of Manassas my rank being then Colonel. I was commissioned a Brigadier General in the Confederate service, to rank from the 21st of July 1861 and my brigade was composed of the 5th and 23rd North Carolina and 24th Virginia, to which was added the 20th Georgia in the early part of October 1861, and on the 1st of May the 38th Virginia was transfered to the brigade in lieu of the 20th Georgia, which was transferred to Toombs’ brigade on the 5th of May 1862 I was wounded at Williamsburg and during my absence the Army was reorganized, so as to brigade the regiments by States, my brigade being thus broken up. On my return, the 1st of July 1862, I was assigned to the command of Elzey’s brigade, he being wounded. This brigade was composed at that time of the 13th, 25th, 31st, 52nd, and of Lawton’s Brigade, and Col. R.F. Hoke was promoted to the command of Trimble’s brigade, which was made a North Carolina brigade, by transferring three N.C. regiments to it in the place of the Ala. & two Georgia regts. I was made Lieut. General with temporary rank from the 31st of May 1864, and assigned to the command Ewell’s corps (the 2nd of A.N.Va.) then composed of my division, Rhodes’ and Gordon’s. On the 13th of June 1864, I was detached from the Army of Northern Va. with the 2nd Corps, and Breckenridge command of three brigades of infantry and five small bridges of cavalry were united with my command for the campaign into Maryland and the Valley. Subsequently, during the Valley Campaign, Kershaw’s division of infantry, two brigades of cavalry under Fitz Lee and one under Rosser were united to my command. By the capture of the greater part of Johnston’s division of Ewell’s corps on the 12th of May 1864, a considerable change was made in the organization of the divisions. Gordon’s brigade and Hay’s brigade were transferred from my division and united with the command Johnson’s, so as to make a division for Gordon composed of his own brigade (Georgia) under Evans, two Louisiana brigades united into one under Hays, and the rest of Johnson’s division into one brigade under General William Terry. R.D. Johnston’s brigade (North Carolina) was transferred from Rodes division to mine, so as to make that division composed of Pegram’s Brigade (Va.) Hoke’s Brigade, and R.D. Johnston’s Rodes division was then composed Doles Georgia brigade, Battle’s Alabama brigade, and Daniel’s and Ramseur’s N.C. brigades - At the time I was made Lieut. General, Ramseur was made Major General and assigned to my division. Col. Ives was made Brigadier General & assigned to Hoke’s brigade. Col. Zebulon York was made Birg. Genl. and assisgned to Hay’s Brigade. Bryan Grimes was made Brig. Genl. & assigned to Daniel’s brigade, Col. Coxe made Brig. Genl. & assigned to Ramseur’s brigade, and Col. Phil Cooke made Brig. Genl., and assigned to Dole’s brigade. Daniel and Doles’ had been killed - Hoke made Major General, and Hays was absent wounded. So the corps was composed of: Rodes division of Battle’s Ala. brigade Cookes’ Ga. brigade, Grimes’ N.C. brigade, Coxe’s N.C. brigade, Gordon’s division, Evan’s Ga. brigade, Terry’s Va. brigade, York’s La. Brigade and Ramseur’s division of Pegram’s Va. brigade, Lewis’ N.C. brigade, R.D. Johnston’s N.C. brigade & three Battalions of Artillery under Genl. A. Terry when I was promoted Lt. General...” Fine.

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