Patriotic appeal of Gen. Early.
The following stirring, patriotic appeal from Gen. Jubal A. Early has just been published. We advise all our readers to peruse it: Camp of the 2d Brigade, 4th Division Army of the Potomac February 19, 1862.
To the men of Carroll, Franklin, Floyd Giles, Henry, Mercer, Montgomery, Patriots, and Pulaski, who are capable of performing military duty:
The 24th regiment, composed of companies from your counties, forms part of my brigade, and I have sent among you officers to recruit for their companies.
I appear to you to respond promptly to this call.
Four hundred men of this regiment have already re-enlisted, and others will follow their patriotic example.
This regiment has done good service.
It has heard the whistling of the enemy's bullets, stood the thunder of his cannon and beheld his panic stricken masses fleeing in dismay from the make of Bull Ran and Plains of Manassas.
It will participate in other victories during the approaching campaign.
It is desired to have its ranks swelled to 1,200 effective war men, and it is for you to say whether this shall he done by voluntary enlistment or by draft.
I cannot believe you will await the latter after native.
Before the commencement of this unholy war upon us, many good patriots differed us to the proper course in be pursued for the protection of our liberties and our rights but the Northern Government and people have long since swept away all possible ground of difference among Southern men who desire to be free.
The questions which once separated us in opinion no longer exists, and those who were formerly Union men in Virginia have the greatest cause for irreconcilable hostility to the Northern traitors who sought to entrap them.
Without referring to the long train or usurpations and enormities committed by our enemies, it is only necessary to state their present position in regard to us. Under the pretence of restoring the Union they are seeking to dismember Virginia; with professions of devotion to the Constitution they propose to convert the Southern States into dependent Territories, and to confiscate the property of the citizens of these State for the payment of the enormous debt they have contracted, and the reward of the mercenary soldiers they have sent against us.
The struggle on our part is for existence itself, and the question is, whether the Confederate States shall remain free, self governing communities, or become Territorial appendages of an odious Northern despotism, ruled by Northern Governors, and overrun by Northern tax-gatherers and each ators. In this struggle we will most assuredly prevail.
The duration of the struggle, however, and the amount of suffering consequent on it, will depend on the promptness with which the people will respond to the call of the Government for troops.
To stand all of in this struggle is to give aid and comfort to the enemy.
his calculations now are, that the terms of many of our soldiers will shortly expire, and their places will not be filled.
This army will respond nobly to the call made upon it, but circumstances of the most urgent necessity will impel some in its ranks to retire for a time at the expiration of their present terms.
Will you not take their places?
Is there one among you who dare look forward to the period in after years, when — this war having come to a successful issue, and peace and prosperity smiling upon a happy land — he will be compelled to confess to his own children, that he remained an inactive spectator of this greatest of our wars for independence?
If there is, whatever his professed faith, let him not murmur if the name of tory shall stick to him like the shirt of Nessus through all his life.
This cause is the cause of every man among us, high or low, and all that a free man holds dear is involved in it. Let every one, then, buckle on his armor and prepare for the conflict.
I hope that the appeal I make to you will be responded to in a manner worthy of the cause, and that the ranks of the 24th regiment will be filled at once from the counties from which it was originally formed, without the necessity of a resort to a draft.
This regiment comes from my own section of the State, and in part from my own county.
It was originally my own regiment, and I feel a peculiar interest in its. I have great faith in the regiment, and those who now join it will find themselves sustained by men of brave hearts and strong arms, whose former experience will be of great and vantage to them.
The term of enlistment of all new men will be for three years or for the war, if its shall sooner terminate, and each will be entitled to a bounty of $50 in addition to pay and allowance, provided he voluntarily enlists. To the men of Carroll, Franklin, Floyd Giles, Henry, Mercer, Montgomery, Patriots, and Pulaski, who are capable of performing military duty:
