[334] soldiers to stand by their States in disaster and devote their energies towards repairing the ravages of war, which finally brought General Early back to Virginia from his self-imposed exile. Simple in his manner of life to the point of Spartan simplicity, he yet exercised towards others, especially to the widows and orphans of Confederate soldiers, a princely generosity, and it has only been since his death that we have learned the extent of these benefactions through the grateful testimony of hundreds of humble recipients of his open-hearted liberality, who share in fullest measure our sorrow for this unselfish old hero. His memory was prodigious, and, having borne honorable and conspicuous part in all the great campaigns, he possessed a knowledge of military events singularly minute and accurate. But while keeping to the letter he did not miss the spirit, and his ‘Memoir of the Last Year of the War of Independence in the Confederate States of America,’ published when he was in exile, is a master-piece of luminous military exposition and criticism. His other contributions to the history of our struggle for independence bear equal witness to his wide and exact knowledge of the operations of the Army of Northern Virginia, while his trenchant pen was pitiless in caustic exposure of any who might seek to palliate their own lack of vigorous enterprise by belittling the military sagacity of his great captain. Thus, full of days, inflexible to the last in his devotion to the cause to which he had consecrated the highest powers of his vigorous manhood, he passed away peacefully, at Lynchburg, Va., on the 2d day of March, 1894.
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[334] soldiers to stand by their States in disaster and devote their energies towards repairing the ravages of war, which finally brought General Early back to Virginia from his self-imposed exile. Simple in his manner of life to the point of Spartan simplicity, he yet exercised towards others, especially to the widows and orphans of Confederate soldiers, a princely generosity, and it has only been since his death that we have learned the extent of these benefactions through the grateful testimony of hundreds of humble recipients of his open-hearted liberality, who share in fullest measure our sorrow for this unselfish old hero. His memory was prodigious, and, having borne honorable and conspicuous part in all the great campaigns, he possessed a knowledge of military events singularly minute and accurate. But while keeping to the letter he did not miss the spirit, and his ‘Memoir of the Last Year of the War of Independence in the Confederate States of America,’ published when he was in exile, is a master-piece of luminous military exposition and criticism. His other contributions to the history of our struggle for independence bear equal witness to his wide and exact knowledge of the operations of the Army of Northern Virginia, while his trenchant pen was pitiless in caustic exposure of any who might seek to palliate their own lack of vigorous enterprise by belittling the military sagacity of his great captain. Thus, full of days, inflexible to the last in his devotion to the cause to which he had consecrated the highest powers of his vigorous manhood, he passed away peacefully, at Lynchburg, Va., on the 2d day of March, 1894.
Richmond, VA. 1894.
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