his claim to both of these characters. The nervous figure, the gaunt, French, fighting, brunette countenance, deeply bronzed by sun and wind-these were the marks of the soldier. The grave, high-bred politeness; the ready, courteous smile; the kindly and simple bearing, wholly free from affectation and assumption-these were the characteristics of the gentilhomme by birth and habit, by nature as by breeding.

Ten minutes' conversation with the man convinced you that you stood in the presence of one of those men who mould events. The very flash of the dark eyes "dared you to forget."

Nor will the South forget this brave and trusty soldier. His name is cut upon the marble of history in letters too deep to be effaced by the hand of Time, that terrible disintegrator. As long as the words "Manassas" and "Shiloh" strike a chord in the bosoms of men, the name "Beauregard" will also stir the pulses. Those mighty conflicts meet us in the early epoch of the war, grim, bloody, and possessing a tragedy of their own. The soldier who fought those battles confronts us, too, with an individuality of mind and body which cannot be mistaken Lee is the Virginian, Hood the Texan; Beauregard is the mar shal of Napoleon—or at least he looked thus in those early days when the soldiers of Virginia, gathering at Manassas, closely scanned the form and features of their new commander.

From Virginia the great captain went to the West, where, a the world knows, he won new laurels; and to the end he con tinued to justify his title of "The Fortunate." That is only. however, another name for The Able, The Skilful, The Master of events-not by "luck," but by brains. Good-fortune is an angel who flies from the weak and fearful, but yields herself captive to the resolute soul who clutches her. If any doubted that Beauregard owed his great success to the deepest thought, the most exhausting brain-work, and those sleepless vigils which wear out the life, they had only to look upon him in his latter years to discover the truth. Care, meditation, watching-all the huge responsibility of an army leader-had stamped on the brow of the great Creole their unmistakable impress. The heavy moustache, which had once been as black as the raven's wing,

was now grizzled like the beard. In the hair, which before was dark, now shone those silver threads which toil and anxiety weave mercilessly in the locks of their victims. The mouth smiled still, but the muscles had assumed a grimmer tension. The eyes were still brilliant, but more deeply sunken and more. slumbrous. In the broad brow, once so smooth, the iron hand of care had ploughed the inexorable furrows.

Beauregard the youthful, daring, and impetuous soldier, had become Beauregard the cautious, thoughtful, self-sacrificing patriot-one of the great props of the mighty edifice then tottering beneath the heavy blows it was receiving in Virginia and the West.

"The self-sacrificing patriot." If any one doubts his claim te that title, it will not be doubted when events now buried in obscurity are known. Beauregard was superb when, in the midst of the dense smoke of Manassas, he shouted in his inspiring voice, "I salute the Eighth Georgia with my hat off! History shall never forget you!" But he was greater still-more noble and more glorious-when after the battle of Corinth he said. nothing.

He was silent, and is silent still; but history speaks for him, and will ever speak. He lives in the memories and the hearts. of his old soldiers, as in the pages of our annals; and those who followed his flag, who listened to his voice, need no page like this to bring his figure back, as it blazed before their eyes in the far away year '61. They remember him always, and salute him from their hearts-as does the writer of these lines.

Wherever you may be, General-whether in Rome or New Orleans, in the Old World or the New-whether in sickness or in health, in joy or in sorrow-your old soldiers of the Army of Virginia remember you, and wish you long life, health, and happiness, from their heart of hearts.

VI.

EARLY.

I.

IN the Virginia Convention of 1860-61, when the great strug gle for separation took place, and the hot war of tongues preceded the desperate war of the bayonet, there was a gentleman of resolute courage and military experience who made himself prominent among the opponents of secession. Belonging to the old Whig party, and thinking apparently that the right moment had not yet come, this resolute soldier-politician fought the advocates of the ordinance with unyielding persistence, aiming by his hard-hitting argument, his kindling eloquence, and his parliamentary skill, to give to the action of the Convention that direction which his judgment approved. Many called him a "submissionist," because he opposed secession then; but when the gauntlet was thrown down, this "Whig submissionist" put on a gray coat, took the field, and fought from the beginning to the very end of the war with a courage and persistence surpassed by no Southerner who took part in the conflict. When he was sent to invade Maryland, and afterwards was left by General Lee in command of that "forlorn hope," the little Valley army, if it could be called such, in the winter of 1864-5, he was selected for the work, because it required the brain and courage of the soldier of hard and stubborn fibre. Only since the termination of the war has the world discovered the truth of that great campaign; the desperate character of the situation which Early occupied, and the enormous odds against which he fought.

He entered upon the great arena almost unknown He had served in the Mexican war, and had there displayed skill and courage; but his position was a subordinate one, and he was better known as a politician than a soldier. In the field he made his mark at once. About four o'clock in the afternoon of the 21st of July, 1861, at Manassas, the Federal forces had been driven by the resolute assault of Jackson and his great associates from the Henry-House hill; but a new and formidable line-of-battle was formed on the high ground beyond, near Dogan's house, and the swarming masses of Federal infantry were thrown forward for a last desperate charge. The object of the Federal commander was to outflank and envelop the Confe derate left, and his right wing swayed forward to accomplish that object, when all at once from the woods, which the enemy were aiming to gain, came a galling fire which staggered and drove them back. This fire was delivered by Kirby Smith and Early. So hot was it that it completely checked the Federal charge; and as they wavered, the Southern lines pressed forward with wild cheers. The enemy were forced to give ground. Their ranks broke, and in thirty minutes the grand army was in full retreat across Bull Run. The "Whig Submissionist" had won his spurs in the first great battle of the war. From that time Early was in active service, and did hard work everywhere-in the Peninsula, where he was severely wounded in the hard struggle of Malvern Hill, and then as General Early, at Cedar Mountain, where he met and repulsed a vigorous advance of General Pope's left wing, in the very inception of the battle. If Early had given way there, Ewell's column on the high ground to his right would have been cut off from the main body; but the ground was obstinately held, and victory followed. Advancing northward thereafter, Jackson threw two brigades across at Warrenton Springs, under Early, and these resolutely held their ground in face of an overpowering force. Thenceforward Early continued to add to his reputation as a hard fighter-at Bristoe, the second Manassas, Harper's Ferry, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Spottsylvania, Monocacy, and throughout the Valley campaign. During the invasion of Pennsylvania he led

General Lee's advance, which reached the Susquehanna and captured York. In Spottsylvania he commanded Hill's corps, and was in the desperate fighting at the time of the assault upon the famous "Horseshoe," and repulsed an attack of Burnside's corps with heavy loss to his opponents. After that hard and bitter struggle the Federal commander gave up all hope of forcing General Lee's lines, and moving by the left flank reached Cold Harbour, where the obstinate struggle recommenced. It was at this moment, when almost overpowered by the great force arrayed against him, that General Lee received intelligence of the advance of General Hunter up the Valley with a considerable army; and it was necessary to detach a commander of ability, vigour, and daring to meet that column. Early was selected, and the result is known. General Hunter advanced, in spite of opposition from the cavalry under General Jones, until he reached the vicinity of Lynchburg; but here he came in collision with his dangerous adversary. A complete defeat of the Federal forces followed, and Hunter's campaign was decided at one blow. He gave ground, retreated, and, with constantly accelerated speed, sought refuge in the western mountains, whence, with a decimated and disheartened army, he hastened towards the Ohio. The great advance up the Valley, from which, as his report shows, General Grant had expected so much, had thus completely failed. The campaign beginning with such high hopes, had terminated in ignominy and disaster. The inhabitants of the region, subjected by General Hunter to the most merciless treatment, saw their powerful oppressor in hopeless retreat; and an advance which threatened to paralyse Lee, and by severing his communications, drive him from Virginia, had been completely defeated. Such was the first evidence given by General Early of his ability as a corps commander, operating without an immediate superior.

He was destined to figure now, however, in scenes more striking and "dramatic" still. General Grant, with about 150,000 men, was pressing General Lee with about 50,000, and forcing him slowly back upon the Confederate capital. Every resource of the Confederacy was strained to meet this terrible assault