Lynchburg V^a March 7^th 1872

 

Sir

            In compliance with your request I have to inform you that:

 

            I was commissioned Colonel in the Virginia service on the 2^nd of May 1861, to rank from that date—My regiment was the 24^th Virginia Inft.

 

I was commanding a brigade of 3 Regiments, the 7^th and 24^th V^a and 7^th Louisiana at the 1^st Battle of Manassas, my rank being then Colonel.

 

I was commissioned a Brigadier General in the Confederate service, to rank from the 21^st of July 1861—and / my brigade was composed of the 5^th and 23^rd North Carolina and 24^th Virginia, to which was added the 20^th Georgia in the early part of October 1861, and on the 1^st of May 1862, the 38^th Virginia was transferred to the brigade in lieu of the 20^th Georgia, which was transferred to Forrest's brigade.

 

On the 5^th of May 1862, I was wounded at Williamsburg, and during my absence the Army was reorganized, so as to brigade the regiments by states, every brigade being thus broken up. On my return, the 1^st 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 13^th, 25^th, 31^st, 44^th, 52^nd and / 58^th V^a Regts and the 12^th Georgia. the 12^th Georgia was replaced by the 49^th V^a about the 26^th of August 1862.

 

I was commissioned Major General to rank from the 17^th of January 1863, and assigned to the commanding Ewell's former division, to which I then belonged. The division was composed of my own V^a, Hays' Louisiana, Lawton's Georgia, and Trimble's brigade, the latter being composed of one North Carolina, one Alabama and two Georgia regiments. Gov W^m Smith, Col 49^th V^a, was promoted to the command of my brigade, and he was subsequently succeeded by General / Pegram. Genl John B. Gordon was assigned to the command of Lawton's brigade, and Colonel 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 31^st of May 1864, and assigned to the command of Ewell's Corps (The 2^nd of A.N.V^a) then composed of my division, Rodes', and Gordon's.

 

On the 13^th of June 1864 I was detached from the Army of Northern V^a, with the 2^nd Corps, and Breckenridge command of three brigades of infantry / and five small brigades 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 Johnson's division of Ewell's Corps on the 12^th of May 1864, a considerable change was made in the organization of the divisions—Gordon's brigade and Hays' brigade were transferred / from my division and united with the remnant of 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 make that division composed of Pegram's brigade (V^a), 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 Jones was made Brigadier General & assigned to Hoke's brigade.

Col Zebulon York was made Brig Genl and assigned to Hays brigade.

 

Bryan Grimes was made Brig Genl & assigned to Daniel's brigade, Col Cox made Brig Genl & assigned to Ramseur's brigade, and Col Phil Cook made Brig Genl and assigned to Doles' 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 Al^a brigade

Cook's G^a brigade

Grimes' N.C. brigade

Coxe's N. C. brigade

 

Gordon's division of

Evans' G^a Brigade

Terry's V^a Brigade

York's L^a Brigade

            and

Ramseur's division of

Pegram's V^a brigade

Lewis' N. C. brigade

R. D. Johnston's N. C. brigade

& three Battalions of Artillery under Genl A. Long

when I was promoted L^t General.

                                   

Yours Truly    J A Early

 

Col Cha^s C. Jones Jr.

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