Early, though a vigorous writer, published only a few sermons, addresses, and occasional pamphlets, some of them relating to the disruption controversy. He received the degree of D. D.
EARLY, John, clergyman, b. in the County Fermanagh,
Ireland, in 1814; d. in Georgetown, D. C., in 1874. He came to the United States when
eighteen years of age, and entered St. Mary's college,
Emmettsburg, Md., as a student, finished his
studies in Georgetown college, and in 1834 entered
the Society of Jesus. He was ordained priest in
1844, and, after passing some time in Georgetown
college as professor of belles-lettres, was sent to
Philadelphia on his first mission. He was next appointed
president of Worcester college, Mass.,
where he remained several years. In 1852 he went
to Baltimore and built the fine college and church
of St. Ignatius. Subsequently he was transferred
to the presidency of Georgetown college. During
the civil war he converted the college and its
grounds into a hospital and camp for National
soldiers, but without a day's interruption of the
course of study.
EARLY, Jubal Anderson, soldier, b. in Franklin
county, Va., 3 Nov., 1810; d. in Lynchburg,
Va., 2 March, 1804. He was graduated at the U. S.
military academy in 1837, and assigned to duty at
Fort Monroe, Va. He served in the Florida war in
1837-'8, resigned from the army in July, 1838, and
began the practice of law in Virginia. He served
in the legislature in 1841-'2, and was commonwealth
attorney in 1842-'7, and again in 1848-'52. During
the Mexican war he was major of a regiment
of Virginia volunteers, serving from January, 1847,
till August, 1848, was acting governor of Monterey
in May and June, 1847, and after the disbanding
of the army returned to the practice of law.
At the beginning of the civil war he entered the
Confederate service as a colonel, commanded a
brigade at Bull Run, and in the battle of Williamsburg,
5 May, 1862, was supposed to be mortally
wounded. He was promoted brigadier-general,
and in May, 1863, commanded the division that
held the lines at Fredericksburg, while Lee was
fighting the battle of Chancellorsville. He also
commanded a division at Gettysburg. In 1864
he was ordered to the valley of the Shenandoah,
where his operations were at first successful. In July he crossed the
Potomac, gained the battle of Monocacy, and threatened Washington, but was
obliged to retreat. Toward the end of the month a portion of his cavalry advanced into
Pennsylvania as far as Chambersburg, which, by his orders, they burned. He was afterward, 19 Sept., defeated by Sheridan on the Opequan, and again at Fisher's Hill three days later.
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On 19 Oct., Gen. Early surprised the National forces at Cedar Creek in the absence of Gen. Sheridan; but the latter, having arrived in the afternoon, rallied his army and gained a decisive victory. Gen. Early losing the greater part of his artillery and trains. In March, 1865, he was totally routed by Gen. Custer at Waynesboro, and a few days later he was relieve by Lee from the command in the valley; that general saying in his letter, 30 March, 1865: "Your reverses in the valley, of which the public and the army judge chiefly by the results, have, I fear, impaired your influence both with the people and the soldiers, and would greatly add to the difficulties which will, under any circumstances, attend our military operations in S. W. Virginia. While my own confidence in your ability, zeal, and devotion to the cause is unimpaired, I have nevertheless felt that I could not oppose what seems to be the current opinion without injustice to your reputation and injury to the service." After the close of the war he spent some time in Europe, and on his return resumed the practice of law in Richmond. He subsequently took up his residence in New Orleans (alternately with Lynchburg), where, with Gen. Beauregard, he became a manager of the Louisiana state lottery. He was president of the Southern historical society, and published a pamphlet entitled "A Memoir of the Last Year of the War for Independence in the Confederate States" (Lynchburg, 1867).
EARLY, Peter, jurist, b. in Madison county,
Va., in June, 1773; d. in Greene county, Ga., 15
Aug., 1817. He was graduated at Princeton in
1792, and with his father settled in Georgia in
1795. He studied law in Philadelphia, and practised
successfully at the Georgia bar. He served
in congress in 1803-'7, where he opposed the African
slave-trade, and was prominent in the trial of
Samuel Chase, one of the judges of the supreme
court, appearing for the prosecution. In 1807 he
became judge of the state supreme court, and retired
in 1813, when elected governor of Georgia, in
which office he served for two years. He was afterward a state senator.
EASTBURN, James Wallis, clergyman, b. in
London, England, 26 Sept., 1797; d. at sea, 2 Dec,
1819. His father and family came to the United
States in 1803. The son was graduated at Columbia in 1816, studied theology under Bishop Griswold in Rhode Island, and while thus engaged undertook a new metrical version of the Psalms, which he did not live to complete. At the age of eighteen he wrote the hymn "Holy, Holy, Holy Lord!" and was a contributor to various periodicals. He was ordained, 20 Oct., 1818, and went to
St. George's, Accomac co., Va. After less than a year's ministry his health failed, and in November, 1819, accompanied by his mother and brother, afterward bishop of Massachusetts, he sailed for Vera Cruz. He died on the fourth day out, and was buried at sea. Mr. Eastburn wrote several fugitive poems, some of which are very graceful,
and published, in conjunction with Robert C. Sands, "Yamoyden," a romantic poem, founded on the history of King Philip, the sachem of the Wampanoags (New York, 1818). — His brother, Manton, P. E. bishop, b. in Leeds, England, 9 Feb., 1801; d. in Boston, Mass., 11 Sept., 1872, was brought to the United States in infancy. He was
graduated at Columbia in 1817, studied theology
in the General Protestant Episcopal theological
seminary in New York, was ordained in 1822, and
for the next five years officiated as assistant minister
in Christ church. New York, whence, in 1827,
he removed, to become rector of the Church of the
Ascension. On 29 Dec, 1842, he was consecrated
assistant bishop of the diocese of Massnchusetts,
then embracing also Maine, New Hampshire, and
Rhode Island, and two months later, on the death
of the venerable Bishop Griswold, became bishop
