“He looks as happy as if he had the sweetest wife in the world”: A Girl’s View of Lee’s Bad Old Man

Forty-seven-year-old Confederate General Jubal A. Early’s division was on the move back to Virginia following Lee’s defeat at Gettysburg. After crossing the Potomac River, he marched his division south, through Thornton’s Gap in the Blue Ridge Mountains, into Madison County to finally rest and recuperate.

“Old Jube” was quick and aggressive on offense and steady and tough on defense and was becoming one of General Robert E. Lee’s rising generals. Prematurely bent by arthritis, Early was notoriously quick-tempered, opinionated, witty, and profane. Lee called him “my bad old man” – reportedly the only man known to swear in front of the general.[i] 

General Early and his staff made their headquarters in Criglersville at the home of Emanuel (Mann) and Mary Strickler on the night of July 28, 1863. Their 18-year-old daughter, Sallie, was there, along with her four siblings, observing the general.[ii] Sallie later described the general and his staff in her diary:

“General Early’s division occupies our village and the surrounding fields. The General and his staff (at Pa’s invitation) have their headquarters here tonight . . . . The general is tolerably tall and large, dark hair, thickly interspersed with grey, a profusion of black and grey beard [and] his eyes, as well as I could see by candlelight, were grey. There was nothing very striking about his face, but when he smiled his eyes lighted up wonderfully. I have always heard that he had a peculiarly disagreeable voice; but, didn’t notice it at all . . . . He had none of that air of importance or pomposity about him, which characterizes these gilt-braided and plumed captains and lieutenants. I forgot to mention that he was dressed in a pair of light blue pants, grey coat, and white slouch hat with a black plume. He stooped in consequence of suffering with the rheumatism. I like him right much – he does not seem to be morose and disagreeable, as old bachelors generally are, but looks as happy as if he had the sweetest wife in the world . . . “[iii]

Seems at least one member of the Strickler household was charmed by Lee’s “Bad Old Man.”

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[i] Pollard, Edward A., Lee and His Lieutenants: Comprising the Early Life, Public Services, and Campaigns of General Robert E. Lee and His Companions in Arms, New York, E.B. Treat & Co., 1867, pp. 477-478

[ii] G005738.pdf   Strickler, Harry M., Forerunners: A History or Genealogy of the Strickler Families, Their Kith and Kin, self-published, printed by The Ruebush-Kieffer Co., Dayton, Virginia, 1925, pp. 327-329

[iii] Davis, Margaret C., Madison County, Virginia: A Revised History, Madison, Virginia, Second Edition,  published by the Board of Supervisors of Madison County, 1977, p. 148. Woodward, Harold R., For Home and Honor: The Story of Madison County, Virginia During the War Between the States, 1861–1865, self-published, printed by Skyline Services, Inc. 1990, p. 67