ALS signed “J. A. Early,” one page, 8 x 10, July 28, 1875. Letter to to Rev. John William Jones, in full: "Please forward to me at this place the letter which you have for me. I believe it is an invitation to be present at any of the meetings of the ‘Grand Army of the Republic.’ I found one here on my return from ‘Elisha B. Post’ No 83 Dept. of New York, asking me to be present at their celebration and banquet, and informing me that during the week the drama of ‘The Spy of the Shenandoah’ would be performed, and the ‘Battle of [Cedar] Creek’ fought over during the performance on which occasion General Early would be personated by the writer of the invitation, who is chaplain of the Post." In fine condition.
In the summer of 1875, Early received an invitation from the Elisha B. Smith Post, Grand Army of the Republic, which invited the ex-Confederate general to attend as a special guest the semi-annual encampment of the Union veterans. As an added attraction, the Northerners planned to put on a dramatic performance entitled 'The Spy of the Shenandoah.' Since the play included a reference to the Battle of Cedar Creek, General Early would be treated to the sight of a former Union soldier impersonating himself. The one selected to play the part of Old Jube was Elmore Sharpe, who was the Chaplain of the Elisha B. Smith Post. Although there is no evidence to indicate that Early took advantage of the opportunity to see the Battle of Cedar Creek played by Northerners on a stage, the invitation afforded much amusement to his friends. One of them, General Fitz Lee, could not refrain from writing 'I too have received an invitation to go on to your Elisha B. Smith banquet. I am almost sorry now I have declined the invitation, because the sign of a chaplain personating General Early is alone worth the price of the trip. I don’t see what you have done to merit all that…when the selection had to be made of a few persons to personate you the minds of the whole post instinctively turned towards their chaplain—and with one voice they all explained—‘There art the man!’'
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