A monument at this site reads as follows:
THIS SITE
DEDICATED
BY THE
FLORIDA DIVISION
SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS
APRIL 25, 2009
TO THE SOLDIERS, SAILORS & MARINES
OF THE
CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA
1861-1865
WHO FOUGHT, BLED AND DIED IN DEFENSE OF THEIR HOMELAND
AGAINST RUTHLESS INVASION AND WHO STROVE TO PORTECT
AMERICA’S BIRTHRIGHT OF CONSTITUTIONAL LIBERTY AND
FREEDOM
DATING FROM 1776
THIS SITE IS ALSO DEDICATED TO THE NINE MILLION PEOPLE OF THE
SOUTHERN STATES, WHO IN THE STRUGGLE FOR STATES RIGHTS &
INDEPENDENCE, SUFFERED AND SACRIFICED ALL
IT IS THE SINCERE DESIRE OF THE SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS
THAT NOT ONLY HOMAGE BE PAID TO OUR SOUTHERN ANCESTORS
BUT FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT
“THE QUEST FOR LIBERTY IS
TIMELESS”
For those (like me....before I looked into the history of this
place) who don't understand what "Gen. Jubal Early Camp #556"
means, a camp is basically a local chapter - in this case, of the
larger Florida Division of the Sons of Confererate Veterans.
This chapter's (or camp's) namesake is LIEUTENANT GENERAL JUBAL A.
EARLY, a Division Commander of 2nd Corp, Army of Northern Virginia.
Here's a little history about him:
Jubal Anderson Early was born in
Franklin County, Virginia, November 3, 1816, and was graduated from
West Point in 1837. After service against the Seminoles, he
resigned the following year to study law and afterwards began
practice in Rocky Mount, Virginia. He became a member of the house
of delegates, commonwealth's attorney, and in the Mexican War was a
major of Virginia volunteers.
He voted against succession in the Virginia convention in April
1861, but promptly entered the Confederate Army as colonel of the
24th Virginia Infantry, which he led at the battle of First
Manassas. He was prompted brigadier general rank from July 21,
1861. He took part in all the engagements of the Army of Northern
Virginia from 1862 till 1864. Promoted major general from January
17, 1863, he was prominent at Salem Church and in the Gettysburg
campaign. At the Wilderness he commanded A.P. Hill's corps for a
time, and was promoted lieutenant general from May 31, 1864.
After the temporary retirement of General Ewell from field duty,
Early was given command of the 2nd Corps, and following Cold
Harbor, Lee ordered him to the Shenandoah Valley against the
Federal General Hunter. He drove Hunter westward into the
mountains, defeated Wallace at Monocay (Maryland), and was before
Washington on July 11, 1864. The arrival of the 6th Corps of the
Army of the Potomac from Petersburg forced Early to retreat into
Virginia; but he struck back across the Potomac later the same
month. His cavalry conducted wide-ranging and destructive raids and
burned the town of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.
But in September, Early we defeated by Sheridan at Winchester and
Fisher's Hill. A last surprise attack on Sheridan at Cedar Creek
was repelled and the remnant of Early's command was dispersed by
General Custer at Waynesboro, Virginia, in March 1865. After the
surrender he made his way to Mexico in disguise, and later returned
to Lynchburg to resume his law practice. He became the first
president of the Southern Historical Society, and wrote his
memoirs. The later years of his life were mainly occupied in
supervising the drawings of the Louisiana Lottery and in an
acrimonious effort to destroy the military reputation of General
Longstreet.
Early died March 2, 1894 and was buried at Lynchburg,
Virginia.