General Jubal Early , CSA, Oak Witness Tree Cigar Case

Jubal Anderson Early was born on November 3, 1816, in the Red Valley section of Franklin County, Virginia,  the third of ten children. The Early family was well-established and believed to be one of the  First Families of Virginia. Early attended local private schools in Franklin County, as well as more advanced private academies in other parts of Virginia. He was deeply affected by his mother's death in 1832. In 1833 he became the first in Franklin County to enter the United States Military Academy at West Point. Early graduated in 1837, ranked 18th of 50 graduating cadets and sixth among its engineering graduates. Upon graduating from West Point, Early received a commission as a second lieutenant in the 3rd U.S. Artillery regiment. Assigned to fight against the Seminole in Florida.  He resigned from the Army in 1838 to study law and was admitted to the Virginia bar in 1840. Franklin County voters the next year elected Early as one of their delegates in the Virginia House of Delegates. Early returned to the army in 1847 to serve in the Mexican-American War, but again returned to his law practice in 1849.
After Virginia voters ratified secession from the Union he accepted a commission to serve in the state’s militia where he raised three regiments and then commanded one of them. On June 19, 1861, Early formally became a colonel in the Confederate army, commanding the 24th Virginia Infantry. After the First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861, Early was promoted to brigadier general, because of his valor at Blackburn's Ford. As general, Early led Confederate troops in most of the major battles in the Eastern Theater, including the Seven Days Battles, the Second Battle of Bull Run, the Battle of Antietam, the Battle of Fredericksburg, the Battle of Chancellorsville, the Battle of Gettysburg, and numerous battles in the Shenandoah Valley during the Valley Campaigns of 1864.
During the Gettysburg campaign, Early continued to command a division in the Second Corps under Lt. Gen. Ewell. Early captured Gettysburg on June 26, 1863 and demanded a ransom, which was never paid. Two days later, he entered York County and seized York, becoming the largest Northern town to fall to the Rebels during the war. On June 30, Early was recalled to join the main force as Lee concentrated his army to meet the oncoming Federals. Approaching the Gettysburg battlefield from the northeast on July 1, 1863, Early's division was on the left flank of the Confederate line. He soundly defeated Brig. Gen. Francis Barlow's division (part of the Union XI Corps), inflicting three times the casualties to the defenders as he suffered, and drove the Union troops back through the streets of the town, capturing many of them. On the third day of battle, Early detached one brigade to assist Maj. Gen. Edward "Allegheny" Johnson's division in an unsuccessful assault on Culp's Hill. Elements of Early's division covered the rear of Lee's army during its retreat from Gettysburg on July 4 and July 5.
Early's forces wintered in the Shenandoah Valley in 1863–64. On May 31, 1864, Lee expressed his confidence in Early's initiative and abilities at higher command levels and Early was promoted to the temporary rank of lieutenant general.  Early served Lee well throughout the remainder of the war in the Shenandoah Valley Campaigns.
When the Army of Northern Virginia, Early escaped to Texas on horseback, hoping to find a Confederate force that had not surrendered. He proceeded to Mexico, and from there sailed to Cuba and finally reached Canada. Early spent the rest of his life defending his actions during the war and became among the most vocal in justifying the Confederate cause, fostering what became known as the Lost Cause movement.
President Andrew Johnson pardoned Early and many other prominent Confederates in 1869. He returned to Lynchburg, Virginia, and resumed his legal practice. He died In Lynchburg, Virginia on March 2, 1894 from injuries sustained from a fall. He was buried in Spring Hill Cemetery.