Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-10-15
RICHMOND wHIG.
fFso.a ne Lo-.io. T.as.. sspl rs. I


fev eesrs b.v. serv. long and With Oppor-
tuutcs Of Distinction and Of Lord Hardnse h mus, be
ssid that In hcli he found equal the
sion. We do claim Tor the gallant soldier who has
Just departed from among the praise Of military genius
Of the highest order lie was neither Marlborough, a
Nspoleon, Wellington but the work which he had
20 do he a-.,s Performed efficiently aud we'll From the
lowest grade he rose the very highest rank in the Brit
ish army by his dcser He not Connected 10y
birth With ANY noble family ~h Influential clique
IN military circles and y.. ne Ssosns n ~
dingc the clergy in the north oi kngland VINO
enssrrd the army cnagn n the year 1885, should have
the dgues OF Governor General OF British India
and OF Com handler Chief. IL be said that the
cdents Of lie his side; but they
than In the OF thousand Others -ho have passed
away their unknown. The very turning point OF
his affords evidence that no destined to
conquer the battle of lite. Lord Hardinge used ire
quenty tell the story hos after the Battle Of Corunns
whom the English troops were hur'ying on board ship
staff officer anxious to gas the friendly
shelter OF Gu. English Acct The keen eye OF Marshal
Beresford who experimenting the emoarcaton de-
tected ia. vour aud capacity o young officer who was
employing hisef zeaousy in the discharge OF his
duty That young officer Henry Hsrdnge, aud from
that moment his fortune was made. He r,quireJ
the place the expeditions staff officer aud Lord
Bcresiod forgot hs activity and zeal At subse
uuent period when Bcrrsord charged with the in-
portant duty preparing the Portuguese forces take
active the with the veteran troops OF Ma
poleon he remembered the young officer who had done
such ,od the beach at Coranna, and summon
ed HIM hi. aid. lie gave him brigade ia the Portu-
guese service .oeiorc he as, and after time his
foreign gra lie connuIed for British rank. But Tor
this isrtanst, accident" Lord Hardnge used To call
It. his might have been, according to his own opinion
that oi hundred Others He might have died colonel
ON h.pay after 30 OF hard servce in
Of the Bnsh empire. We doubt ii this would have been
the case For OF energetic stamp-so lifted oy
for the career on which they have entered-ae
ccnt. occurring which they are ever prepared
tut n t. account
~ give but suggestion Of the actions in which this
hvs soldier was engaged is recall the leading
sh arms have been engaged since the days OF MARRIOTT
ough Daring the whole Of the Peninula contest he ae
tel a. General OF the Portuguese
army lie was wounded at Vmiera he was prescut at
R..; ne already mentioned the distinction he Oh
taued Corunna When Wellesley entered on the scene
n chief fluid him at the passage OF the
Douo the Battle OF Busaco, and actively engaged IN
organizing defence behind the memorable lines o Tor
res vedras He present at the three seges aud at
the u capture u Bsdaoz and the capture OF Cudad
Rodrigo IL vas however, at the Battle OF Aouera that
Lord iardnge performed the chief feat OF nus mhta! Ca
rrer The battle is well known, was offered to So"lt
nv R.rsford with more valour than discretion. During
the progress OF it, Bersod as ever distinguished mh-
so by thc greatest personal courage but tue fortune OF
the lav was turned by happy maneuvre, executed 10y
xous H,ringe without orders aud on his own RESPONSE
bity The battle Of the most bloody on RECORD
IN port,on Ia the number OF the combaants As gen
ea Napier writes THE rain flowed after III streams dis
'coorrd nth blood and 1900 nnwoundcd men, TIE rem
.an of 5000 uncoaquerable British soldiers stood TIT
.umph,nt the fatal hill IL thus that the historian
Peninsuar describes the attack made by Har
ding during fearful day upon French division pos
ted upon an eminence formidable Tor defence = $500
''Niyers killed Cole himself and Coloneis Ellis,
Blakenry aud Hawkshawe fell badly wounded, aud the
whole brigade struck by the iron tempest reeied aud
sa.y,rrd like sinking shp.' Suddenly recovering, hoW
ever they closed their terrible enemy sud then was
with what strength aud majesty the British soldier
fights In vain did Soult by voice and gesture animate
his Frenchnen IN vain did the hardest veterans, eNt
eating themselves from the crowded column sacrifice Their
hives gain time aud space for the mass to open out o
such lar field in vain did the itself bear up, and
6cccy stiving fire unfortunately on lriends aud foes
while horscrn lowering the tanks, threatened Ia
charge the advancing line Nothing could stop that ne
ton,sn,g infantry No sudden burst OF iplnei
dor. enthusiasm weakened the stability OF lheI
order; their flashing eyes bent the dark columns
iu their front their measured tread shook tue ground
their dreadful voeys swept the head OF every ior
nation their daening shouts overpoweed the dissona
cafes that broke from all parts OF the tumuuous crowd
foot by foot. aud ~it' horrj carnage, it vas driver
by the cesn vgOr oi the attack 10 the iurthest edge
OF the hill In did the French reserves joining Will
tue struggling multitude. endcavOr sustain the tight
their efforts only increased the irremedlabe confusion
aud the mghty at length giving way like oosene,
cliff went headlong down the ascent
Hasdnge fought at Salamanca he severely wound
ed at Vttora he at Pampeluna he crossed the Pye
mes "'n the conqueri"s Brush army lie at N'vcle
at Nve at Orthcs After the return OF Napoleon iron
Eliza he again entered upon active service, and at
tached Commissioner 10 the Prussiam amy lie lost
hand under Butcher Ligny aud this his share II
the Waterloo campaign. When p.a ace restored {,
the world he did into inactivity continued
ia important post another in the service OF i
country. We do not here pretend TO give catalogue
thu successive offices which he held. lie successive
~
OF the Ordnance, and finally, ia tile year ls4I he wa
raised t the nigh dignity OF Governor-Gener4l OF India
The tour years during which he held the rens govern.
meut ia that distant region memorable even
in the eventul history of British India. The
OF te Sikh campaign fresh in the public recolec
tou need recspitdlaon here. No one has forgotten
when the storm Of suddenly broke upon the North
western frontier OF our Indian possessions with
energy the brave old soldier hurried
with what dsnterested feeling the Governor Genera
postponed all questions OF dignity and acted second il
command during the fiery days Of Moodkce OF Ferozesah
and o Sobraon Independently OF these great military
achievements, the Indian administration OF Lord Hari gc
IN other respects crowned with success IL l.,
who originated the policy with regard the kingdom
Dude, which Lord Dalhousio a subseque period had
the nerve and intelligence its legitimate i
hlncnt In October 1852, tour years after the eXpira
ton OF his Indian government Lord Hardge raised
to the highest post within the ambition military maj
he was appointed Commander in Chief TO succeed th,
Duke OF Wellington. This important post he held unit
very recent period, aud throughout the evenul epoci
OF the Russian War Few men have actually up
on great scale been concerned in directing
OF such magnitude at home IL Lord Hardin gel
auit nor eau il be imputed blme him, that he ia
herted the traditions and practices Of glorious prtoc
~ the military annals oi Great Britain which had seryet
their tur iui vel, but longer applicable to IL,
eHigrucies of modern warfare.
There must have been some extraordinary qualities IL
man who could rise To such enpoyments with
out ever having had-savs in the memorable instance
AIbuera-the chief direction OF any great military achieve
ment IN the field. In the Peninsula Lord Hardinge al
wsys under conmand-n India he modesily took the 80
co"d place under Lord Goug-in the conflict will
hu~sis hIs Uice rather Of selection dircc
participation aud IN his selections lac very iDru
nate The qualities which seem To have Recommended
Lord llardnge 10 honour aud fame were the place
unhinchhg courage IN the terrible trials in tn
mot unexpected turns Of war. lie was distinR ushed
moreover bs bnoyancy Of spirit, by cheerfuness b.
agehait ~hIcli made him acceptable aroun
mn Almost To tie last, when the weight OF years an,
OF heightened service beginning 10 tell upon him M
was ready and efficient man OF business. A chAract
and habits such these, joined unweared real and
ncver-iailng OF duty. will be suHic mt TO acc0u
for the honous wch he attained without nsnlunn M,
mrmory Of 80 gallant and deserving with iusouu
and supcihuous battery.