Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-31
m.lssarY spirIs ANA Genius of she south


Major D. H. HILL, Of the North Carolina Military
Institute, in his eloquent ESSAY Military Edu-
cation" delivered at Wilmington, North Carolina,
before the State Educational Convention, thus illus
trates hs military spirit and genius Of the Southern
people:
"The armies Of the Revolution were commanded
hv WAsHISGToH. Southera General. The officers
who distinguished themselves in an especial manoer
In the war Of 1872, were Southern born and South
aru bred, jackson, Coffee, Harrison, Scott and
Gaines. The commanding Generalsiu the Mexican
WEI Scott and Taylor, were botn Of Virginia The
Chief of Ordinance uader Gen. Scott. and the next
most important officer, was Huger, Of South Caro-
lima The Chief Of Engineers was Lee, OF Virginia,
the only msn the srmy acknowledges 70 be Mt TO be
the successor TO Gen. Scott The chief leaders IN
skrmishing were Lane Of North Carolina, ana
Hays. of Tennessee The light batteries Of artil-
lery which did such wonderful execution at Pale
| Alto Reeaes de Ia Palma, Monterrey, Buens
Vista, and IN the valley Of Mexico, were
| generally under the command OF South
ern men, Ringgold, Rdgely, Bragg, Washington,
Steploe and Magruder. The heavy ordhsnce was
under the control of Huger, of s. e., and Lsidley,
| of Virginia The battery of mountain howiEers,
was directed by Reno, of Virginia The dashirg
charge Of cavalry at Resacs de la Palma which has
world wide reputation, vas made by May, OF "ssa-
ington city. A far mCre brilliant affair was VIII
messed by ten thousand American soldiers drawn
| ND in battle array the beach at Vera Cruz, and
| by English, French snd Spanish vessels of war in
the harbor A little steamer, armed with two heavy
uieces of ordnance and manned by some twenty
| sailors pushed up under the very walls OF Vera
Cruz with its 400 pieces Of artillery, ana within
| easy range of the formidable Castle OF San Juan
D'Ullos and from that position bomoardsd the city
for half az hour Proiectiles of weight and
sIze fell thick as hail stoaes around the little vessel
| any one of which must have sunk her. The inter-
est of the spectators painful IN the extreme out
| the very insignifcaGce OF the steamer proved an
efficient protection; she was too small marx 10 De
hit and as she came back bearing her gallant crew.
all dressed in their red jackets, the very earth shook
| with the cheers Of the ten thousand ex1ling
| voices on the beach, The officer in command was
| Tattuall of Gsorgs, the came who at the risk OF
bis commission and his life, interposed las year and
rescued the defeated British at the Peiho forts In
China. During the siege OF Fort Brown the puiiey
| of the flag got dersnged, that it could not be
raised An officer climbed the staff, and in the
midst OF terrible tempest of shot and sheh calm
v and deliberately arranged the hslliafds, righted
| the pulley and hosted the Tag. The exploit OF
Jasper at Fort Msultre was as nothlngin compare
| son with this daring deed That cthcer was Han
| son of Washington city, descendant of John Hanson
Of Maryland President Of the First Congress, and
Col John Hanson HarIisoD one Of the most dlstin-
| 0uished of Washington's aids. Years before the
| siege Of Fort Brown General Worth had pronoHnc-
| ed him the hraVest man in the army. de was gen.
gentle and modest as girl, kind and courteous to
| all q devoted and enthusiastic Christian, gen
tleman in she highest acceptatiOn Of the word Just
after the battle Of Conreros, rude litter, with
| dad officer on it. wss borne by. Sergeant,
what officer is that" Capt Rausol Of the
| 7th Infantry, SIR" The soldier had fallen on the
field of honor. Two gallant brothers, Captain
Wsigbtman x. Hanson, 7th Infantry, the most en-
terprising young officer Of the Florida war. a ana
Passed MidsLipmsp John Hanson, both also ieii IN
the service of their country, Santa Anna made the
fatal mistake at Cerro GOrdo, OF leaving Teegrapn
Hill unfortiied Gen. Scott discovered 1t, and sent
M Young officer, with come seventy men, to seize
| II An immense force of Mexicans came to disiodge
him. He threw his men behind racks and trees ana
sent for succor. The Rife Regiment came up ana
found themselves hOtly pressed, snd would nave
been driven hack but for the timely arrival Of tns
2d Infantry During all this time that gallant Leu
tenant held his position, and had he lost it, the BAT
tIs of Cerro Cordo never would have been won That
intrepid young man was Gardner. Of Washington
city. The storming column against the main Work
ON Cerro Gordo Hill was led by that tried veteran
| Harpey of Georgia"