Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-03-27
MILITARY SPIRIT AND GENIUS OF THE
SOUTH

Major D. II. Hill, of the North Carolina Military
Institute in his eloquent Essay on Military Edu-
cation delivered at Wilmington, North Carolina, be-
fore the State Educational Convention" thus illus
trates the military spirit and genius of the Southern
people:
1.-THE armies of the Revolution were commanded
by Washington, Southern General The officers,
who distinguished themselves in an especial manner
in the war of 1872, were Southern born and South
ern-bred, Jackson Coffee Harrison, Scott and Gains
The commanding Generals in the Mexican war, Scott
and Taylor, were both of Virginia The Chief of
Ordnance under Gen. Scott and the next most i'm
portant officer was Huger, of South Carolina. The
Chief of Engineers was Lee of Virginia the only
man the Army acknowledges to be fit to be the sue
cessor to Gen. Scott The chief leaders in skirmish-
ing were Lane, of North Carolina, and HAYS, of
Tennessee The light batteries of Artillery which
did such wonderful execution at Pao Alto, Resaca
de la Palma, Monterey, Buena Vista, and in the
valley OF Mexico, were generally under the conf
mand of Southern men, Ringgold, Ridgeley, Bragg,
Washington, Steptoe and Magruder The heavy
ordnance was under the control of Huger, of S. c.,
and Laidley, of Virginia. The battery of Mountain
Howitzers, was directed by Reno, of Virginia. The
dashing charge of cavalry at Resaca de la Palma,
which has worldwide reputation was made by
May, of Washington city a far more brilliant af
fair was witnessed by ten thousand American SOL
diers drawn up in battle array on the beach at Vera
Cruz, and by English, French and Spanish vessels
OF war in the harbor. A little steamer armed with
two heavy pieces of ordnance and manned by some
20 sailors, pushed up under the very walls of Vera
Crux, with its 400 pieces of artillery, and within
easy range OF the formidable Castle of San Juan
DUlloa, and from that position bombarded the city
for half an hour. Projectiies of enormous weight
and size fell thick as halfstones around the little
vessel, any one of which must have sunk her. The
interest OF the spectators painful in the extreme
but the very insignicance of the steamer proved an
efficient protection; she was too small mark to be
hit and as she came back bearing her gallant crew,
all dressed in their red Jackets the yery earth sbook
with the cheers of the ten thousand exuting voices
on the beach The officer in command was Tattnall
OF Georgia, the same who, at the risk of his COM
mission and his life interposed last year and rescued
the defeated British at the Peiho Forts in China
During the siege of Fort Brown the pulley of the
flag got deranged, SO that it could not be raised
An ot1cer climbed the staff and in the midst of a
terrible tempest of shot and shell calmly and DELHI
erately arranged the halyards righted the pulley,
and holsted the flag The exploit of Jasper at Fort
Aoultrle was as nothing, in comparison with this
daring deed The officer was Hanson, of Washing
ton city, descendant of John Hanson, of Mary
land, President of the First Congress and of Col
John Hanson Harrison one of the most distiueuish
ed of Washinstons aids. Years before the siege of
Fort Brown. General Worth had pronounced him
the braEest man in the army. He was gentle and
modest as gir., kind and courteous to all, de-
voted and enthusiastic Christian gentleman in the
highest aeeeptation of the word. Just after the
battle of Contreras, rude litter with dead officer
on it was borne by. Sergeant, what officer is
that? Capt Hanson, of the 7th Infantry, sir -
The soldier had fallen on the field of honor Two
gallant brothers, Capt Weightman 4 Hanson, 7th
Infantry, the most enterprisng young officer of the
Florida War, and Passed Midshipman Jno Hanson,
both also fell in the service of their country Santa
Anna made the fatal mistake at Cerro Gordo of
leaving Telegraph Hill unfortifed Gen. Scott dis.
covered it, and sent up q young officer, with some
20 men, to seize it. An immense force of Mexicans
came to dislodge him. He threw his men behind
rocks and trees, and sent for succor. The Rife
Regiment came up and found themselves hotly
pressed, and would have been driven back but for
timely arrival Of the I'd Infantry. During all this
time, that gallant Lieutenant held his position, and
had he ostt the battle Of Cerro Gordo 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 Harvey, of Georgia.
Major Hill adds that the South has not merely
evinced military spirit the field. but in author
ship The books in on infantry tactics were pre-
pared by Scott of Virginia and Harder of Georgia
The Manual of Artillery Tactics in use is by Major
Anderson, of Kentucky. The only works in this
country on the Science of Artillery, written in the
English language, are by Kingsbury and Gibbon,
of North Carolina. and the only books on Military
Engineering, by Mahan, of Virginia. The published
experiments of Mordecai, Of South Carolina, convey
all our information Of the strength of gunpowder
and of cannon and the proper tests for their trial.
ToR.cco FOR THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT. learn
that james Gray's Sons, merchants of this city,
have been awarded over number of competitors