The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-03-22
Military Spirit and Genius of the South

Military Spirit and Genius OF the South.
Major ID. ii. Hill. of the North Carolina
Military Institute, in his eloquent Essay on
Military Education, delivered at WiImingto =,
North Carolina, before the State Educa tional
Convention" thus illustrates the military
spirit and genius of the Southern people
The armies Of the Revolution were command
ed by Ws5HIN"ToN, Il southern General. The
officers, who disting uiS he'd themselves in an es-
pec.ai manner in the war Of 1872 were Southern
born and Southern bred, JACKSON COFFEE HAIR
KIsox, SCuTT and GAINES. The cOmmandinQ
Generals in the Mexican war, SCoTr aud T ayLoR,
were both Of Virginia. Tho Chief OF Ordnance
under Gen. ScoTT, aud the next most iinportAn NJ
officer was FrGER, of South Carolina. The Chief
ct Engineers was Ike. of Virginia, the only man
the Army acknowledges Ia be dt to be the success
sor 10 Gen. sCoTT. The chief leader, in Skin
inishing were LANE, Of North Carolina. and
HAYS, Of Tennessee. The light batteries nf Ar
tillery which did such wonderful execution at
falo Alto, ResAca de Ia Palma, Monterey, Bueua
Vista, aud in the Valley Of Mexico, were general
~ under the command of Southern ineu, RISG-
"oLp, RIpakLEY, RR,as, W,sHiN1ros. srEProE
aud aAaErDER. The heavy ordnance under
the control of HrGEk, offs. c.. and L,rpLHY Of Viz
gtns The battery Of Mountain Howitzers was d.
rseted by RENo,of Virginia. The dashing charge (
cavalry at Resaca de la Palma, which has world
ton city. far more brilliant affair was witnessed
BY ten thousand American soldiers drawn IN 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
neaSy pisces OF ordnance and manned by some 20
sailors pushed mp under the very walls Of Vera
Graz, with Its AGO pieces of artillery aud within
sssy range of the formidable Castle of San Jnan
pU!ios, and nom that position bombarded the
attU far bal n
weight and size fell thick ~ hail-stones around
the little vessel, any one Of which must have sunk
her. The interest of the spectators was painful
In the extreme, but the very insignifcauce of the
steamer proved an efficient protection she was
leo small mark to be hit, and as she came back
hearing her gallant crew, all dressed in their Ted
Jackets, the very earth shock with the cheers 8
the ten thousand exultiDg voices on the beach
The officer in command was TATTSALL, OF q cor
aia, the same who, at the risk of his commission
aud his life, nterposed last year and rescued the
defeated British a. the Pcho Fcrts in China
During The siege OF Fort Brown the pulley of the
nag got deranged so that 1t could net be Raised
An officer Climbed the stat, and IN he midst
of terrible tempest If shot and shell calmly
and deliberately arranged the halvards.
righted the pulley, and hoisted the flag
Inc exploit of JASPER at Fort Mouluie was as
nothing, IN comparison with this daring deed -
That officer was HANsoS, Of Washington civ a
descendant of JOHN HANSON, of MARYLAND Pref
dept OF the First Congress. and of Col. John HAN
soS HARRISON, one of the most distinguished
al WAsHINGToN's aids. Years before the siege
OF Fort Brown, General WogrH had pro-
hounced him the bravest man in the army. He
was gentle and modest rs grl kind and cour-
teous to all, devoted nd enthusiastic Christian
u gentleman in the highest scceptation of the
word. Just after the battle of Contreras = rude
litter, with dead officer il, WIS borne hy.-
Sergeant, what oiiicar is thatr Capt HANSON
"f the 9TH Infantry, sir1' The soldier had fallen
OF the field Of honor. Two ga liau at brothers, Cant
"HIdRTMAS X. HANSON, 7th Inf, the most enter
pfising young officer of the Florida WAR; and Pass
ed Midshipman JSo. HANSON, both also fell in the
service Of their country. SASrAANxa mad 9 the IA
tai mistake, at Cerro Gvrdo, oi leaving Telegram
Hill nnfortihed. Gen. scoTr discovered it, and
seat up young officer, with some 20 men, to seize
ii. An Immense force of MeXIcans came to dis
lodge him. He threw his men behind rocks and
trees. and sent for succor. The Rifle Regiment
came up aud found themselves hotiy pressed, aud
would have been driven back but for the timely
arrival Of the "a Infantry. During all this time,
that ga liant Lieutenant held his position aud had
ne lost it, the battle of CeTro Gordo never wonld
have been won. That intrepid young man was
GARDNER, OF Washington city. The storming
column against the main work Cerro G0rdo
Hill was led by that tried veteran HARNEY of
Georgia.
MAJOR HILL adds that the South has not
merely esinced military spirit on the field. but
Ia uthorship. The books in use on infantry
tactics were prepared by ScoTr, of Virginia
and HAkDKE, OF Georgia. The Manual Of Ar
iiiiery Tactics ia use is by Major ANDERSON OF
kentucky. The only works in this country
on The Science Of Artillery, written in the
Englsh language, are by krSGsBrRy and GIB-
BON, OF North Caroline, and the only books on
MILITARY Engineering, by MAHAS, OF Virginia.
The published experiments OF MoRDgcAt, of
sonth Carolina, convey all our information of
'he strength OF gunpowder and OF cannon,
ana ule proper tests for their trial