Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1861-04-04
gEliseellaneuns Artirles,
Military Spirit and Genius of the South

Military Spirit and Genius ofthe South.
Major D. H. Hill of the North Carolina
Military Institute, in his eloquent "Essay
on Military Education, delivered at Will
miugton, North Carolina, before the State
Educational Convention" thus illustrates
the military spirit and genius of the South
ern people:
"The armies of the Revolution were COM
manded by Washington, Southern Gener,
al. The officers who distinguished them
selves in an especial manner in the war of
1912, we're Soutbern.born and Southern
bred, Jackson, Coffee, Harrison: Scott and
Gaines. The commanding Generals in the
Mexican war, Scott and Taylor, were both
of Virginia. The Chief of Ordnance un-
der Gen. Scott, and the next most impor-
tant officer was Huger, of South Carolina
The Chief of Engineers was Lee, of Vir-
ginia, the only man the Army acknowledges
to be fit to be the successor to Gen. Scott.
The chief leaders in skirmishing were Lane,
of North Carolina, and Hays, of Tennes-
see The light batteries of artillery which
did such wonderful execution at Palo Alto,
Resaca de la Palma, Monterey, Buena Vista
and in the Valley of Mexico, we're gener,
ally under the command of Southern men,
Ringgold, Ridgeley, Bragg, Washington
Steptoe and Magruder. The heavy Ord
nance was under the control of Huger, Of
South Carolina, and Iaidley, of Virginia
The battery of Mountain Howitzers, was
directed by Reno, Of Virginia. The dash
ing charge of cavalry at Resaca de la Palma,
which has a world wide reputation, was
made by May, of Washington city. A far
more brilliant affair was witnessed by ten
thousand American soldiers drawn up III
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 un'
der the very walls of Vera Cruz, with it,
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. Projectiles OF
enormous weight aud size fell thick as hail.
stones around the little vessel, any one OF
which must have sunk her. The interest
of the spectators was painful in the ex'
treme, but the very insigni6cance of the
steamer proved an efficient protection she
was too suall mark to be 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
exultiug voices on the beach. The officer
in command was Tatnall, of Georgia, the
same who, at the risk of his commission
and his life, interposed last year and res
cued the defeated British at the Peiho
Forts in China. During the siege OF
Fort Brown the pulley of the flag got dc,
ranged, so that it could not be raised
An officer climbed the staff, and in the midst
of terrible tempest of shot and shell calmly
and deliberately arranged the halyards,
righted the pulley, and hoisted the flag
The exploit of Jasper at Fort Moultre was
as nothing, in comparison with this daring
deed. That officer was Hanson, of Wash
ington city, descendant Of John Hanson,
of Maryland, President of the First Con
gress, aud of Col. John Hanson Harrison,
one of the most distinguished of Washing
toms aids Years before the siege Of Fort
Brown, General Worth had pronounced
him the bravest man in the army. He was
gentle and modest as girl, kind and cour
teous to all, devoted and enthusiastic
Christian, a gentleman in the highest &C
ceptation of the word. Just after the bat
tie of Contreras, q rude litter, with dead
officer on it, was borneby. Sergeant, wha
officer is that?' Capt. Hanson, of the 7tt
Infantry, sir The soldier had fallen or
the field of honor. Two gallant brothers
Capt. Weightman K. Hanson, 7th Infan
try, the most enterprising young officer o.
the Florida War, and Passed Midshipmar
John Hanson, both also fell in the service
of their country. Santa Anna made the
fatal mistake, at Cerro Gordo, Of leaving
Telegraph Hill unfortided. Gen. Scot
discovered it, and sent up young officer
with some 10 men, to seize it. An im
mense force of Mexicans came to dislodgt
him. He threw his men behind rocks anc
trees, and sent for succor The Rife Reg
iment came up and found themselves hotlJ
pressed, and would have been driven back
but for the timely arrival of the End lrfan
try. During all this time, that gallan
Lieutenant held his position, and had he
lost it, the battle of Cerro Gordo never
would have beer 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 trieo
veteran Harvey, of Georgia"
Major Hill adds that the South has moi
merely evinced military spirit on tbs field
but in authorship. The books in use OF
infantry tactics were prepared by Scott, o.
Virginia, and Hardee, 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 Ar
tillery, written in the English language
are by Kingsbury and Gibbon, of Nortt
Carolina, and the only books on Military
Engineering, by Mahan, of Virginia. The
published experiments of Mordecai, o
South Carolina, convey all our information
of the strength of gunpowder and Of can
non, and the proper tests for their trial.
The BROAD BARS OF OUR FLAG.-W'
protest against the word "stripes," as ap
piled to the broad bars of the flag of ou
Confederacy The word is quite appropri