The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-05-29
Gen. David Hunter, the Commander in
&auth Carolina.
NO. 81.


South Carolina.
Although the President has very properly
modified the famous emancipation order of Gen.
Hunter, reserving to himself the right to pro-
claim the slaves of rebels free, still the people
will think no worse of the General who made
it, and we doubt if the President does. Gen.
Hunter has identified himself with the history
| of his country, and has found a warm corner in
the hearts of all the true lovers of freedom
We are asked from several adjoining States for
information concerning his early history 1t is
as follows:
Major General David Hunter is native of
the District of Columbia, and was appointed
to the army from that District. He is about
sixty years of age, and entered the Military
Academy as a cadet, in September, IT'S. He
graduated in 1922, standing No. % in class
Of forty, in which we find the names of Gems.
J. K f. Mansfield, George A Mccall, I. Nor
ris, j. j. Abercrombie and others. Gu the lst
of July, 1922, he was promoted to the second
Leutenancy of the 9th United States infantry,
and in June, 1928, was further promoted TO the
first Lieutenancy. He became captain of the
LIST dragons in March, 1888, and resigned the
service on the 4th of July, 1875. On the last
day of November, 1871, he was appointed a tenn
porary paymaster of the army, and ON the l4th
of May, 1912, he obtained the position of full
paymaster. The appointments were debited
to the state of Illinois.
In this latter capacity he held the same rank
as major of the active military service, and IL
the Army Register for 1861, his name stands
second on the list ofpaymasters with that rang
On the 18th of Nav, 1861, he was appointed
Colonel Of the new regiment of cavalry, numer-
ically designated as the 9th regiment OF United
States cavalry, and with this rank held the
command Of the second division of McDowell's
army at the battle of Bulls Run. For his gal
lantry on that occasion he was, on the 10Th OF
the following August, made by Congress Ma
ior-General of volunteers. it will be remem.
bered that he was ordered to report to Gen.
Fremont in Missouri, and he took charge OF
certain troops organizing at the depot at Roila.
When Gen. Halleck was appointed to that
Department, a new department. was created,
entitled the Department of Kansas, and MAJOR
Geueral Hunter was appointed to the Chief
command During his administration, some
little trouble occurred between Senator Tor
Bfigadier Generall Lane and the commander,
which perhaps more than anything else, LED
to the breaking up of the Department which
ia now Incorporated in that of the Mississippi,
and Gen. Hunter proceeded to Washington
He was next appointed to supersede Gen.
Sherman at Port Royal, and take command OF
the new Department of the South which EN-
braces the States Of South Carolina, Georgia
and Florida.
He is reported as being an intimate personal
friend of the President, and he travelled with
him during his tour from Illinois TO Washing
ton previous to the inauguration.
With regard to his personal appearance, ne
is thus spoken of by an editor OF a Kansas pa
per, who visited him during his stay at Fort
Leavenworth
GAS you enter YOU will be pleasantly but
very calmly greeted, and the first leisure mo-
ment will be afforded you for your business
You will find yourself converting with man
of some sixty years, above average height, hair
sprinkled with grey, form slightly STOPPING,
and whose expression of countenance denotes
high intelligence s.rong resolution, and, above
all, a settled, placid calmness, which convnces
YOU that right is the basis of the conviction 1t
shadows, and robs you of every desire to com
bat them He sits there--the Major General
and twiring his golden bowed glasses, the leg
acy of toll and ticeting years, listens to your
words and makes brief sentences MS part in the
Occasionally, when ailuslon Is
made to a timid, hating policy. or t~addling
message the eyes, rooted with heavy broWs'
burn with light, and strong words tell his clear
disgust of it all T Ge stars are on his shoulders,
his dress is the array blue, and If you know his
history you will ecollect that he, 500, IS man
of West Point but you leave his presence
feeling that you have not been snubbed, and
that the quiet dignity of great man has es-
tablished again in your mind the old respect for
cur regular army Suehis Major General Hun
ter"
As one Of the incidents of his HE, it will be
remembered that during the Kansas troubles,
General Hunter who then held The rank of Ma
or under Colonel (now GeneraD Sumner, at
Fort Leavenworth recommended that the guns
OF the fort should be turned upon the Missouri
ans, who, he said, were crossing the river to
commit an outrage on the balIot box of the
State of Kansas