Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-02-13

! eminent names of history. With an un-
clouded brain, a coup del as clear as ray
of the sun; invincible before danger; never
I furried,. anxious or despopdeht; content to
wait; too wary even to be surprised; looking
to great trials of strength. aud TO general re-
sulte-the man possessing these traits of char
aacter Was better fitted, always thought, for
the command OF troops of all arms-infantry,
cavalry and artillery-than for. one arm
alone. But with that arm which he CONS
manded- ed--cavalry-what splendid results did
he achieve! In how many perilous straits
was his tall figure seen in front OF the South
ern horsemen, bidding them !" come on not
.'go on" He was not only the commander
but t. saJreu'. to- Thousands will re-
member how his stalwart figure lowered in
the van-at Frederick City; at Upperviile,
at Gettysburg, at TIevilian's, and in hun
dred other. fights. Nothing more superb
could be imagined than Hampton at such
mtments. There was no furry in the man
but determined resolution No doubt of
the result apparently no looking for an av>
| emue of retreat. Sabre to sabrev v' might
have been taken as the motto Of his banner
In the s. heady fight" he was every where
seen, amid the clouds of smoke, the crashing,
she'll, his long sword doing hard work in the
melee. aud carving its way as did the tren-
chant weapons Of the ancient Knights This
spirit of the thorough cavalier in Hampton is
worth dwell ny on. Under the braid of the
Major q eneral was the brave soul of the
fearless soldier, the fighting man" 1t was
not merit i'll him Gr in others that they
gave up wealth, business, elegance, all tile
comforts, convenience, aud serene eni6y-
ments of life to live Lard aud fight hard;
aud endure heat cold, hunger, thirst exhaus.
tion and paiu. without murmur but it seus
merit in the brave soldier and gentleman
that he did more than his duty, met breast
to breast III single combat the best swords
men of the Federal army, counted his life as
no more than a private soldiers, and seemed
to ask nothing better than to pour out his
hearts blood for the cause in which he fought
J his personal heroism and Hampton had it
|, to grand extent-attracts the admiration
of troops. But there is something better, or
more useful at least-thc power of brain and
force Of character which win the confidence
Of the cOmmander-in -chief When that COM
lnauder-in-chiefis called Robert e. Lee, it is
something to have secured his high regard
and confidence Hampton had won the heart of
Lee, and by that ''nObicst Roman of them alp
his great character and eminent services were
fully recognized. These men seemed to under>
stand each other, and to be Inspired Ey the
same sentiments love of their native land
which never fAited, aud willingness to spend
and be spent to the last drop oil their blood in
the cause which they had espoused Du-
ring General Stuurt's life, Hampton was Sc
cond in command OF the Virginia cavalry:
but when that great cavalier fell, he took
charge Of the whole as ranking officer. His
first blow was that resolute night attack ON
Sheridan 3 force at Mechanicsville, when the
enemy were driven in the dark ness from their
camps, and sprung to horse only in time to
avoid the sweeping sabres of the Soutlrerner
giving up from that moment all further
attempt to enter Richmond. Then came the
long, hard, desperate fighting of the whole
year e64, aud the spring Of S65 AtTr
Williams, Sheridun was driven back, and
Charlottesville saved on the Weldon rail-
road te enemys cavalry, under Kuutz and
Wilson was nearly cut to pieces, and broke
in disorder, leaving OH the roads their wa
gonS, cannOns, ambulances, their dead men
and horses near BeII6eld the Federal col,
umn sent to destroy the railroad was eucouu-
tered, stubborniy opposed and driven back
before they could burn the bridge ct Hicks
ford; at Burgess Mill, near Petcrburg. while
General Grant made his first great blow with
two corps OF Infantry, at the Southside rail:
road, Hampton met them in front and flank.
fought them all an October day nearly. lost
his brave son Preston, dead from u bullet on
the h-ld, but in conjunction with Mahone,
that hardy fighter, sent the enemy in haste
back to their works, thus saving for the time
the great war artery of the Southern army
Thencctorwurd, until he was sent to South
Carolina, Hampton held the right of Lee.
in the woods OF Diuwiddie guarding with his
calvary Gordon the line of the Rowantv. and
| detyi"S all corners. Stout, hardy, composed,
smiling, ready to meet any attack-in those
last days of the strange year 1864. he seemed
to my eyes the beau ideal Of u soldier. The
man appeared to be as firm us a rock as i'm
mOvabIy rooted us one of the gigantic live
oaks OF his native country. When 1 asked
him one day if he expected to be attacked
soon, lie laughed and said, mo; the eueny's
cavalry are afraid to show their NOSES bevund
their infantry" Nur did the federal cavalry
! ever achieve any results in that region until
| the ten Or fifteen thousand crack cavalry Of
| General Sheridan came to tide over the two
thousand men, on starved and broken down
horses of General Fitz Lee, in April, 1865.
From VirHin;a, in the dark winter OF 1864,
! Hampton was sent to oppose with his cavalry
the advance Of General Sherman, and the
| world knows how desperately he fought
! there OH his nutaie Sdlunl More than ever
! before, it.was saber to saber and Hampton
was still in front. When the enemy press
| cd ON to Columbia, he set his fine house
there on FIRE with his own hands. and fell
back, fighting from street to street-and so
continued fighting until the thunderbolt fell
in South Carolina, as it had fallen in Virginia,
at Appon'attox, aud the struggle ended.
The sword that Hampton sheathed that day
was one which no evil of bad faith. cruelty.
or dishoDor had ever tainted 1t was the
blade of a brave and irreproachabse chevalier
of a man who, throughout the most des-
peratc and embittered conflict of all history.
had kept his ancestral name from every blot.
and had proved himself upon a hundred
battle fields the worthy son of the '.mighty
men of old.'' -r- ....
Such, in rough outline, was tl1is brave and