Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-07
NO. 81.

| spirit made him capable Of the greatest en-
durance; his impulsive nature, he subjected e
theseverest discipline; strictly obedient tcI the
orders OF his own superiors, it was an exam
pie which no man could disregard. Many
feared that he woald be rash in action. but
in an emergency of the greatest danger and
peril, he was so calm and deliberate that
even the tones Of his voice were as sweet
and low rs woman's, but determined. With
out a tremor, and full Of inspiration. The
history Of his Company, his Regiment, his
Brigade is we'll known to YOU all. They
were composed Of your sons and brothers.
ard how anxiously did YOU watch their
every step through all the struggle of our
great Revolution; from the morning Of the
twentieth Of May, 1861, when they lef you
with buoyant hearts and noble emulation.
until the day, that with ranks thinned BY
more than thirty pitched battles, they stood
a devoted band by cur noble ehieftain, Gen.
Lee, when his little army was oyerpowered
by the combined legions Of our enemies.
feel that ADLER hands than mine could
not do justice 10 General Hatton's history as
a soldier. His kindness to his men and their
great attachment for him; his CELEBRITY Of
movement, and his promptness to obey every
order, soon brought him To the prominent
notice Of his superior, officers His spirit
and ceurag4 belonged to The ageof chiyalry.
The survivors OF his old regimentall we'll re-
member the speech that he made us at Hun
tersville, Virginia, at the commencement OF
our first campaign, in which he said that he
should rather his bones should bleach ON
the mountain sides, at whose base he stood,
than ever return to his home withthe slight
est stain upon his honor, or theslightest bleni-
ish upon his escutcheon. His first campaign
was the ever memorable onein the mountains
of Western Virginia. General Lee was in
command, and a warm friendship sprang up
between these noble christian soldiers. He
next followed the fortunes Of cur glorious
Stonewall jackson in his celebrated expe-
ditions to Bath and Romney. 1t was in the
dead Of winter, but his spirit never for an
instant tagged, and on bleak, cold night,
he led his men TO the banks of the Potomac
the stream filed with floating Iceland
but awaited the command to march through
it and attack the enemy upon their own
soil. 'a IS is1 isi ,f...t
Wherever he was placed, Hatton was
known to his commander, and whenever
courage, energy and 'elerity Of movement
were requisite, Hatton was called for. He
first Joined the arny Of Northern Virginia
at Yorktown, just before Gen. Johnston re-
tired upon Richmond. In that celebrated
movement, for the first time in command Of
a brigade, he was assigned to the post Of
honor, and SO satisfactorily did he perform
his duty, that ere we had reached the vicin-
ity of the capital, the President rendered
him the appointment Of Brigadier General.
He received his commission in Nav, 1862.
and at sunset upon the last day Of that
month, he fell while heroically discharging
his duty, in his first great battle.
1t is proper that such mind should thus
glide from these scenes of worldly trouble.
1t is just that bright exhalation, which
has shone so brilliantly should disappear
thus suddenly ere it begins to fade, that the
fire Of so noble an intelligence should not
deminish, and gradually and slowly go out
amid decrepitude and physical decay; but
that like the meteor shooting across the
heavens, Illuminating the earth, it should
sink suddenly and forever into the earth
from which it sprung. Eminent as law
yer, a statesman, ard a soldier, we now come
to view him-a hero still-ia the last grand
tragedy that closed his life The rain had
descended like flood upon the earth, and
dark clouds obscured the sun that ushered
in the day upon which he died.
The treacherous Chickahominy, suddenly
swollen, spurned its banks and sent its
angry waters through field and forrest. but
its roar was unheard and lost amid the din
of that conflict which was staining its wat
ers with blood, and ushering many noble
soul up TO the presence Of its God Until a
late hour Hatton's Brigade was held i'm re-
serve, and only when the fortunes of
the day were most doubtful was he or
dered to the front. President Davis,
General Lee and noble Joe Johnston were
together ON the field. In their immediate
presence General Hatton formed his line,
while they anxiousiy awaitedthe result Of his
expected charge. Mounted upon a splendid
horse, who seemed almost inspired with the
spirit of his rider, General Hatton pissed
along his line, anirnating the weak and Sc
curing the confidence of the most intrepid.
In the uncertain light of that closing day
and smoking field, his gray Jarbardine and
cleaning sword marked the way for The line
that followed him, and loud upon the gath-
ering gloom of his last hour sounded the
full round tones of his voice, !" forward. my
brave boys, forward" The little field was |
crossed, and, struggling through marsh of |
ALLEN timbers and rank grass, that devoted |
line passed from the view Of our noble |
President and glorious chieftains-passed |
many of them, alas from the high achieve
nent of soldiers life to soldiers glorious
rave. ~
And it would be unjust on this occasion,
While we express our veneration for him
Vho is the immediate subject of these re-
marks, to omit a most affectionate and crate
al mention of the brave boys who stood
nth him, and with the same devotion, the
anne spirit offered up their lives in the
ause which they had SO heroically espoused.
Suford and Baird, the brave Mitchell An
ersch and Asa Hill, with hundred others.
those memories will be forever green within
ur hearts, sleep with Hatton. Their graves
re scattered from the green mountains of
Western Virginia TO the sands Of the PENN
lla Undisturbed they rest upon the banks
{ the Rapidan and the Rappahannock, and
mid the swamps of the hickahominy. l.
md in the fields Of the dead, around our
evoted city of Richmond, there lies many
ne Of that old Brigade. GIoriousIy did
ley die, those who rendered up their souls
! battle, they fulfilled the highest duty
ankind owes to this world, they died for | (
leir country. They fell upon stricken
elds that their own valor had already half I
on, the earthquake voice Of victory was in
leir ears. speak the history Of the battles
Northern Virginia, and their dying gaze &
roudly turned upon their triumphant flag. {
onor, eternal, immortal honor 70 the brave Z
no baptised their patriotism with their
ood {
Let us now return 10 the central figure in '
at fearful battle scene. The life we have I
aced by the flashing lights Of honor. which {
nblazon It's every page, nov nears its glo- c
ous climax and is close. Dashing and I
arless as was ever mortal man, he rides '
fore his men and cheers them on. His :
rise is slain. On foot he presses forward. {
be mystic light Of evening Is lurid with |
e blaze Of hostile guns, the multitudinous .
Of death are thicker than rain
ops in tropic showers Amid that storm. 7
thed in that iurid light, his slender form A
blimely moves, q moment towers among. a
en- sinks between the surging waves Of n
e. The Patriot hero dies upon the reek-
: field, and his eagle spirit mounts the l
n clouds Of war 70 meet the Patriots God il
peace. Oh how happy thus to die upon q
E field Of honor, tins 70 have escaped the a
ubts and troubles Of these evil and v
settled times. Shrined in a thousand i
ring hearts, he rests in peace. Generation
err generation shall revere his memory | z
honor his proud name In happier | a
ars 10 come his grave shall be the Mecca tc
young ambition and OF patriot love- But al
i We mourn our dead, we mourn our dead Al
Il al IL