The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1866-03-01

TO him remember the regret experienced
! by these brave gentlemen when Hamptons
| sISnment TO the command of all the cavalry
| separated them from him. The feeling which
they then exhibited left no doubt of the entente
co'di1Ie between the members Of the military
family. General Hampton liked to laugh aad
talK with them around the camp fire to do
them every kindness he could-but that was
! has Weakness toward cycrybody--and to play
chess, draughts, or other games, in the inter-
walls OF fighting or work. One of his passions
was hunting This amusement he pursued
. upon every occason-over the Spo,tsylvania,
| alnld the woods of Dinwiddic and on the riv-
ers of North Carolina. His success was great.
| Ducks, patridgcs, squirrels, turkey and deer
fell before his double barrel, in whatever coun-
| try he pitched his tents. He knew oil the old
| huntsinen IN the regions in which he tarried,
delighted u talk with such upon the noble
| science Of yencry, and was considered by
these dangerous critics thorough sportsman.
! They regarded him, it is said. as a comradc
1 II u undistInguished and sent him, in friendly
recognition VI his merit, presents OF vension
and other game, which was plentiful along the
shores OF the Rowanty, or in the back woods of
| Dinwiddic. Hampton was holding the right
OF General Lco's lines there, in supreme com
| inand OF all the Virginia cavalry; but ii was
not as hunter of =. blue -birds"-so we used
| to call our Northern friends that they re-
| spected him most. 1t was rs n deer hunter
aud have heard That the hard lighting cavil-
! Ter relished, very highly, their good opinion of
nun IN that character. 1t 5 singular that
| love FOR hunting should so often characterize
men OF elegant scholarship and literary tase.
| his great soldier and huntsman was also
| poet; auI one day Stuart spoke in high com
mcndltion OF his writings His prose style
| was forcible and cxcellcnt-in letters, and all
that he wrote. The admirably written ad,
dress 10 the people of South Carolina, which
IL "a. 4,
OF this statement. That paper, like all that
come from him, was compact, vigorous lucid,
written IN English" and cvcrewherc betray-
Ell the scholar no less than the patriot. |, will
live when thousand octavos have disappeared
Such was Wade Hampton, the inan-a gen
tlcmhn OF refinement, purity, and elevation in
every fibre Of his being. 1t was impossible 10
imagine anything coarse or proGane in the ac-
| ucn or uiteraucc of the man. An oath never
soilcd his lips. "po bring up that artillery ~
or somo equivalent exclamation, was his near
est approach TO irritation even. Such was the
supreme control which this man, OF CHARACTER
'..t- as., iJ-ce and re-o.l.ior, had over his
passions. For under that simplicity and kind.
~ courtesy was the largely Jldel nature of
one ready To go to the death wnen honor called.
In single word, 1t was powerful organiza-
hon under complete control which the prescat
writer seemed to recognize in Wade Hampton
Under that mcekness and dignity which made
him conspicuous among the first gentlemen of
lis epoch, was The stubborn spirit OF the bora
older.
Little space is lef; TO speak of him IN mis- mil
itary character l preferred to dwell upon
Hampton, the man, as he appeared to mc-for
Hampton the General, will find many historians
Some traits of the soldier, however, muss not
be omittcd-this character is too eminent 10
be drawn only in profile. On the field, Hamp-
ton was noted for his coolnes.. TAis never
lett him. II might almost b, called rerosc,
50 perfect was it, lie was never an exc,ia5le
man, anl as doubt and danger pressed heavier,
his cguaumiiy seemed TO increase. You could
&c, that his was truly stubborn spirit. do
not think that any body who knew him could
even Imagine Wade Hampton ''hurried" :" His
nerve was made of invincihle stuff and his en-.
tirc absence of all exc liability on the field was
spoken Of by his enemies a fault. 1t was
said that bis cOOlncss amounted TO a defect in
q cavalry leader; that lac wanted the dash, rush,
and impetus which this branch of the service
demands. If there was any general truth III
this criticism there was in particular instau
ccs. Hampton was sufficiently hcadlong when
! saw hin-was one of the most thoroughly
successful commanders imaginable and Ger
:niuly seemed to have \ natural turn for going
IN front of his column with the drawn sabre.
What tie French call elan is not, however, the
greatest merit in soldier Behind the strong
arm is the very brain. Cool and collected res.
o!ut!on, comprehensive survey of the whole
field, and tho most excellent dispositions for
attack or dcIencc--su were the supreme mer.
its Of this great soldier. / could never divest
myself of tho idea that, corps commander
oiinlaGlry, he would have figured among tho
most cmncn; names OF history. With an un-
cioudcd brain, n c0up = cI a. clear as q raw
oft The sun; invinciblc before danger: never aur
ricl, anxious or dc spondenI; content 10 wait;
toJ wary even 10 be surprised; looking to great
trials OF strength, aud 20 general rcsults-the
man possessing these traits Of character was
better lifted, always thought, for the command
OF troops of all arm7--infanry, cavalry an
arti.lcry-than for one arm alone. But with
,hat arm which he ommanded-cayalry- what
splendid results did he achieve. In how many
perilouS straits was his tall figure seen in front
of the Southern horscmcn, bidding them ''come
ON. not "go on lie was not only the com
mandcr, but the SIbrcur too. Thousands will
remember how his s;alwart form lowered in
the van at Frederick City, at Uppcrvile. at
Getty burg, ut Trcyillians, and IN n hundred
other fights. Nothing more superb could bo
maginci than Hampton at such moments
There was no furry IN the mau-but determin~
ed resolution. No doub, OF the result apparent.
y no looking for an avenue ofretreat. .'Sabre
10 Sabre" might have been taken as the motto
of his banner. In the "heady fight" he was
everywhere seen, amid the clouds of smoke
the crashing SHE'LL and the whistling balls,
oh Nc, IL. 4. L. Z.