Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-11-14
OBITUARY
Lieut. utenant.G eneral William J
Hardee.

Perhaps no officer in the army Of the
Confederate States of America was
more successful in all he undertook
than General Hardee.
General Hardee, a native of the city
of Savannah in the State of Georgia,
was born in the year 1917. In 1884 he
entered West Point as q cadet and
graduating with honor four years after
wards, was commissioned Second-Lieu-
tenant, in the Second United States
Dragons and sent to Florida, where
he served for two years.
On 3rd December, 1899, he was pro-
NOTED to a First t-Lieutenancy, and
sent to the celebrated French military
school at st. Maur. There, he was reg
ularly attached to the cavalry branch
of the French Army. After perfecting
himself as acavalry officer, he returned
to the United States bringing Il hatter-
ing letter of recommendation from
Marshal Oudiuot to the Secretary of
War az Washington City.
Lieutenant Hardee quickly reform
ing his regiment soon became actively
employed in defending the advanced
settlements of their Western frontier
from Indian depredations.
On the 18th of September, 1914, he
was promoted to be q Captain of
Dragons, and accompanied General
Taylor across the Rio Grande to the
Mexican Campaign. He was taken
prisoner at place called C'rricitOs,
being overwhelmed by superior num-
bers and was compelled to remain
captive for several months, bat was
exchanged III time to take part III the
siege of Monterey He was promoted
for gallantry to be Major of Cavalry
on the 25th of March, 1915, and for
subsequent meritorions conduct was
made brevet Lieutenant Colonel.
In the regular army he was
promoted to the the rank of Major
III the famous Second Cavalry Regi-
ment, OF which Albert Sydney Johu-
ston was Colonel and Robert f. Lee
was Lieutenant-C Colonel Jefferson
Davis, then Secretary of War. detailed
Major Hardee to prepare system of
infantry tactics, and the fruit Of his
labors was "Hardee's Tactics" so well
known throughout the South. In 1856,
on the completion of the Tactics, y
Major Hardee was ordered to West
Point with the local rank of Lieutenant
Colonel, where he remained with the
exception of one years absence in
Europe, until he WAS promoted to the
full rank Of Lientenant-Colonel of
cavalry il the regular army-a
position that Ie rcsigred on the 31st
of January, 1861. About the last of
February, 1861, he offered his
services to the Confederate Government
at Montgomery, Alabama. They were
gladly accepted, and ha was commits
stoned Colonel of the First Regiment
of Infantry, assigned to duty ut Fort
Morgan, with instructions to take all
the approaches to Mobile under his
charge. In June he was appointed
Brigadier- General and sent to Arkansas,
from whence he was transferred to
| Kentucky. Having been appointed q
Major General, q portion of the forces
under his command OH the 18th De
cember, 1861, fought the battle of
| Munfordsvillc He remained at
Bowling Green all the winter as second
! in command at that post. At the bat
tie of Shiloh his zeal, ability and
skill were especially conspicuous.
From this time General Hardee. with
his corps was attached to Bragg's Ar
my and commanded its left wing at the
battle of Perryville, where his condnct
won him the commission of Lieuten-
| ant-General. At the battle of Murfrees-
boro Lieutenant. General Hardee took
a conspicuous part, his corps consist
ing of Breckinridge and Cleburne's
| Divisions.
| After the battles of Chickamauga,
Lookout Mountain and Missionary
Ridge, in which he took a distinguish
ed part, Lieutenant-G Hardee
was appointed temporarily to succeed
General Bragg in the general command.
| On the 18th Of January. 1863,
General Hardee married Mary T.
Lewis, a daughter of the late
Richard II. Lewis, of Pitt county,
North Carolina. Returning again tc
the command of his Corps, after the
appointment of General Joseph E.
Johnston to the command Of the Yves
tern Army, General Hardee remained
with it until President Davis visited
the camp after Hood succeeded John
ston in September, 1864, after the
evacuation of Atlanta. when he was re
! lieved at his own request and appoint
ed to command the department O
South Carolina. After the fall o.
Charleston and Columbia Hardee re
joined Johnston's Army and continued
with it until the surrender at Greens
boro, after which he made his home i,
Alabama.
His deatl. occurred at Wytheville
Virginia, on Thursday last.