Richland beacon., 1873-11-15
Death OfGeneral w. j. lIardec.

Ire death Of this distinguished soldier will
be inoufned wnl deep and sincere sorrow
throughout the South There was not one of
the Corirderate chiefs who 50 richly meri ed
the "ulogies which have heen bestowed on
HIM, and who SO modrstly bore the honor, he
had 50 bravey won General ilar,iee was
native Georgian He was an excellent stu.
dent. ami won II hi"h position "a, West Point
when quite young man. On account Of ~.
eAactDess and scientific attauments he wa,
appointed. after his graduation, to the COM
nIand Of the cadet, at West Ponr, and in this
position his drl! and discipline Of our young
sol''icts were regarded as superior TO those of
any Of hi. predecessors
His first active service was as a lieutenant
Of the Second Dragons, in the beg ming of
the operations on the Rio oGramde.-wh.n sec.
ond in command Of the detachment of dra.
goons, under Captain Thomson, he managed
To Gu, lis way with "A small portion of the
command through a large Mexican force.
which had ambushcd and captured Thorn
ton After serving through the Mexican war
with distinguished merit, Captain Hauhee
turned his attention To the close and scientific
study OF his profession, and became so lamil-
lar with all It's branches that the Government
tingu>hed young officers as member of
. commission 10 proceed To Europe with vew
Of Studying and iauniIiarizng themselves with
the reforms and pecuiiarr'ies in the various
systems of the great military Powers Of the
continent.
The result ofthis mission was the in,roduc.
ton of great changes III The drill discipline
aud organization If our army these chang
cd by Cal tain Harde-, which superseded
thar OF General Scott, that had hng been the
text book tn our military schools, and of he
army. "llardees Tactics have continued,
ever since their first publication. to br accept
eti rs the hl@lIest authority. and as the elr
mentary work on the subject. Before the Late
civil war, the copy right "i thi, book was
source of handsome inrome to the Captain
and during The war that inroile would have
been sweiled to princrly proportions if he had
adopted the Northern side and cause in that
contest.
But though no politician, Major Harlce-
for he had Zen promoted To a ma oriry in one
Of the three mounted regiments created un.
der III" administration OF President Pierce
felt bound 10 e>pouse the cause of his naive
South. In the war which followed, he was
appointed Bri2adier, subsequently M,lor
and Lieutenant General. all OF winch grades
he won byrii- most efficient. faithful and ral-
liant services IN all the campaigns in the West.
ern army. His services extended far beyoud
the mere leading aud handling of his COM
mands in many desperate battles. |, was in
the discipline. organizati''n and equipment;
the momltimg of the raw lcvies, which made
up ine Confederate armies that General tIar
dee rendered. the greatest scfv,ces % his corn.
try and cause. La tiie,e duties he was with
Out an equal on the continent.
Nor wash deticiehr in any Of the qualities
of commander in the field. except t!tse of
audar,y and Of that reckles, imretuosiry and
seHre!iance. WHICH are regarded as essential
q"ailhca"""> in revolutionary chieftans. IL
happened, too, ti'"' in many Of the imuor,an,
battles and campaigns OF ,h. Wa.,.r, ,,,,,
General Hardrc was ranked by u....rs ,,r
ferior qualifications aud experience In s.I,
service Battles were losi--une very critical
and important one-in which il was believed
that had General Hardte assumed the com.
mand, the result would have been quite diff.
ieIent.
But always honest, faithful, unseliish and
unambi,ious beyond the desire TO discharge.
his duty with fidelity and energy, he never
engaged IN any of the rvslries inirigues to Sc.
cure promotion and precedence and, indeed,
rather shrunk from the chief command Of
large armies.
In the great operations Of Shermans over
whelming army, beginning at Dalton and
sweeping through Georgia, Gen. Hardee was
sometimes the first. but oftener the second,
in command Of the rctreatng Confederate
army, until at last. reaching Savanah, his ma
tive city, he there made the last stand and
fought the last fight that army and of hi,
military career, which closed. as il had begun.
with honor and gIoy. No chiefiain's es.
cu'cheon battered, a, II had been in a hun.
dred battles, was ever freer Eom reproarh,
or even criticism. Never a word of unkipd.
ness nor even OF harshness. could he hea ii in
the large armies he had led through so many
trying and peril aus scenes. His soldier,
were devoted to him. bis subordinates looked
up 10 him with the affection and confidence
Of pupils to a beloved tutor, snd his associates
in command, his brother Generals, ever re-
garded him with broherly affection and con.
fience. He was incapable of jealousy or
rivalry, and avoided all distracting controyer..
sizes and intriyues, so frequent among military
chieftains.
the close of his military csreer, Gen. Hardee
in civil life maintained the same high and no.
BILE characteristic of true and knightly gen.
tiernan, soldier patriot, and modest and virtu.
ous citizen. His decease will dffuse gener
al and profound sorrow through his native
State. Georgia in him has lost one of her
most worthy sons, whose name nust ever
shine with bright and steady light in the
long roll of her eminent patriots and heroes
y. o. Herald