Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-08-31


ugly customer to deal with, in any case. Ar
thur would not, perhaps, have abandoned
himself so quietly to repose, had he suspected
that 80 formidable foe was in his neighbor.
hood, and, all unawares, approaching the
very spot where he lay. ..
ITO be Continued
giugraphifal Sketfhes.
GENERAL WADE HAMPTON.
I'm the issue of the ENQUIRER, of date of Janu-
ary 18th, 1870, first appeared the suboned sketch
of General WADE HAMPTON, written for the COL
umns of this paper by talented son of Carolina,
who has since removed from the State. 1t was
prepared and published simply as biographical
sketch of an illustrious citizen of the State whose
name was an embodiment ofvirtue and valor and
was not intended to subserve any political or
other purpose.
The recent nomination of General Hampton to
the chief Magistracy of the State, again brings
his name prominently before the people and at
taches deep interest to the principal events in
his past career. We presume our readers will re-
quire no apology from us, for again presenting
in our columns the principal events in the life OF
one so much endeared to the people Of the State,
and around whose name somuch present interest
attaches.
By birth, residence, education, and charac-
ter, General Wade Hampton is South Caro-
linian. Perhaps no better representative man
could be found-representative, in that he
combines in himself fairer share of those
better qualities of mind and character, of
which southerners are so uniformly proud, and
upon which the genuine South Carolinian bases
bis individuality. He is a type or representa-
tive man of both section and State.
His grandfather-Colonel Hampton, Of
Revolutionary fame, and afterward General
in the war of 1S12-bore the same name As
q partisan officer of the forces of Marion and
Sumter, he was noted for the rapidity, bold
ness, and success of his movements. In the
Late War-that of. 1812-he received the
appointment of Brigadier, and several under
General Dearborn in the operations against
Canada.
His father-Col. Wade Hampton served
as aide. .de.camp with General Andrew Jack
son in the defence Of New Orleans
Thus three generations have served with
distinction in war.
Lieutenant.G General Wade Hampton-the
subject of the present sketch-was born in
Charleston, in the year 1918. He entered the
South Carolina College in 1885. His gradu-
ting speech was upon Tasso. The peculiar
character of the man appeared while yet q
youth, in his conduct at great fire in Column
bia, where he won the admiration of older
heads hx the GOODNESS farsthousht, aud daring
which he exhibited. From his earliest boy
hood he was noted for his fondness for hunt.
ing and he has enjoyed, from that time, the
reputation of being the best shot and the most
successful huntsman in the State.
He served before the war in both branches
of the State Legislature The most memora-
BILE public measure that he led, was the oppo-
sition to the re-opening of the African slave
trade. He was in the Senate at that time.
Governor Adams, in his message, had recon-
mended the re-opening of that trade; and the
committee to which the subject was referred,
submitted report favorable to it, Senator
Hampton was member Of that committee,
and was the writer of minority report which
took strong grounds against the action OF the
majority. His treatment of his own slaves
was always humane, of which fact We shall
have further evidence in events that have oc-
Cured since the war. He is said to have been
the owner of greater number of slaves than
any other planter in his State. He married
first Miss Preston, of Virginia; and, second,
Miss McDufie-a daughter of Governor Nc
Dufie, of South Carolina. His home, at Co.
lumbia, has been characterized as 'the abode
of splendid hospitality, and as one of the most
superb residences in the United States" This
was destroyed by Sherman's troops at the time
they burned Columbia, in February, 1860.
The house was isolated, and must have been
fred sepsrately-one among the thousands OF
instances of violation of the laws and rights
of war, in the destruction Of private property.
When the War of secession arose, in 1861,
Wade Hampton entered service as private
in Captain A. R. Taylor's Congaree Mounted
Rifemen, which did service near Charleston
during the reduction of Fort Sumter, in April
of that year.
AS soon as the invasion of Virginia made
that State the theatre of the war-early in
1861-and it became manifest that a general
war was inevitable, he set about forming his
command to take part in it. This command
consisted of all three branches Of the militia
ry-cavalry, infantry and srtillery-and was
known throughout the war as the Hampton
Legion. This was organized at Columbia du-
ring the early summer, and went on to Vir.
ginia in time to join in the Battle of Manas-
sas-the Bull Run of the northerners. The
Legion bore with it banner presented by the
ladies of hia native State, which was destined
to wave over many bloody field. In the
First Battle of Manassas, the Hampton LIE.
gion held the Warrenton Road against the
brigade of Keyes. Overwhelming numbers
bore them back short distance, but forming
on the right of Jackson's Stonewall Brigade,
they did heroic service in turning the tide of
an almost desperate day. Gen. Beauregard,
in his official report, spoke of the Legion with
the highest praise, mentioning that it "aided
in restoring the fortunes of the day, at a time
when the enemy, by last desperate onset,
with heavy odds, had driven the Confederates
from the 6ercely contested ground about the
Henry House. Colonel Hampton's horse
was shot under him early in the action, and
later he was severely wounded in the head
with a rife ball.
The Hampton Legion took part in all the
battles of the Peninsula, moving with John
stons army up to the defence of Richmond.
In the battle of Seven Pines-31 May, 1862
Colonel Hampton was again wounded: Then
came the Seven Day Fight before Richmond,
beginning with Mechanicsvile and ending
with Malvern Hills, in which he and his Le-
gion-already famous for Its brilliant achieve
ments, and already everywhere felt to carry
with it the prestige of a legion of veterans
took distinguished part. 1t was after the Bat
tie of Cold Harbour that Colonel Hampton
was promoted to be Brigadier-Genera of
Cavalry. ..... -. -
From this time-July. 1882-until the
death of General Stuart-May. l8R4-Gener.