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

hammock river, which was that winter the line
between the Federal and Confederate armies
On the 1st, he made surprise excursion across
the river, in which he fell Unexpectedly upon
two squadrons of Federal cavalry; captured
several officers and a hundred men. and all
without any loss on bis sde On the 18th, he
made successful dash upon Dumfries; and
again, on the 18th. a still more successful one,
in which he brought of hundred and thirty
prisoners. .@7'. '..'
In the splendid and eventful but varied op.
erations of 1863, General Hampton did some
of the most gallant fighting of the whole war.
In the Battle of Brandy Station bis command
consisted of the First and Second South Car.
olina Cavalry, the First North Carolina Cav
airy, and the Cobb, JEFF Davis, and Phillips
Legions-all cavalry and moun led artillery.
The fight was obstinate and bloody. The
character of the contest and the spirit shown
by the Confederates, appear in the striking
fact that every field officer to whom the com.
mand successfully fell was wounded-Colonel
Baker of the First North Carolina; then Col.
Young, of Cobb's Legion then Col. Black,
of the First South Carolina; then Lieut.. Col.
Lipscomb, of the Second South Carolina. The
important results of that engagement are a
part of history. The limited space at our
disposal here does not allow US to present
them. ......-
In Lees Pennsylvania campaign the caval.
ry had some of the most arduous service; and
the gallant performance of the duties exacted
of them by those trying circumstances, estab.
lished for them that prestige which they bore
into the memorable warfare around Richmond
and Petersburg in 1914 warfare, in its in.
equality of forces, and the heroism displayed
in it, and its ends accomplished by daring and
endurance, unparalleled in history.
In the grand drama of Gettysburg-those
three July days of the riot of red death
General Hampton took part. What part he
took appears in the effects upon the field and
those which followed quickly after. Upon the
field, he was three times wounded !; and his
command so torn by the terrific work, that Of
the twenty. three field officers in his brigade,
twenty.on were either killed or wounded.
Soon after, General Hampton-up to this time
Brigadier-was promoted to be Major.Gen-
eral. The Confederate government, made du'
ly sensible of the service done, was not reluc.
tant to accord to him its appropriate recogni'
tion and reward-promotion
To detail the many operations of Hampton's g
cavalry from the memorable days Of Gettys-
burg to the still more memorable days of May,
1864, might come within the limits of biog.
raphy; but cannot, within those of brief
sketch like this . ...
Upon the death of Stuart-May, 1864
General Hampton became commander-in-chief
of the cavalry branch of Lees Army.
As a part of his grand move on Richmond,
Grant sent Sheridan to deal some blows co.
operative to that end. Sheridan was TO take
Gordonsville and Charlottesville, and destroy
their railway connections; after which he was
to move on and capture Lynchburg in con-
junction with Hunter. On the 10th of June,
at Trevilian's Station on the Central Rail-
road, Sheridan discovered an unlooked-for re-
sistance. Hampton's troops were forming
across bis route. On the morning of the 11th,
the battle was fought; battle hardly sur.
-aassad during tho whole waE ia its determined
and almost desperate daring. Sheridan was
severely handled, and his expedition thwarted.
Rapid movements on the part of Hampton
brought these commanders again and again
in contact-at the White House, at Forge
Bridges, and finally at Samaria Church, where
Sheridan's forces were handsomely routed.
This brilliant achievement accomplished,
Hampton was returning to rejoin Lees army,
on the 26th of June, after three weeks of Her.
culean service, when new task appeared for
him. This was to intercept and damage Will
cons command, who was ascertained to be
en- route from Staunton River bridge for
Grants army. Fitz Lee was to cooperate
with an artillery and infantry force placed at
Ream's Station. Hampton found Wilson at
Sappony Church, broke his main line Of bat
tie, and kept up a hot and embarrassing pur-
suit for several days. The troops at Reams'
Station added further to the discontinue
and the whole affair added laurels to Lees
cavalry arm, and inspired degree of caution
in Sheridan's cavalry that they never fully
recovered from until some days after the af'
fair at Appomattox. Hampton took eight
hundred 5000 prisoners. A summary of
these operations, beginning on the 18th of
June-two days before he met Sheridan at
Trevillian's-is thus given in General Hamp.
toms official report: During this time--a
period of twenty-three days-the command
had no rest, was badly supplied with rations
and forage-marched upward of four hundred
miles-fougbt the greater portion Of six days
and one entire night-captured upward oftwo
thousand prisoners, many guns, small arms,
wagons, horses, and other materials ofwar,
and was completely successful in defeating
two of the most formidable and we'll organized
expeditions of the enemy. This was accom-
plished at a cost, in my division, of seven
hundred and nineteen (71y killed, wounded
and missing. The men have borne their pri'
vations with perfect cheerfulness they have
fought admirably, and I wish to express, be.
fore closing my reports, not only my thanks
to them for their good conduct, but my pride
at having had the honor to command them"
This language is characteristic of the man.
Candid and generous as he is brave, none can
be more ready to accord to others their due
need of praise. ....... ....t...:. ....
Then came few months of lull. Rest there
could not be. That eternal vigilance which
is said to be the price of liberty, is veritable
condition of existence in the face of such an
enemy under such circumstances.
The 18th of September is the date of Hamp-
toms famous Beef Raid. This consisted Of
first ascertsining that an immense shipment
of beefcattle had been received by Grant at
City Point, and were kept east of that place
short distance and in the rear of the Federal
army and of secondly making dash around
Grants left wing, and driving off four hun.
dred prisoners and twenty-five hundred
beeves. This was beef enough, one estimate
makes it, to feed fifty thousand men for about
six weeks, allowing pound of beef to the
ration.
1t was on the 2Sth of October that Gener-
al Hampton lost a son in battle. Both his
sons, who were in service with him, were
lo.I onnf-