The news and herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1876-1881, 1876-12-14

destined to wave over many q
bloody field. In the First Battle of
Manassas, the Hampton Legion held
the WaTenton Road against the
brigade Of Keyes. Overwhelming
numbers bore them back a short dis
tance, but forming ON the right OF
Jackson's Stonewall Brigade, they
did heroic service in turning the
tide of an almost desperate day
General Beauregard, in his officia
report, spoke of the Legion with
the highest praise, mentioning thai
it "i.ided in restoring the fortunes
Of the day, at tho timo when tho
enemy, by q last desperate onset
with heavy odds, had driven the
Confederates from the fiercely con
tested ground about the Henry
House" D." Col. Hampton's horse was
shot under him carly in the action,
and later he was severely wounded
in the head with a rifle ball.
The Hampton Legion took part
in all the battles of the Peninsular
moving with Johnston's s army up tc
the defense of Richmond. In the
battle of Seven Pines-31st May
1S62-Col. Hampton was again
wounded. Then came the Seven
Days Fight before Richmond, be-
ginning with Mechanicsville and
ending with AIalvern's Hills, in
which he and his Legion ALREADY
famous for it's brilliant achievements
and already everywhere felt to carry
with it the prestige of legion OF
veterans-took distinguished part.
It was after the battle of Cold
Harbor that Col. Hampton was pro,
noted to be Brigadier General OF
Cavalry.
From this time--July, 1862
until the death Of General Stuart
May, 1S64-General Hampton serv-
ed under General Stuart, who was
Lees first officer of cavalry in his
Army of Northern Virginia. At
Stuart's death; Hamp on was ad-
vanced to the commander-in-chief OF
Lees cavalry. But we are anticipat-
ngttbe course of events. Let us
return to the winter of 1862.
During December, 1862, Gen.
Hampton-then q Brigadier-did
brilliant service in three memorable
dashes across the Rappahannocl;
River, which was that winter the
line between the Federal and Con-
federate armies. On the first he
made a surprise excursion across
the river, in which he fell unex-
pectedly upon two sqnadrons of
Federal cavalry, captured several
officers and hundred men, and all
without any loss on his side. On
the the llth, he made successful
dash upon Dumfries and again, on
the 10Th, a still more successful one,
i which he brought off hun :lred
and thirty prisoners.
In the splendid and eventful but
varied operations OF 1868, General
Hampton did some of the most gal
liant fighting of the whole war. In
the battle of Brandy Station his
command consisted of the First and
Second South Carolina Cavalry, the
First North Carolina Cavalry and
the Cobb, jeff Davis and Phillip
Legions-all cavalry and mounted
artillery. The fg'lt was obst nate
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 command successively fell was
wounded-Col. Baker, of the First
North Carolina; then Colonel
Young, of Cobb's Legion; then Col.
Bllck, of the First South Carolina
then Lieutenant Colonel Lipscomb,
of the Second South Carolina The
important results of that engage
m mt are part of history. The
limited space ct our disposal here
does not allow us to present them.
In Lees Pennsylvania campaign,
the cavalry had some of the most
arduous service and the gallant
performance of the duties exacted
of them by those trying circum-
stances, established for them that
prestige which they bore into the
memorable, warfare around Rich
mond and Petersburg in 1864
warfare, in it's inequality of forces
and the heroism displayed in it, and
it's 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---Gen. Hampton tool
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 wound
ed, and his command so torn by the
terrific work that of the twenty
three field officers in his brigade
! twenty-one we're either killed oi
wounded. Soon. after General
Hampton--up to this time ,y,e
Brigadier--was promoted to be 8
Major General, The Confederate
government, made duly sensibleso o,
the seryice done, was not reluctant
to accord to him it's appropriate
recognition aud reward--promo
ton. 4f1 }ls7 is sS4g ~
\ / To detail the many operations O.
| Gen. Hampton's cavalry from tht