The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-09-14
GEN. WADE HAMPTON.
A GEOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
BY J. WOOD DAVIDSON.
From the Horkvale Enquirer.

In the issue of the Enquirer, of datt
of January 18th, 1870, first appeared tht
subioined sketch of Gen. Wade Hampton
written for the columns of this paper by
a talented son of Carolina, who has sinct
removed from the State. Itwas prepared
and published simply as q biographies
sketch of an illustrious citizen of the
/ State, whose name was an embodiment
of virtue and valor; and was not inten
ded to subserve any political or othel
| purpose. -,,5l. .. -.si ,,
The recent nomination of Genera
Hampton to the Chief Magistracy of the
State, again brings his name prominently
before the people. and attaches deeE
interest to the principal events in biz
past career. We presume our readers
will require no apology from us for again
presenting in our columns the principal
events in the life of one so much en-:
deared to the people of the State, and
around whose name 80 much present in
terest attaches:
By birth, residence, education and
character, General Wade Hampton is
South Carolinian. Perhaps no better
representative man could be found-rep-
resentative in that he combines in him
self a fairer share of those better quail
ties of mind and character, of which
Southerners are so uniformly proud, and
upon which the genuine South Carolinian
bases his individuality. He is o type OF
representative man of both section and
State.
His grandfather-Colonel Hampton
of Revolutionary fame, and afterwards
General in the war Of 1812-bore the
same name. AS partisan officer of the
forces of Marion and Sumter, ne was
noted for the rapidity, boldness and sue
cess of his movements. In the late wal
that of 1S12-he received the appoint
ment of Brigadier, and served under
Gen. Dearborn in the operations against
Canada.
His father, Col. Wade Hampton, served
as aide-de-camp with Gen. Andrew Jack.
son in the defense of New Orleans.
| Thus three generations have served with
distinction in war.
Lieutenant 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 graduating speech was upon
| lasso. The peculiar character of the
man appeared while yet a youth, in hlI
conduct at great fire in Columbia, where
he won the admiration of older heads by
the, coolness, forethought and daring
which he exhibited. From his earliest
boyhood he was noted for his fondness
for hunting; and has enjoyed, from thai
time, the reputation of being the bes1
shot and the most successful huntsmar
in the State. =,
Ec served before the war in both
branches of the State Legislature. The
most memorable public measure that be
led, was the opposition to the re-openine
of the African slave. trade. He was in
the Senate at that time. Gov. Adams
| in his message, had recommended the
re-opening Of that trade; and the com,
mittee to which the subject was referred
submitted report favorable to it. Sen
ator Hampton was member OF that
committee, and was the writer of mi
nority 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 Vir'
ginia, and second Miss McDufie, 8
daughter of Gov. McDuffe,- of South
Carolina. His home, at Columbia, has
been characterized as the "abode .oi
splendid hospitality, and as one OF the
most superb residences in the United
States" This was destroyed by Sher:
mans troops at the time they burned
Columbia, in February, 1866. The house
was isolated, and must have been fired
separately-one among the thousands o.
instances of violation of the laws and
rights of war, in the destruction of pri'
vate property. .ag4l $50.
When the war of secession arose in
1861, Wade Hampton entered service as
private in Captain A. r. Taylor's Con.
garee Mounted Ridemen, which did ser.
vice 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 1S61-and it became manifest
that general war was inevitable, he sci
about forming his command to take part
in it. This command consisted of all
three. branches Of the military-cayalry,
infantry and artillery-and was known
throughout the war as the Hampton Le.
gion. This was organized at Columbia
during the early summer, and went on to
Virginia in time to join in the battle Of
Manassas Bull Run of the North.
erners. The Legion bore with it a ban
ner presented by the ladies of his native
State, which was destined to wave over
many a bloody field. In the First Battle
of Manassas, the Hampton Legion 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 brl
gade, they did heroic service in turning
the tide of an almost desperate day
General Beauregard, in his official report
spoke of the Legion with the highest
praise, mentioning that it "aided in re-
storing the fortunes of the day, at tht
time when the enemy, by last desperate
onset, with heavy odds, had driven tht
Confsderates from the fiercely contested
ground about the Henry House" Col
Hampton's horse was shot under hin
early in the action, and later he was Sc
verely wounded in the head with rifle
ball. .r.,!a .a
The Hampton Legion took part i'll al
the battles of the Peninsular, moving
with Johnston's army up to the defense
of Richmond. In the battle of Sever
Pines-91st May, lls62-Col. Hampton
was again wounded. Then came th'
Seven Days Fight before Richmond, be
ginning with Mechanicsyille and ending
with Malvern's Hills, in which he and hi
Legion-already famous for its brillian
achievements, and already everywher
felt to carry with it the prestige of legiol
| of yeterans-took q distinguished part