The state chronicle., 1893-05-11

:.on .! tne previous year had placed
1t, had already broken the compact
and attempted the subjugation of
her sister States.
The defiant answer of Governor
Ellis to Lincoln's demand for North
Carolina's quota of federal soldiers,
and his prompt call for volunteers
to support our kindred and man our
forts, went to the people on the
wings of the wind. Telegrams,
trains, single engines, pony express
and runners were so effectually en-
ployed as to reach every precinct
and every hamlet in three or four
days. South Carolina had been in
vaded, and every voice demanded
that the invader should be resisted
to the death. The response of the
clan to the bearer of Vich Alpine's
bloody crosslet was not more ready
nor supported by more determined
courage than was that of the brave
sons of our grand old State to the
call OF her chosen chief In little
while drums were beating, bands
were playing, girls were singing, boys
were shouting, flags were f. fying, ora
tors were appealing, and stalwart
men were weeping. Behind all this
the firm resolve Of the volunteer to
do or Gle found an echo even in the
heart of the wife and mother. The
widow without a murmur committed
her only boy to the keeping of the
orphans God, as she proudly i'm
printed parting kiss upon his
brow, while the woe of the bride
was tempered with that admiration
which is the tribute of beauty to
bravery, as she gave a last embrace
to one to whom she had but yester-
day plighted her faith. The stately
Southern danes and the petted
damsels, whose soft hands had sell
dom piled needle before, found their
greatest pleasure then in deftly
working upon caps, hsversacks and
knspsacks, ss at e later day in cut
ting and stitching the coarse cloth
ing intended for our brave BOYS.
The organized bodies of citizen
soldiery from al parts of the State,
SUCH as the Rowan Rifles, the vii.
mington Light Infantry and the
Oak City Guards, were sent hastily
to the unoccupied forts on our
cosst. AS the other companies thus
harriedly equipped rushed to the
capital TO tender their services, all
eyes were turned to an adopted son
of the State, whose education at
West Point and brilliant career ia
Mexico had placed him easily at the
head OF her citizen soldlery, and
Daniel Harvey Hill was called to
the command of her first camp of
instruction.
de was born in York district, in
the State of South Carolina, on the
2lst OF Jul y, 1921. He traced his
descent neither from the cavaliers
OF England nor from She Huegenots
of France, but from the sturdy sons
OF liberty loving Scotland, who mi
grated to the north of Ireland and
ultimately planted colonies in Penn
sylvania, Virginia, North aud South
Carolina, where they educated, ele-
waited and dominated the people
with whom they came in contact.
EARLY LIFE AND SERVICE IN MEXICO.
Sprung from race of soldiers by
the paoernal as we'll as the mater
nal line, it is not strange that the
earliest ambition OF D. Fl. Hill led
him to seek for place at West
Point and look forward to a mill
tsry career. Under the rigid ply
slcai examination now prescribed
for an applicant, he would have
been rejected without hesitation.
lie entered the institution in 1888,
and, but for feeble health, would
have pressed to the very front of a
class, of which Generals Lon gstreet,
A P. Stewart, G.. w. Smith, R 81.
Anderson and Van Dorm of the
Confederate and Rosecrantz, Pope.
Skies, Doubleday, Stone and Rey-
noids of the Federal army were
members.
Graduating in 1842 he was still a
Second Lieutenant when he was Or
| dered with his command into active
service in Mexico, in August, 1845.
During the three succeeding years
he participated in nearly every bat
tie fought by our forces under the
command of either Scott or Taylor.
and always attracted the n otice of
his superior officers by his conspic-
uous courage. At Chepultepec he
volunteered with the storming
party, and so distinguished himself
among the scores of brave men,
who participated with him in that
| desperate assault as to win for him
self a second brovet as Major. He
was one of the six officers in the
whole force employed in Mexico,
who were twice brevetted for mer.
itorious service upon the field.
Animosity, envy and disposition
| to indulge in carping criticism have
led to many unjust reflections upon
General Hill, but the most unscru-
pulous OF his detractors never ques-
toned his courage or his integrity.
When the legislature of his native
State provided by law that three