Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-04
THE NEW NAVY,
Col. Herbert, the Man who VIII Endeavo
to Continue Its Growth.

Col. herbert, the Man who VIII Endeavor
to Continue Its Growth.
MONTGOMERY, ALA. March "A robust fig
ure, little stronger in all its symmetrical pro-
portions than the average, keenly observant
blue eyes that light rudy genial countenance,
with light brown mustacbe and beard, and
above all the address and presence of man in
the full prime of life Of that high quality that
is inseparable from the best birthright, breed
ing and association. the quality that exempli-
fies dignity and gentility. These things sug-
gest the outward type of man that Hilary A.
Herbert of Alabama fits. Col. Herbert was a
young lawyer at Greenville, a typical southern
own IN a fertile cotton country, south of the
capital of the state and the first capital OF the
confederacy when the civil war began He
enlisted in the eighth Alabama infantry, one Of
the first regiments to so to the front in Vir-
ginla. Entering as lieutenant he rose steadily
to be colonel OF his regiment. 1t was one of
the famous regiments of the Army of Northern
Virginia. and participated In nearly every one
OF the severest and most celebrated battles of
the struggles of that army whose infantry an
English historian has described as ncompara-
bic In the history of the world. Col Herbert
and the eighth regiment fought it out to the
end. never losing their colors until the last
banner was furled at Appomattox. Mr.. Her.
bert was ma or at the sundays battle of Seven
Pines, when he was SO terribly wounded in the
left arm that he scarcely ever after had any
use Of it. several bones having to be taken out.
When exchanged he rejoined his regiment,
which had been commanded by Gov. John An
thOny Winston of Alabama. who had resigned
on account of sickness and became its colonel.
Col. Herbert was again wounded in the awful
battle of May in the Wilderness. but his
vigorous vitality soon restored him to duty,
and he stayed with the falling fortunes of his
people until they sadly turned their backs upon
the scenes of their conquest and overwhelming
to take up the duties of good citizenship which
their old chief commander. Gen. Lee. had en-
joined upon them that fateful April day in
1865. None went more manfully to retrieve a
broken fortune and to help rebuild desolated
/ county than Hilary A. Herbert
CONSERVATIVE AND PRUDENT
| Asked to his character as a commander
one OF his regiment, Capt. Vim. Bird OF Bir-
mingham, said to the writer recently: While
always a dsciplinarian. Col Herbert was, as he
has been in civil life. conservative and always
prudent in action well as in speech. 1t was
not in his nature to he martinez. He only
wanted his men to do their duty. There Was
! never either danger or hardship too great for
him to share with them; in fact, he led them in
! what most tried their mettle and endurance
and when off duty he was literally one Of the
| boys. Ms genally democratic in his manners as
the most easy going soul among them" Among
! the mos: grateful recognitions OF his present
advancement must be the kilograms of con.
| graduation which have gone to him from his
surviving comrades-in-arms.
/ Another of his old regiment said: "And he g
just the kind Of man who would be willing to
suffer all and more than he did Tor the confed-
eracy to see the American navy flourish as the
! finest in the world"
| DEVOTED FRIEND.
One Of Col. Herbert's best characteristics
has been the devotion of his friendships
throughout years of change and viclssitude.
signal instance Of it is in the fact that the pres
! ent clerk OF the committee on naval affairs at
| Washington, Mr.. Joseph Banner, who served
! III that capacity with Col. Herbert in the
Forty ninth and Fiftieth Congresses was with
him in the Army of Northern Virginia. Mr..
Banner enlisted as drummer bow thirteen
wears old. and served to the end. putting aside
the drnmsiicks for rifle with SO effective pur-
pose that only extreme youth kept him from
accepting promotion he had won aud which
had been proffered him. His fidelity to duty
attracted Col. Herbert and q lasting friendship
and association resulted
Resuming the practice of law, for which he
had been trained at the University Of Vii rinia
by Prof. Minor Col Herbert soon got business
and reputation which made him an enviable
name at the bar and throughout the state.
AS A MAN OF LETTERS.
Col Herbert has been q man Of letters "A
well az actions. He has been ofte IN importuped
to write for the press and for magazines and
has always consented when il was in a public
cause. Conspicuously effective for this purl
pose OF good may be mentioned his concise
history Of the navy written eight years ago for
Representative VIM. L. Wilson's book on the ma.
tioIal democratic party. One of Col Herbert's
best literary efforts was an address to the Ala
bama Bar Association on 1.-The Supreme Court
In Politics. published in 1888. why the South
is Solid WAS a volume edited BY him with
chapters from number Of leading southern
statesmen on the subject 1t was published
just at the time when the south, to use a phrase
popular after the end Of the carpet bag regime.
vas ''dsenthralled" and united against any,
thing and everything menacing white rule.
Recently CO... Herbert wrote an article on Ala
bama in Federal Politics. as a chapter in a
book on Alabama now in press. All that Col
Herbert has written evinccs facility OF pleas
ing expression that belongs only to men of lit
erary tastes and talents. His committee re-
ports have been models of good taste and in
structiveness and give assurance Of better and
richer fruits OF his ability in the future. There
are many who saw that much Of the credit
accorded to Mr.. Whitney. Mr.. Cieveland's first
Secretary Of the Navy. was evolved from Col
Hei berts industrious and efficient chairman
ship Of the naval affairs committee and these
people predict his will be the best administra-
ton the Navy Department has ever had.
RHW.