The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-04
SOLDIERS OF The SENATE.
Hen Who Made Regulations in The
Field Years AGO.


Them Generals-Daniel and Hunton
of Virginia-Ransom and Vance of
North Oarolina-senator Butler a
True Son of the Fighting Buffers"
"The Knightly Gordon"
From the New York Times.
1t Is nearly thirty years since Apo
mattox. Thirty years is a goodly slice to
take out mans life, but there are many
who were men of action from 1861 to 1865
who are vet good for a score of years in
their country's service. As one goes into
the galleries Of the Senate he instinct
lively glances at the democratic side.
mere are some very picturesque charac-
tiers among the southern contingent on
that side. Almost all the southern states
are represented in the United States Sen
ate by ex-generals of the coufederacy.
Take Virginia, for a beginning The
confederacy never had two better soldiers
than were Daniel and Hunton. Daniel,
as al virginia knows, was old Jubal
EarIy's adjutant general He and ''Sandie'
Pendleton-son of Gen. and the Rev. w.
n. Pendletcn, chief of artillery of Gen
Lees army-were the youngest men to
nave the rank they held in the army Of
I
IuIiy handsome, snappy officer. Every
Dody who has been a soldier knows that
the meanest place that can be found is
adJutant general when ones chief is not
amlable. Gen. Early, although gen tie
man and an admirable soldier, had times
| when his temper, which was testy and
| not 10 a degree in those days, would make
him turn loose" on whoever was nearest
at hand. But he never did this with
| Daniel.
There was something in the handsome
Greek face OF this young adjutant that
| would make an officer think several times
before he made Daniel the target for his
wrath. Early was generally attached to
Daniel, who was as cool and collected I'M
der fire as he was clear-headed and able
In the office. Poor ''Sandie" Pendleton-
Stonewall Jackson's adjutant general and
chief Of staf at twenty-two-was killed,
or rather mortally wounded, at Wood
stock in 1864, and died day or two there
after. Daniel would have died but for
the most careful nursing when he re-
celyed the wound that almost cost him
his life. He might have been a colonel
| had he chosen, but he would not leave
Gen. Early, and the slow promotion on
the staH kept him major till the end of
| the war.
Hunton was an excellent colonel, and a
| gallant and useful general officer His
regiment, the Eighth Virginia, was from
the counties adjacent to the Potomac and
| above Washington. Loudon probably fur
/ nlshed the majority of the Eighth Vir-
! glnia's first enrolment. The rank and
| HE were of unusual intelligence, sons of
the gentry of the countryside from Wash.
1ngton TO Leesburg, and above the Blue
Ridge. Hunton won his first fame at
Balls Bluff, which battle was fought only
Few miles from Leesburg. The Eighth
| Virginia there got its baptism of fire, and
behaved very well, too. Gen. Evans
"Shanks," as he was called in the ''old
army''-was in command ostensibly, but
the battle and victory were the young
colonels own, fairly and Justly won.
Hunton would have been promoted then
but for two reasons, He was not West
| Pointer, and he was a. Virginian- There
had been much murmuring by officers
from the South Atlantic and Gulf states
over the promotion of so many Virginians.
Stuart had the cavalry Lee, his two
| sons and his nephew: jackson, Hill.
Ewell, all three corps commanders
Heth, Pickett, and all the others, though
| gallant men, were all from Virginia
| Nobody thought or said that these pro-
motions were undeserved. But the other
states did say that they, too, deserved
more than they got, that no one could be
promoted but Nirginian, etc. ANYWAY,
| this latter reason kept Hunton a colonel
until July 3, 1868. Hunton's regiment
was the first in the First Brigade of
| Pickett's division, Longs reet's corps. 1t
| came out of the fight of the third day at
| Gettysburg almost annihilated Hunton
was badly wounded, every field officer
| and the adjutant were disabled. Every
| brigade commander was either killed or
| crippled. So when gallant Armistead
died, Gen. Lee determined that Hunton
| should have the brigade, and he got it
| when he was able to rude again, which
was long time after fateful Gettysburg.
| There is much good work for Virginia in
Hunton yet, though Gettysburg is a gen
Grafton behind him.
| North Carolina has two soldier sena
tors. There were two Ransoms from the
old North State Robert was in the ''old
army and was killed in the Chancellors-
vile campaign of 1853 MAT as he is
called at home, was badly hurt twice. but
ended major general. and with popu-
lar good viii at home that has never been
| excelled. IL is great pity that Vance is
ill. He is always bright and an inimita-
Bile story teller. He was colonel of crack
lighting regimedt when he was chosen
| governor of his state in 1863 He tells a
good story on himself that may be new to
some. In one Of the fights with McClel-
Ian on the Chlckahominy, Vance's regi-
ment was advanced as skirmishers. The
firing was close and sharp. just in front
OF Vance, who commanded the line, a
rabbit jumped up and scurried to the rear.
go it, rabbit" said he, Ego it, Molly
Cottontail If l hadn't these stars on nv
collar, I'd be with you'll"
Any one would know at first glance that
| Senator NJ. G. Butler was a soldier. He
| comes of South Cardinals bluest blood
The four fighting Buffers made records
in the war of the revolution of which any
officer might well be proud. A grandson
of Commodore Perry on one side and
great-grandson of one of George Washing
tons -four fighting Buffers on the other,
nearly related to the ducal house of Or
monde in Ireland, it would be difficult to
find man with purer cross of blood
from the settlement of the country down.
When tho war began Senator Butler
had just entered into manhood As bri-
gade and division and corps commander,
not even Stuart himself was more dar-
ing horseman. He We'd with the Flower
of cavaliers" and that prince of them all,
Eitzhugh Lee His were the untiring
troopers who bore the flag of the Carroll
mas, Virginia, and Georgia to the very
banks OF the Susquehanna ITSELF within
sight of Pennsylvania capital and made
them famous on score of fields His
were the troopers that made many a
daring dash around the jaded TANKS of
the army of the Potomac, and rode within
sight Of the dome of the capitol itself in