The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-01-11
GtR. JOHNSON HAGOOD HAS PASSED AWAY
COVER THE RIVER TO REST
UNDER THE SHADE OF
THE TRIES"

SHADE oF
!. THE TRIES"
A Confederate General and Governo
: of South Carolina-A Patriot i
l War and in Peace.
. Gen. Johnson Hagood died at hi
home in Barnwell on the Atm inst, i
confined to his bed since the week be
, fore Christmas, and his death was du
to Brights disease. He was not il
robust health for year or more, ant
he was impressed from the incipeuc,
J OF the recent attack with the idea o
its fatality. He bore the ailliction will
rare patience, and faced death will
the cOolness and bravery that was char
acteristic of his life.
Gen. HagoOd was one Of South Caro-
linas most distinguished sons. He was
born in Barnwell County on Feb. 81
1929. His family was one of English
Virginia, but prior to the Revolution
ary war removed to this State, loca
ting in the Ninety.Six District. Early
In the present century, Johnson Ha.
good, the grandfather for whom he
was named, removed from Charleston,
where he was a prominent lawyer, to
Barnwell County, and there his son,
DR.. James o. Hagood, was, previous to
the civil war, a successful planter DR..
Hagood practiced his profession of
medicine for more than so years, and
| greatly endeared himself to the people
among whom he lived. He died in Jan
uary, 1873.
Gen Hagood got his early education
at the Richmond academy in Augusta
Ca, and at the age of l6 years he en-.
tered the Citadel in Charleston, grad
uating in November, 1S47, with the
highest honors of his class. After his
graduation he studied law under IT,
Hon. Edmund Bellinger, distin-
guished lawyer of his day, aud was ad-
mitted to the bar In 1850 The nextyear
Gov. John II. Means appointed him
deputy adjutant general of militia, q
portion OF his duties consisting of drill
ing tho militia at its various encamp-
ments over the State. In December,
1851, he was elected by the legislature
commissioner in equity for the Barn
well District, which important legal
position he held until hostilities broke
out in 1861. Then he resigned to enter
the Confederate army. During the
decade prior to the war he was also
engaged In conducting his large plan
tation.
When South Carolina passed the or
dinance OF secession he was brigadier
general of militia he was at once
made colonel OF the First South Care
lima volunteers and took part in the
bombardment of Fort Sumter under
Gen Beauregard in April, 1861. He was
then transferred from the volunteer
corps to the Confederate States army,
retaining his rank as colonel. He was
present at the battle Of Bull Run. Re-
turning to South Carolina he was en-
gagged in the operations around Char
lesion and at the battle of Secession
vile, June. 1862. Immediately after
that battle he was promoted by Presi-
general, and served on the coast Of
South Carolina until May, 1861, being
engaged in the defense Of Charleston
during Gen. Gilmore's siege of that
city, and in the defense of Fort Wag-
ner and the operations on James
Island. In May, 1864, he was, with his
command, withdrawn from Charleston
and ordered to Petersburg, Va, where
he arrived May 7th, and at Walthall
Junction, few miles beyond, met the
advance forces of Gen. b. f.. Butler,
consisting of five brigades. With 800
OF his men, supported by l., 100 mon of
OphuSOu lCHuCSSCC DIlSducy &c re-
pulsed them in the open field, many of
his most gallant field and staff oilicers
being killed and wounded. This gave
time for the concentration of troops
from the southwark for the defense OF
Petersburg against Buffers advance.
He served under Gen. Beauregard at
Petersburg and afterwards under the
same general in Hoke's division at
Drury's Bluff against Butler and in the
operations at Bermuda Hundreds.
During the latter period he was instru-
mental in the erection of battery at
Howlett's House, on the James river,
which, sweeping Buffers transports in
the bend of the river, caused him to
conceive the idea of cutting the famous
Dutch Gap canal to escape, in his fur
ther advance up the river, the fire Of
this battery. The first pieces with
which the battery was mounted were
two 20-pound Parrots captured by
Hagood's brigade at the battle Of
Drury's Bluff. After Gen. Beauregard
had succeeded in bottling up Butler in
the peninsular of Bermuda Hundreds,
Gen. Hagood's brigade with it's divis-
ion was ordered TO join Gen. Lee. 1t
reached him at Cold Harbor just prior
to the battle of June, 1864, in which it
was actively engaged. AT the siege of
l. Cpol ooui ObouOuj ohio
served in the trenches at one time 81
days without relief, aud in that period
was reduced by casualties and disease
from 1900 men to 700 present for duty.
At another time the next officer In
rank to the brigadier present for duty
was q captain and four of the five
regiments were commanded by lieu
tenants. At later period during the
month OF August in the fighting on The
Weldon road, Gen. Hagood became the
hero Of as daring and gallant an ex
ploit as la found In the history Of the
war. His command had been ordered tt
charge the enemy, and when the line
of their works had been reached some
200 OF his men having gotten into re
entering angle where they were ex
posed to severe cross fire, q line wa
pushed out surrounding them, and
mounted officer OF the enemy gallopini
out of q sallyport, seized the color
of the 1lth regiment and called upol
them to surrender. Several officers ant
men prepared to do so, but had no
been carried in when Gen. Hagood
whose horse had been previously shot
proceeding towards them, called upo
, his men to shoot the officer. In tn
! confusion they seemed bewildered an
!. failed to do so. The general havin
now come up to the spot, demapde
the colors, telling the officer he wa
free to return to his troops. Instea
of so doing he commenced to argu
!. about the desperate position Of tn