The times., 1899-09-27
DEATH OF GENERAL HEIH
He Passes Away Quietly at l:4O
O'clock This Morning.

The Remains to BE Buried nj Rich
mond-His Birth and Early Train
inG-Gnined Fame as Soldier
OF the Southern Confederacy--His
Career as "a Federal oEcehoIder.
Gen. Henry Heth died at his residence,
1906 G Street northwest, at 1:40 O'Clock
this morning, after an illness OF nine
months His death had been momentarily
| expected since Monday night, when he
lapsed into a cematose condition, At the
bedside when the end came were Mrs.
Heth, Miss Mamie Randolph Heth. a
daughter; Mr.. Charles Selden. of Rich
mond. Mrs. Heth's brother, and Mr. John
Selden. her cousin, an attorney of this city.
city.
General Heth was attacked by the grip
nine months ago, and for a time his i'll
ness was not considered of a serious ma
ture. HIS age, however, was against him
ana ne made no progress toward recovery.
! IN May he suffered stroke OF paralysis
and q little later dropsy ser in He grew
gradually weaker, and his recovery was
/ nespaired of several weeks ago. Last week. !.
! TO add TO the complications, sciatica set in
ana Ine physicians in attendance gave up
/ Gil hope of saving the patients life
The remains will be taken to Richmond
Tor interment in that city The Confea-
crate Veterans Association of Richmond
will have charge OF the funeral and dele
| CATION from the veterans association here
| VIII accompany the body. The details of
| the FUNERAL have not yet been determined
| upon.
General Heth,s Career.
Maj. Gen. Henry Heth was born in
Chesterfield county, Va, December 16.
1928. He came OF fighting stock, his faith
er, John Heth, of the Black Heth estate of
! Chesterfield county, having served as COL
onel of the Virginia volunteer forces. and
! as an officer of the United States Navy in
! the war of 1872. "A great uncle of Gen.
Henry Heth served in the Revolutionary
/ War and participated IN the battle of Que
bee under General Montgomery
General Heth was educated at the United
States Military Academy at Wast Point,
having been appointed to cadetship from
Virginia He entered the academy July l.,
1643. and graduated July l, 1S47. lie was
appointed second lieutenant of the Sec
| ond Infantry. He first saw active service
| IN the Mexican war and participated in
IdldX3f1
IN lS4I-4S. He remained with the army
in Mexico until the close of the war, and
after the evacuation was stationed for
some time at jefferson Barracks, Mo. He
participated in many Indian fights.
| throughout which he conducted himself
with conspicuous bravery.
| He was stationed at Forts Riley and At
| kinson, Kan, and at Fort Kearney Neb
1t was While on duty at these forts that
he did the greater part OF his service
against the Indians.
June, 1858 he was appointed first lieu
tenant, and IN 1854 was made quarternas-
| ter of the Sixth Infantry, with the rank OF
captain, and served in that capacity until
| March g. 1855. He commanded a detached
company of infantry, mounted, in the Sioux
/ capaign, under General Harney, which sub
seqnently ended in victory at Bluewater,
Neb. Captain Heth played a conspicuous
| part in the latter fight AT the close of the
| Sioux expedition he was ordered TO Fort
Laramie, Wyo., where he performed garri-
son duty. He afterward served at Platte
Bridge, Neb., and at Fort Smelling. Mimi.
/ In August, 1857, he was assigned to spe-
cial duty relative to target practice for
| the army. The next year he rejoined his
regiment in Utah, where he remained un-
til the latter part OF 1850, when he obtain
ed leave of absence and returned to his
| home in Virginia. When he saw that
strife between the North and South was
| inevitable he resigned his commission in
| the United States Army, his resignation
taking effect April %, 1861
Joins the Confederate Army.
| After his resignation from the army he
| accepted position on the staff of General
Taliaferro, at Norfolk, and during the first
OF his new service organized the quarter
masters department at Richmond for the
Confederate armies. Upon the completion
OF this duty he was commissioned major in
the Confederate States Army. June II,
| 1861, he was appointed colonel of the For
| ty-ffth Virginia Volunteer Infantry. He
organized General Floyd's command at
| WytheviIle for the West Virginia cam
paign, and after participating in the battle
of Carnifax Ferry conducted Floyds re-
treat from Cotton Hill.
| In January, 1862 he was promoted to
brigadier general and assigned to the com
mand Of West Virginia, where in May of
That year, he fought the battle of Giles
/ Court House. in which he was opposed by
| Col. r. B. Hayes, later President of the
/ United States. He also commanded at the
| battle Of Lewisburg. In June, 1862, GEN
eral Heth Joined Gen. Kirby Smith at
/ KNOXVILLE, Tenn, and co-operated In the
! campaign against the Union forces in Ken
tucky After reaching Lexington, he was
| given charge of a division of infantry and
brigade Of cavalry, and ordered to move
against Cincinnati. He advanced as far
| as the suburbs of Covington, but was pre-
vented from attacking by positive orders
from his superior officer. A few days lat
er he was ordered to rejoin the main body
of Coafederates in Kentucky
In February, 1863, General Heth received
orders from the Confederate Secretary of
War to join the Army OF Northern Virginia
where he was assigned to the command of
| Fields Brigade OF which he had charge
| al the battle OF charlottesville When
] Gen. A. p. Hill was wounded in the first
days fight he succeeded to the command
CT that generals division, which he COM
mahdsd with considerable skill and bravery
until he himself was seriously wounded in
| the fight OF the next day. Shortly after
the battle of charlottesville he was placed
In command Of division in General Hills
corps, consisting OF the brigades of Petit
| grew, BrockeLbrough, Archer. and Davis
Gains Fame as a Soldier.
| After recovering from his wounds re-
ceiyed at the battle of Chanceilorsville.
General Heth accompanied General Lee in
the movement against Pennsylvania and
advanced with his division to Cushtown
From the commander of a force gent out
TO forage he learned of the approach OF a
division of the Federal army under Gen
eral Reynolds He moved his forces out
or CuEhtown, and engaged the Federals in
the first battle of Gettysburg His fight
was one of the fercest OF the war, In which
! he lost in fwpufy-ffya rrlipufac 7Un NOR,