Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-04-16
GbN. WADE HAMPTON.
Easily the Leading Carolinian of
His Day.
CITIZEN, GENTLEMAN,
SOLDIER, STATEMAN

Interesting Story of q Noble Life
Spent In Promoting The Welfare
Of the People Of South Carolina
and OF the South.
General Wade Hampton, namesake
of General Wade Hampton, Of the Rev.
olutionary army, was born in the Fitz-
Simmons house, in Hasell street,
Charleston, in 1918. He was graduated
at the South Carolina college. In 1854
he was elected a member Of the house
of representatives from Richland
county, and in 1859 he was elected to
the senate. When only 2O years old he
married Miss Preston, sister Of the
Hon. w. c. Preston, by whom he had
four children. Mrs. Hampton died in
June, 1851. His youngest child died
shortly afterward. The other children
by the first marriage were Mrs. John
C. Haskell and Major Wade Hampton.
Both died after the war. Senator
Hampton's second wife was Miss
Mary McDuffie, who died after the
war. BY her he had three children,
who are now living. During the life Of
his first wife Senator Hampton dis
pensed hospitality in princely style.
He was possessed Of great wealth, and
Mrs. Hampton added to rare intelli-
gence a cultivated mind and refined
and captivating manners. In 1874 he
0P WI
Duke of wellington, Samuel Rodgers
and other distinguished persons, to
whom he bore letters Of introduction.
At his home in Mississippi he was Oft
nobility, who were anxious to enjoy
the grand hunts Of which Hampton
was so fond. Senator Hampton had an
exceptionally good memory, and was
particularly familiar with early Eng
lish literature. For the old dramatists
he had an especial liking. He was a
ready and attractive speaker, and few
men write better English than he did.
The war did not find Wade Hamp-
ton unmindful of the course Of public
events. In everything he was essen
TALLY conservative. To the Secession
movement he was consistently opposed,
but in 1861 as at every other time, he
went with his state, offering to her
without grudging, his fortune, his tall
ents and his precious life.
AS soon as the Confederate govern
ment was formed at Montgomery,
Wade Hampton was commissioned as
colonel, and authorized to form the le-
gion which bore his name. AS original
ly constituted the Hampton Legion
consisted Of six companies Of infantry,
four companies Of cavalry, and one
battery of artillery. At the battle OF
Manassas the Legion received it's bap-
tism of fire. Colonel Hampton was
wounded in the head. The pregnant
months flew by. Seven Pines came,
and there was Hampton and his entire
command. They bore themselves so
nobly that, in recognition Of their SER
vice and their commanders merit. Col
onel Hampton, who had been wounded
in the foot, was promoted to the rank
Of brigadier general. The commission
was dated May %. 1862. During the
Seven Days battles, however, General
Hampton commanded Talliaferro's in
fantry brigade, exhibiting a high order
Of generalship. The Legion remained
under the command of Colonel Griffin.
After the battle Of yorktown, in fact,
the Legion was never brought together
again as a whole. The career Of
Hampton as a cavalry leader had now
fairly begun. After the battle Of NAL
vern Hill he was left with his brigade
on the Peninsular to cover McClellan's
front, and rejoined the main army af-
ter second Manassas, on the march into
Maryland.
On this march Hampton's first caval-
nv brigade was formed Of the 1st, End,
4th, 5th and 9Th regiments Of South
Carolina cavalry, and the jeff Davis
and Cobb legions Of Georgia cavalry.
The cavalry squadron of the old
Hampton legion was included In the
I'd South Carolina cavalry, and M. c.
Butler, who had been commander of
that squadron, was the first colonel Of
the regiment.
Hampton's brigade took part in the
battle of Boonesboro Gap and Sharps-
burg. where the brigade held the left
of the line. Hampton covered the rear
of the Confederate army on the retreat.
At Gettysburg General Hampton was
again severely wounded. Trevillian's 8
Station, however, was the severest bat
tie in which he was engaged, being in
command of the whole cavalry force
of the Army of Northern Virginia. In
1864 General Hampton was promoted to
the rank of lieutenant general and
placed in command of the cavalry of
Johnston's army, with Buffers divis-
ion. A. n. Va. Day after day the cav
airy fought until came the bitter end.
The guns of the Hampton legion were
1.-The first to nash for Southern inde-
pendence, and they were literally the
last guns that fired in the defence of
Southern liberty
General Hampton was not a soldier
by profession, but he developed, as
general, almost marvellous insight into
the plans Of the enemy. Of him it was
said by the officers Of the Federal
forces that he fought them on the
ground that he chose, not where they
wanted to fight him. By intuition
Hampton seemed to know where best
to make a stand. This quality was ex-
hibited in the highest dagree on the re-
treat from Yorktown. Hampton COM