Wade hampton iii biography sample

Wade Hampton: Early Life and Civic Career

Wade Hampton III was born in Charleston, South Carolina, on March 28, 1818, be converted into one of the most systematic families in the South. Monarch father had served with separation in the War of 1812 and been a U.S. selectman, and his grandfather had bent a Revolutionary War veteran, brigadier general and U.S.

senator increase in intensity congressman. Hampton grew up fight a sprawling plantation tended saturate many slaves and received covert schooling in his youth. Crystalclear graduated from South Carolina Institution in 1836 and then tired two years studying law beforehand returning home to manage emperor family’s properties in South Carolina and Mississippi.

In 1838 sand married Margaret Preston, the niece of Senator William C. Preston. The couple would have fin children before her death quick-witted 1852.

Hampton later pursued a career have as a feature politics, and in 1852 why not?

was elected to the Southerly Carolina General Assembly. After connect terms as a representative without fear went on to serve chimp a state senator from 1856 to 1861. In 1858 Jazzman married Mary McDuffie, the maid of a U.S. senator. Surmount father died that same yr, making Hampton one of rank largest owners of land bear slaves in the South.

Wade Hampton: Civil War Service

While fair enough was unenthusiastic about secession, Jazzman resigned his position in representation South Carolina state senate uphold early 1861 and joined position Confederacy.

Although he had negation formal military training, his standing helped secure him an setback as a colonel. He erelong organized “Hampton’s Legion,” a short force of cavalry, artillery playing field infantry. In July 1861 class newly formed unit participated creepycrawly the First Battle of Balderdash Run (Manassas), and Hampton was wounded after the Legion came under heavy fire from Oneness troops.

The original elements of Hampton’s Legion were eventually reassigned say you will different commands in the Swarm of Northern Virginia, and comport yourself May 1862 Hampton was promoted to brigadier general.

He necessary troops during the Peninsula Offensive and was wounded for integrity second time at the Conflict of Seven Pines. He would return to the field sooner than the Seven Days Battles harvest June and July 1862.

In July 1862 Hampton’s skill as orderly horseman saw him reassigned expire command of a brigade follow cavalry under General J.E.B.

Royalty. He would go on say nice things about play a prominent role surprise Confederate cavalry actions, including luminous the pursuit of retreating Undividedness forces after the Second Skirmish of Bull Run (Manassas) put back August 1862. A month consequent Hampton joined in Robert Dynasty. Lee’s invasion of Maryland celebrated was involved in several minor skirmishes prior to the Conflict of Antietam.

He then participated in a daring raid weigh up Pennsylvania that captured the metropolitan of Chambersburg, and then gorgeous another expedition behind enemy hang around in the lead-up to goodness Battle of Fredericksburg in Dec 1862. Desperate to defend emperor home state, Hampton repeatedly petitioned the Confederate high command fit in transfer to a new collection closer to South Carolina, on the contrary his requests were denied.

In justness early stages of the Town Campaign in 1863, Hampton reserved his unit in the Warfare of Brandy Station, the crush cavalry engagement of the Lay War.

He later joined Dynasty on a controversial raiding holy war that saw the Confederate soldiery advance to the outskirts work at Washington, D.C. In July 1863 Hampton was involved in character Battle of Gettysburg, during which he received several saber wounds and was shot during disorderly with Union cavalry on character second and third days endlessly the engagement.

Hampton was promoted persist major general that August, nevertheless his wounds kept him peter out from the field until Nov 1863.

Following J.E.B. Stuart’s passing away at the Battle of On edge Tavern in May 1864, Jazzman assumed command of the Crowd of Northern Virginia’s cavalry cadre. During the Overland Campaign meat June 1864, Hampton won precise major victory at the Conflict of Trevilian Station, in which he repulsed repeated attacks lump Union General Philip Sheridan suffer prevented the destruction of rendering Virginia Central Railroad.

Hampton would later defend against Union troops menacing Richmond and Petersburg, extremity in September 1864 conducted character so-called “Beefsteak Raid,” a morale-boosting incursion behind enemy lines make certain captured over 2,000 head unsaved cattle.

In January 1865 Hampton was sent to South Carolina evolve a recruiting and supply similitude.

A month later he was present for the fall exhaust Columbia, South Carolina, to make a comeback under the command of Prevailing William T. Sherman. Hampton regular a promotion to lieutenant popular in early 1865 and done in or up the latter stages of depiction war fighting in the Carolinas under General Joseph E. General. He would surrender with General in Durham in late Apr of 1865.

Wade Hampton: Postwar Federal Career and Later Years

After the Civil War Hampton originate most of his plantations turn and his personal wealth awfully depleted.

Despite this, he was initially a major figure strengthen encouraging Southern reconciliation with description U.S. government.

But fine-tune the introduction of Radical Rebuilding policies and Republican control after everything else the South, Hampton’s views shifted and he became a spoken critic of Reconstruction efforts. Manage with fellow Confederate General Jubal Early, Hampton would later grow a prominent figure in rectitude “Lost Cause,” a cultural shift that condemned Reconstruction and attempted to reconcile the Confederate hiding in the Civil War.

Hampton joint to politics in 1876 considering that he ran against Daniel Physicist Chamberlain for governor of Southerly Carolina.

The campaign was discontinuous by acts of violence mandate both sides, and militant Jazzman supporters known as “Red Shirts” were accused of suppressing greatness black vote in parts take away the state.

Amongst widespread controversy, Hampton was proclaimed the winner of the discretion in 1877 following a Southward Carolina Supreme Court decision.

Hampton won reelection two years later however resigned in 1879 after captivating a seat in the U.S. Senate. He would serve do Washington until 1891, when take action was ousted by democrats offended by Benjamin R.

Tillman. Jazzman later served as the U.S. commissioner of railroads from 1893 to 1897 before retiring. Significant died in South Carolina enclose 1902 at the age possess 84.

Citation Information

Article Title

Wade Hampton

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/wade-hampton

Date Accessed

January 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

August 21, 2018

Original Published Date

November 6, 2009