May 7, 1863, The New York Herald
Army of the West.
General Hartsuff has received an appointment under General Burnside, and has left Washington for his new seat of military labors. He has to some extent recovered from the wounds he received at Antietam – enough to enable him to resume active duties – therefore he has been relieved from duty on the D’Utassy Court Martial.
As it will be interesting to our readers to know more of this famous general, we this day present them with a
SKETCH OF GENERAL HARTSUFF.
Major General George L. Hartsuff was born in the town of Tyne, Seneca county, N. Y., on the 28th of May, 1830. His father’s family removing to the West, he entered the West Point Military Academy from Michigan, in 1848, and graduated in 1852 as brevet second lieutenant of the Fourth artillery. He was promoted to second lieutenant of the Second artillery on the 12th of June, 1853, and first lieutenant the 8th of March, 1853. He was made captain in the Adjutant General’s Department on the 22d of March, 1861, and on the 17th of July, 1862 he was promoted to a majority in the same department. On the 15th of April, 1862, he received the appointment of brigadier general of volunteers. On the 29th of November, 1862, he received the appointment of major general of volunteers. As lieutenant, he served first in Texas from November, 1852, to June, 1854, being most of the time in the field. At Fort Brown, in the fall of 1853, he suffered from an attack of yellow fever, surviving the almost constantly fatal symptom of black vomit. After recovering from the attack he served in Florida of two years. In this campaign with the Indians he was wounded several times. This inaugurated the last war with the Seminoles. A bullet received in the chest, and which wounded the lung, in this Indian fight, remains in the body. His escape on that occasion was almost miraculous. Bleeding from several wounds received from the rifles of the savages, his […..] place of the water and surrounded by aquatic plants, where he remained several hours. During this time the Indians fired in all directions through the tall plants, the bullets striking near his head, which was concealed under water, except so much of his face as he required to breathe. The Indians, not able to discover him, at last retired, taking with them the captured wagons and horses. In this skirmish of his little band of ten men, six were killed and two seriously wounded. The encampment of his escort of troops was many miles away. He attempted to crawl in the direction of the camp, and for four days, with undressed wounds, and suffering from starvation, endured what would have destroyed the lives of most men. Added to extreme physical anguish, his state of mind may well be imagined. During those days and nights of hideous suffering, every one of which seemed to him to be his last, he was at length discovered by the troops who were in pursuit of him, in a state of exhaustion nigh unto death. In the history of border warfare, always interesting, there are few tales as thrilling in excitement as this Indian adventure. In this Florida campaign his duty was acting topographical engineer for the military survey of the Indian country. In July, 1856, he left Florida, having charge of a party of invalid soldiers sent North for their health. He was commander at Fort Wood, Bedloe’s Island, in New York harbor, during the prevalence of yellow fever in the vicinity of this city. In September, 1856, he was ordered to West Point as assistant instructor of artillery and infantry tactics. At his own request he was relieved from this duty in June, 1859, and served with his company at Fort Mackinaw until the fall of 1860. While stationed there, and executing an order to purchase subsistence stores, he was wrecked on board the steamboat Lady Elgin, in Lake Michigan. From this fearful disaster, in which over four hundred persons perished, he escaped by floating on a piece of timber, and was finally washed ashore. He was ordered to Washington in February, 1861, and served with his company until the last of March. In April he was despatched with the secret expedition to Fort Pickens, as assistant adjutant general, under Colonel Harvey Brown. In July he was ordered back, and sent to General Rosecrans, with whom he served as chief of staff. He remained with General Rosecrans while he commanded the Army of Western Virginia, and was through all the engagements of this distinguished officer. The record of these brilliant achievements is now a part of the history of the country. When we recall the electric thrill of delight with which this campaign was hailed by an anxious and expectant people, and the prestige which was conferred upon our army by its results, its significance cannot be overestimated. United with the proud recollection of Carnifex Ferry, Clarksburg, Cross Lanes and Gauley Bridge – ever green and beautiful in our memory – come the names of those noble men who there fought and bled. The trust and reticence of the chiefs in the manly and soldierly qualities of Captain Hartsuff had been acknowledged in time of the most distinguished honor. In April, 1862, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general, and ordered on duty in the War Department as assistant adjutant general to the Secretary of War. In May, 1862, he assumed command of a brigade of volunteers in the field, and was assigned to the Frist corps d. His brigade was in the night fight at Cedar Mountain in August, and remained in this corps during its different skirmishers and battles. In the march to the Rapidan his command was placed in the advance. At Rappahannock Bridge, the post of honor – the ever precious and sacred trust to the true soldier, the post of danger – was conferred upon his brigade. His command was sent – the only troops across the river – to hold the hills immediately south of that stream. This position was maintained for several days under the almost continuous fire of the enemy. On the retreat of the Army of the Potomac his brigade formed part of the protecting line, and was for twenty days within reach and sound of the hostile cannon. The conduct of his troops in the memorable battle of South Mountain is well known to the whole army, and the distinguished services rendered by General Hartsuff on this occasion were the subject of general comment among the chiefs. At the battle of Antietam his command was permanently signalized for its intrepidity and valor. An eye witness to its participation in that celebrated fight says: – In ten minutes the fortune of the day seemed to have changed. It was the rebels now who were advancing – pouring out of the woods in endless lines and sweeping through the cornfields from which their comrades had just fled. Hooker sent on his nearest brigade to meet them; but it could not do the work. He called for another. There was nothing close enough, unless he took it from his right. His right might be in danger if it was weakened; but his centre was already threatened with annihilation. Not hesitating one moment, he sent to General Ricketts: “Give my your best brigade instantly.” The best brigade came down the hill to the right on a run, went through the timber in front, through a shower of shot and bursting shell and crashing limbs, over the open fields beyond, and straight into the cornfield – passing as they went the fragments of three brigades shattered by the rebel fire and streaming to the rear. They passed by Hooker, whose eye lighted as he saw these veteran troops, led by a soldier whom he knew he could trust. “I think they will hold it,” he said. General Hartsuff took his troops very steadily, but, now that they were under fire, not hurriedly, up the hill from which the cornfield begins to descend, and formed them on the crest. Not a man who was not in full view; not one who bent before the storm. Firing at first in volley, they fired then at will with wonderful rapidity and effect. The whole line crowned the hill and stood out darkly against the sky, but lighted and shrouded ever in flame and smoke. There were the Twelfth and Thirteenth Massachusetts, and other regiments which I cannot remember. Old troops, all of them. There for half an hour they held the ridge, unyielding in purpose, exhaustless in courage. There were gaps in the line but it nowhere quailed. Their general was wounded badly early in the fight; but they fought on. Their support did not come. They determined to go on without them. They began to go down the hill and into the corn. They did not stop to think that their ammunition was nearly gone. They were there to win the field, and they won it. The rebel line for second time fled through the corn and into the woods. I cannot tell how few of General Hartsuff’s brigade were left when the work was done; but it was done. There was no more gallant and determined fighting in all this desperate day. General Hartsuff was very severely wounded; but I do not believe he counted his success too dearly purchased.
In this battle he was wounded by a ball which fractured the illium – one of the bones of the pelvis. This wound has rendered him unfit for field service ever since. The ball received here also remains in his body yet. He is now a member of a board for revising the army regulations and Rules and Articles of War.
This officer is still in his youth, as will be seen from the above record. Modest and unassuming, an educated and accomplished soldier, a noble and chivalric gentleman, a wise and brave man, and, above all, at this hour, an ardent friend of progress, liberty and the Union, he presents that rare combination of elements which , in the conviction of every one, constitutes the true military chief and representative man of the hour. We will hope that the country, in full possession of a knowledge of his qualifications and distinguished services, will impede that proverbial rebuke upon its stupidity and want of perception, that when a man gets what he merits or merits what he gets it soundeth strange, even as a story from the spirit land.
GENERAL HARTSUFF’S STAFF.
The officers who compose the staff of Major General Hartsuff are: –
Major Drake, Lieut. Samuel A. Russell, Captain Brown, Lieutenant Howard.
The above officers are noted for their efficiency and bravery, having served in several battles of the peninsula campaign and at Antietam. Lieutenant Russell also served with distinction in New Mexico, under General Canby. General Hartsuff has, therefore, been very fortunate in the selection of so many valuable staff officers.