LIFE OF A. P. HAYNE. BRIEF SKETCH LIFE AND MILITARY SERVICES ARTHUR P. HAYNE, CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA. PHILADELPHIA: PRINTED BY T. K. & P. G. COLLINS, No. 1 LODGE ALLEY. 1837. /7 V ^ />5 -V ^,0: \\s: ARTHUR P. HAYNE. It is but too common to transfer to the commanding officers, all the merit of military exploits, and to yield to the General exclu- sively the meed of gratitude and praise, which belongs at least equally to the army. Every well informed man knows how much the success of the greatest commanders has depended upon the character of their officers, and yet in our anxiety to do homage to military glory, we usually yield all our admiration to the chief, and <' crown the victor ivith laurels,^' without bestow- ino- even a thought upon those, who have been the instruments of his renown. In every well organised army, there is a class of officers, who constitute its chief strength; who organise, and arrange every thing, and carry into effect the plans of the commander in chief. They are the eyes through which he sees, the ears through which he hears, the arms by which he subdues the foe. It is the hio-hest attribute of a great general, to have the faculty of discern- ing merit, and the ability of using all the means at his disposal in the best manner for the accomplishment of his ends. Washington possessed this rare quality in a high degree, and Jackson showed throughout his campaigns, that he knew, both how to select, and how to use the best talents of his army, to effect his purposes. It is equally due to this officer to add, that he never failed to acknow- ledge his obligations to those of his subalterns, who contributed to his success. He did them ample justice on all occasions, and loved to honour and advance them. 4 ARTHUR P. HAYNE. It is our present purpose to afford an illustration of the truth of these remarks, by giving a short biographical sketch of a distin- guished officer of the late war, whose rank did not permit him to command an army, but whose conduct contributed, in an eminent degree, to the success of our arms, and whose services entitle him to a large share of the public gratitude. Our materials have been drawn from the best sources, and we shall give documents which will speak for themselves. Colonel Arthur P. Hayne, the subject of this sketch, was born in Charleston, South Carolina, on the 12th day of March, 1780, of a respectable TVfiig stock distinguished in the Revolution by their services and sacrifices. His grandfather by the paternal line died of a fever contracted on board a British prison ship, and his near relation. Colonel Isaac Hayne, expired on the scaffold, a martyr to the liberty of his country. Having received a good education, he determined to become a merchant, and remained four years in a counting house, where he was distinguished for correct conduct, dili- gence and intelligence. When the attack was made on the frigate Chesapeake in 1S07, although not of age, partaking of the enthusiasm which spread through the whole country, he came at once to the resolution to enter the army, and accordingly obtained a commis- sion as first lieutenant in the regiment of light dragoons, which was commanded by that distinguished soldier of the revolution, Colonel Wade Hampton. In 1809, he was ordered by General Hampton to the Mississippi, the only place at that time in our country, where a respectable military force was concentrated, and there with Covington, Pike, Scott, and Gaines, holding the same rank as the two latter, the foundation of his military knowledge was laid, and he was prepared for future usefulness in the profes- sion of his choice. In 1S12, war having been declared, he was ordered by the government to the north, and soon after his arrival there, we find him engaged in the battle and victory of Sackett's Harbour — a victory in which seven hundred regulars, under the ARTHUR P. HAYNE. 5 command of that veteran soldier, Lieutenant Colonel Backus, (who there received a mortal wound through his breast,) and about one hic?idred and Jif/7/ xo\un\eevs, o.\dcd by a few militia, all under the command of Brigadier General Brown, beat hack Jif teen hun- dred regulars, commanded by Sir George Prevost, who was sup- ported by the enemy's fleet, under the command of Sir James Yeo. In consideration of the services he rendered in this battle Captain Hayne was promoted to the command of a squadron of cavalry, with the rank of a Major in the line of the army. He accompa- nied General Wilkinson down the St. Lawrence, in the campaign of 1S13, in the contemplated attack on Montreal. In his division of the army, General Hampton was particularly anxious to have Hayne and Haig, and in a letter to General Armstrong, Secretary of war, are these complimentary expressions — to wit: " Send me Hayne and Haig; I to ant their constitutional ardour — it ivill add much to the strength of my army.^^ It was not the fortune of Hayne to be in the battle of Chrystler's Fields, \\\\QVQ that first rate soldier. Colonel Cumming of Georgia, so greatly distinguished himself, and that too, after having received a ball through the thigh. On this occasion Major Hayne was attached to the advance corps of the army, under Brigadier General Brown, about twenty miles in van of the main body. This corps was engaged often with the enemy, and was always victorious. Early in 1814, that peculiarly gifted and higlily talented officer, General Jackson, was brought into the regular army, and at the same time Major Hayne received from General Armstrong, the Secretary of war, the important appointment of Inspector General, and was forthwitli ordered to join Jackson in the Creek nation. After the ratification of the treaty of fort Jackson, Colonel Hayne, in August 1S14, accompanied General Jackson to Mobile, descend- ing the river Alabama, and that excellent officer. Colonel Butler, the Adjutant General, having been despatched to Tennessee on niilitary business. Colonel Hayne was called upon to act in the 6 ARTHUR P. HAYNE. double capacity of Adjutant General, and Inspector General to the army. Early in the autumn of 1814, Jackson having deter- mined to drive the enemy from Pensacola, directed Colonel Hayne to proceed to Fort Montgomery, the point upon which the army was to concentrate, having invested him with the necessary au- thority to organise the forces, preparatory to the movement upon Florida. At the storming of Pensacola, which was achieved on the 7th of November, 1814, the gallant Major W. Laval, of Charles- ton, South Carolina, (who there received a most severe wound,) with Colonel Hayne, were among the very first who seized possession of the enemy's battery, amidst a most destructive fire from the houses occupied by the enemy, on both sides of the streets, as well as from the Spanish battery directly in front. As General Jackson was proceeding against Fort Barancas, which is some distance below Pensacola, and the British troops remained on board their shipping, he entrusted the safety of the city to Hayne, with about five hundred men. So soon as the enemy's fleet had left the harbour, as General Jackson was compelled to visit Mobile, he directed Colonel Hayne to advance with all pos- sible rapidity to New Orleans, and immediately on his arrival to repair without delay to the mouth of the Mississippi, and there to " examine and determine, whether a fortification at the Balize, near the bar, would give greater security to New Orleans." After a rapid movement he reached New Orleans, and instantly repaired to the designated spot, when, upon full examination he was satis- fied that no advantage would result from its being fortified, and in his official report pronounced Fort St. Philip the key of all our posi- tions upon the Mississippi; all of which opinions and views Gen- eral Jackson approved and confirmed. It was from Fort St Philip, it will be recollected, that Major Overton in so skilful a manner repelled a part of the British fleet. Id the attack on the British army, on the night of the 23d De- ARTHUR P. IIAYNE. 7 cember, 1814, Colonel Hayne was eminently conspicuous, and it has ever been considered that the brilliant result of this daring measure was the saving of New Orleans. On this occasion, so eventful, so soon as General Jackson understood that the enemy had landed in considerable force a short distance below the city, he despatched Colonel Hayne with five hundred men, composed of Major Hinds' squadron of dragoons from the state of Mississippi, the Orleans rifle corps, commanded by Captain Beal, and a company of mount- ed gunmen, with orders to proceed forthwiili against the enemy, to reconnoitre his position, ascertain his strength, and, were they found advancing, to harass them at every step, until the main body of our army should be concentrated, and prepared for defence. These high duties were executed with equal faithfulness and promptitude, and with the loss of but a single man. Colonel Hayne estimated the enemy at two thousand; they have since been as- certained to have been about three thousand. " The result of this victory," says an authentic account, " was the saving of New Or- leans. The pride of an arrogant foe was humbled the first mo- ment that he presumed to profane the soil of freedom by his hos- tile tread. It produced confidence in our ranks, established unani- mity, and at once crushed disaffection. The " ensemble''' of the general movement, with its various combinations, was maintained and fully realised throughout the whole battle. It was not an ex- hibition of mere physical strength, as is too often the case, but in every stage of the battle, we clearly perceive the effects produced by the admirable arrangements of the commanding General: and like Caesar, he, also, might have said, " Veni, Vidi, Vici.''^ In his official communication to the Secretary of two of these masterly achievements, in which were exhibited the skill of Scipio, and the devotion of Curtius, General Jackson says, " Colonel Hayne was every where that duty or danger called.'''' There was another South Carolinian, who largely participated in the glories of New Orleans. We mean Colonel Wade Hampton of 8 ARTHUR P. HAYNE. Columbia, South Carolina. He had reached his father's plantation on the Mississippi, sixty miles above New-Orleans, but a few days after the campaign had commenced, and, without a moment's delay, he hastened to the scene of battle, and enrolled himself a^ a pri- vate soldier in the ranks of the army. Patriotism so elevated, excited an admiration at that crisis peculiarly salutary, and could not escape an eye like Jackson's. The appointment of Acting As- sistant Inspector General was immediately conferred on him, and he was attached to the department of his friend Hayne. In this situation, he eminently distinguished himself throughout the whole campaign, particularly on the Sth of January, and, at once, merited and received the repeated encomiums of the illustrious commander. In the " General Orders,"" the manner in which this department was conducted is thus handsomely characterised by Jackson: " The skill, vigilance, courage, and constant attention to duty exhibited during the campaign, by Colonel Hayne, and his two assistants Majors Davis and Hampton, have been appreciated as they deserve to be, by the commanding General." On the repulse of the British at New Orleans, it is well known, that, though peace had then been made, this was not only unknown to General Jackson, but that officer was under the impression, that increased vigilance, and more extensive preparations had become necessary, to maintain the country which he had so successfully defended. Full of anxiety on this subject, he determined to send a confidential officer to Washington, to arrange with the government the measures to be adopted for this purpose. His choice fell upon Colonel Hayne, and he was accordingly despatched on this difficult and delicate duty, the bearer of the following interesting letter, the use of which we have obtained and it is annexed. It is a document which belongs to the history of the country, and is creditable to all parties concerned. It contains a merited tribute of respect to several officers, whose good deeds should be handed down to poste- rity, as an example to others, and as a legacy to their children. ARTHUR P. HAYNE. 9 ^^ Head Quarte7's, Neiv Oy'leans^ 25th January, 1815. " Sir: — It is my desire, when you arrive at Washington, that you would impress on the mind of the Secretary of war, the neces- sity of expediting regular troops to the defence of this district. General Coffee's brigade will be entitled to honourable discharge on the 20th of March — General Carroll's division about the 15th of May — and General Thomas's detachment from Kentucky, about the same time. The present regular force does not exceed six hundred effectives. *' Prevented by motives of delicacy and other causes, I have not made those discriminations, nor urged those pretensions, which the respective merits of officers required. I must therefore request you to mention the names of Major Pierre, and Captains Butler and Baker of the 44th regiment, and of acting Lieutenant Call,* as worthy of promotion. Captains Montgomery, Vail, and Allen of the 7th regiment, acted well during the whole campaign. They are certainly good captains, and merit promotion. Too much praise cannot be bestowed on Captain Humphrey, and Lieutenant Spotts of the Artillery — Humphrey ought to be at the head of a regiment, and the latter of a company. I cannot omit to mention the names of the Adjutant General Colonel Robert Butler, and his Assistant Adjutant General Major Chotard, also the Assistant In- spector General Major Davis, and my two aids. Captains Reed and Butler. From the report of Major Overton, Captains Wool- stonecraft, Murray and White, ought to be noticed, and the Major is worthy to command a regiment. The brave defenders of Fort Bowyer have been too long neglected. Their gallantry at one moment saved that section of the country. " From General Coffee's brigade, I am satisfied most valuable officers might be selected. The general would be a most valuable brigadier. Colonels Dyer, Elliot, and Gibson are men of the utmost bravery. Captain Parish would do honour to the head of a com- * Now Governor of Florida. •■»>i * -f wss^. " .. anc the waric are ^Liii i% i L « Ae ft^ -ayniBP 3 «itgrt>m «r General ^^ktoII. Gee- «ni .Anbir is xenteakF £ ~^aAoaibk^ oScer. -and «c^ifi: ^ be noticed. crsL r*&e^ iiriFa ...^ raiisers.*iic Xagtain -fiatcr. . ^^ I2ame^ I batV2 '^WKi Xi - ibsr acre mr near cob- -c: i:i.aj^Bi^ _ - - _~ iusii« . ^ . _., .. _ -r.sia^iDt c dsST 'S, ^vnc ^L uaiE^ iBe .: ibe atrpmiinr of Ae Secrsisr^ "orai^ ImisaMMii It aHpasQie ^c srr trmx. ^slii^. litar. iz yonr meim. ai£ J urn Tganrr? — - ~ - - .-_,-- i^-.i_ - — -rj-- :servtr!R&, irrir X:.- . . ^ _ . rcy. -Lamynnr ~ Jar D«L Aa c-i mmK ^f . ^Uz^SI, ** ^BBBC&Or "■»iii'-ia "^^awffTT XymRinr. ^^^ Anf-_ Tteg^r liuimiik. ' • : - - ; :n lfjl» JxuL Lie eTT. =T^'' seiecKa. ■*eqxieai-~ - of CcLmel ^T^ie ? tniaiarjlife. *n- Ar:fieaaC- Tar -i^^TnSin IL il^l - -t*»-»^ ^ n J.jir: Erie. -TT-e. IS - Tn one sjuliiiiirv- ol i -- 12 ARTHUR P. HAYNE. "Head Quarters, Washington Citv. '■'■ Febrnary IIM, 1S28. '' Sir: I address you at the request of Major General Brown, for the purpose of recalling to your mind a scene in the late war in which you were both actors. I allude to the battle of the 29th of May, 1813, at Sackett's Harbour. The general is desirous of obtaining the names of a portion of the brave men who fought on that occasion, and he knows of no one to whom he can apply with so much propriety as to yourself. He considers the day to which 1 allude as one of the most interesting and important of his life, and he directs me to say, that, during the lohole course of his service,he never witnessed a nobler display of determined valour, thanwas exhibited on that occasion, on the part of the detach- ??ient of dragoons, who fought under the lamented Backus. It is the desire of the General to perpetuate the names of the chivalric officers of that little band, that induces him to make the present ap- plication to you, and in so doing, he is happy in having it in his power to express to one of those officers, his admiration of the de- votedness they exhibited, for the honour of their country. You will no doubt be able to communicate the names of most of your comrades, who were with you on the 29th of May, 1813, as well as to specify the part of the country from which they came, with many other interesting particulars of the action which fell under your immediate notice. "The General will leave behind him particulars of some of the most interesting periods of his life, and he hopes that his account of the events at Sackett's Harbour will be much enriched by the information you will communicate. " He directs me to assure you of his great respect and esteem. "I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully your most obe- dient servant. (Signed) J.S.BROWN " Aid de Camp. " For Col. Arthur P. Hayne, " Late Adjutant General Northern Division of tlie U. S. Army." ARTIUTR P. HAYNE. 13 We should have hefore observed that Colonel Hayne was bre- vetted at Sackett's Harbour — indeed he was brevetted for gallant conduct no less than three times during the war, a circumstance which speaks volumes in his praise, viz: first for his services at Sackett'sHarbour; next for his services at the stormingof Pensacola, and lastly, for his services at the battle of the night of the 23d De- cember, and at the siege of New Orleans. The war with England concluded, Colonel Hayne determined to devote himself to the pursuits of private life, and therefore returned his military commission to the government; but, contrary to his expectations or even wishes, he was retained in the army as Ad- jutant General to the northern division, the Inspector Generalship having been abolished under the new organisation. This honourable appointment he accepted, upon the condition he should be indulged with a furlough to prosecute legal studies, to which the government assented; and, having completed the usual course under the direc- tion of that distinguished civilian, the late Judge Duncan, his friend and near connection, he was admitted to the bar of Pennsylvania. About this period the army was organised anew, the inspector's department restored, and, at the particular request of General Jack- son, Colonel Hayne was transferred again to this office, and attached to his division. During the second Florida campaign, he was placed by General Jackson, at the head of the Tennessee volunteers, with full autho- rity to organise a brigade staff, and also every power necessary to facilitate their movement to the scene of action. The Secretary of war, Mr. Calhoun, speaking of the manner in which Colonel Hayne had acquitted himself on this occasion, uses these expressions: " 1 am well aware of the difficulties to he overcome to organise effi- ciently, and with satisfaction to the officers and men, a volunteer corps for the field. In the present instance, the pride and spirits of veterans, aided by patriotism, and directed by superior intelli- gence, have handsomely surmounted every obstacle." 14 ARTHUR P. HAYNE. In 1820, Colonel Hayne, after services highly beneficial to our country, and honourable to himself, retired from the army, and General Jackson, in Jiis communication to the war department, repeats the flattering opinion of one, whose merits he possessed every opportunity correctly to estimate. " It is due" says he, " to Colonel Hayne, to express my approbation of his conduct, during his long connection with my military family, and warmly to recommend him to the notice of the government as a soldier of high sense of honour, great worth, and intelligence." With this tribute to the merits of Colonel Hayne, in the exalted estimation of his character by General Jackson, we turn from his military history, and follow him into the walks of private life. — On his return home. Colonel Hayne was received by his fellow citizens with the respect and affection due to his high character and distinguished services; and he had hard!y settled among them, before the citizens of Charleston required his services in the state legislature, where he continued to serve with great credit to himself, until he went to Europe in the important and highly responsible station of Agent for Naval Affairs in the Mediterra- nean, in which capacity he served honourably and most accepta- bly to the navy for nearly five years. On the return of the Honourable Hugh S. Legare, late minis- ter to the court at Belgium, to the United States, the President tendered to Colonel Hayne that foreign mission, which he de- clined accepting, as, from the smallness of the salary, it might involve him in pecuniary embarrassment. The fact is, our ministers abroad are very inadequately paid, and unless their private resources are most ample, they generally return home in debt for the balance of their lives. This ought not to be the case, and is a great evil, which calls for promipt redress. There is, however, one exception, and that is, the mission to France. Of his services in the legislature we have been assured, by a distinguished gentleman,* who served with him in the legislature, * Henry A. Dcssaussurc, Esquire. ARTHUR P. HAYNE. 15 "that Colonel Hayne's frank and gentlemanly deportment, ele- vated principles, and ardent character, soon developed themselves in the legislature, and he became a prominent and efficient member on the floor. He was appointed Chairman of the military committee, and made a most sensible report on the military organisation of the state. At the first session, Colonel Hayne was elected by joint ballot of both houses of the legislature, an elector (on the part of the state) of President and Vice President of the United States. This early selection of Colonel Hayne, as an elector, was equally honourable and flattering to him, as it afforded him the opportunity of bearing his public testimony to the private worth and public services of his patron and brother soldier, the hero of New Orleans." Another of his colleagues,* equally distinguished for talents, says, " Although not accustomed to extemporaneous debate, yet Colonel Hayne's clear conceptions and correct opinions always found a ready, dignified and manly utterance, and upon occasions requiring previous preparation, his energetic, glowing and lofty manner was exceedingly commanding and eloquent. But that which constituted Colonel Hayne's chief superiority, and rendered his services during his legislative career invaluable, was his libe- ral, enlarged, and elevated mind, which was calculated to give tone and character to the house, and which never failed to diffuse through the entire body, of which he was a member, those noble and exalted feelings and sentiments, which have always distinguished the legislature of South Carolina. He seemed never to forget he was legislating for the country, which had been enlightened by the Pinckneys and Rutledges; and conforming his course to the models formed by those illustrious patriots and statesmen, he con- tributed his full share to preserve and perpetuate in the councils of his native state that elevated character, which those departed sages had been so instrumental in establishing." * Honourable James Gregg. 16 ARTHUR P. HAYNE. In concluding this brief and imperfect sketch of this gentleman, we will only add, that Colonel Hayne hasbeen distinguished through life, for high honour, chivalric courage, courteous manners, and the most exemplary discharge of his duties, in all the private relations of life. As the soldier— the citizen — the man — he is a fair speci- men of a Southern gentleman of the best school. 39 W %. J>'yJm;::\ /,^.\ /■•^--'^ >. ^0 ^ r- '^Ao:< .^ ■^.