CSA Bios Hawes, Hatton

[Battleline]

Brig. Gen. James M. Hawes (b. 1824, d. 1889) At one time, James Morrison Hawes commanded Confederate cavalry in the Western Department, but stepped down from that position following the Battle of Shiloh, April 6-7, 1862. Hawes was born in Lexington, Kentucky, Jan. 7, 1824. His father, Richard Hawes, later became the second Confederate governor of Kentucky and briefly occupied the capital at Frankfort during Gen. Bragg’s campaign into Kentucky in 1862. He graduated 29th of 41 in the U.S. Military Academy’s Class of 1845 and saw action in the Mexican War. He earned one brevet promotion to first lieutenant, but declined a second brevet. Following the war, Hawes was an instructor of mathematics and infantry and cavalry tactics at West Point. He spent two years at the cavalry school at Samur, France, returning to see action in the Kansas border conflicts. Resigning his commission May 9, 1861, Hawes was commissioned as a captain in the Regular Confederate Army and was promoted to major in June of that year. Hawes participated in an action at Charleston, (West) Virginia, July 4, 1861, and another action at Green River, Kentucky, Sept. 18, 1861 as part of the Second Kentucky Cavalry. Elected colonel of the Second Kentucky Cavalry, Hawes declined to stay in the Regular Confederate Army. Gen. Albert S. Johnston recommended Hawes for promotion to brigadier general and it was made official to rank from March 5, 1862. Hawes was in charge of all Western Department cavalry through the Battle of Shiloh. On April 8, 1862, he resigned from this post to take a position within the division of Gen. John Breckinridge. He commanded a cavalry brigade near Little Rock, serving under Gen. Theophilus Holmes and fought in the Confederate defeat at Milliken’s Bend, June 7, 1863, during the campaign in which the Federals took Vicksburg. Requesting to be relieved, Feb. 11, 1864, Hawes was sent to Galveston, Texas. After the war, Hawes returned to his prewar home in Paris, Kentucky, but found it destroyed. Hawes, his wife and children moved to Covington, Kentucky, where he opened a hardware store. Hawes stayed active in Confederate matters, decorating graves on Confederate Memorial Day. Hawes died in Covington, Kentucky, Nov. 22, 1889.

Brig. Gen. Robert H. Hatton (b. 1826, d. 1862) Ohio native Robert Hopkins Hatton went to Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee, and decided to stay in his adopted state when the Civil War came. Hatton was born Nov. 2, 1826, in Steubenville, Ohio, and went to Cumberland to study. He graduated in 1847 and then took a teaching position there while studying law under Robert L. Caruthers, a local judge. Admitted to the bar in 1850, Hatton went into politics. From 1855-57, Hatton served in the state house of representatives. He ran, unsuccessfully, for governor against Isham Harris in the 1857 election. In 1859, he earned election to the U.S. Congress as a member of the National American (Know-Nothing) party. Despite speaking for the preservation fo the Union, in 1861 he resigned his seat to return home. Commissioned as colonel of the Seventh Tennessee Infantry May 26, 1861, Hatton served in the command of Gen. Loring in the Cheat Mountain Campaign Sept. 11-13, 1861, which ended in Confederate withdrawal. Prior to the unit's first action, Hatton addressed his men. It was reported he said, "he would rather that his bones bleach upon the mountain sides than ever return home with the slightest blemish upon his escutcheon." The Seventh Tennessee progressed to the command of Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson during the winter and early spring of 1861-62. Sent to oppose Gen. McClellan’s Peninsular Campaign, Hatton led his men into battle at Savage’s Station (the opening phase of the Battle of Seven Pines) against Federal troops of Gen. Erasmus Keyes May 23, 1862. As dusk came, Hatton inspired his men, "Just to our rear is our capital city, invested by a vandal horde. Should it be sacked and plundered?" The response from the men was a resounding "No, Never!" On the same day Hatton received word of his promotion to brigadier general. Hatton did not have much time to enjoy his new rank. Moving his troops into the Battle of Seven Pines, May 31, 1862, Hatton yelled, "Forward my brave boys, forward!." Soon after, his horse was shot. Hatton continued for a few steps before he was hit in the head and killed near Fair Oaks Station. Col. James Archer took command of the Tennessee brigade after Hatton’s death. Hatton was buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery in Lebanon, Tennessee.

While on recent vacation, I found a book titled "Let Us Die Like Brave Men: Behind the Dying Words of Confederate Warriors by Daniel W. Barefoot in a book store in Downtown Salisbury, N.C. It had more on Hatton, so I am including the changes here. I also visited Chickamauga and parts of Missionary Ridge on my trip. If I can, I will include photos somewhere.

[Gil R.]

Copied, thanks.

I've read that most of Missionary Ridge is developed. Is there all that much to see?

[Battleline]

Gil,
Lots of expensive houses up on the ridge and along the western face, where the Federals assaulted. There are many historical markers on the ridge. It seems odd, but there are homes which seem to have historical markers in their front yards. Many of the markers seemed to note where particular Federal regiments assaulted. There are plenty of the standard Chickamauga and Chattanooga Military Park marker tablets, red for Confededrate and blue for Federal.
Missionary Ridge is in stark contrast to Chickamauga. The Ridge is a battlefield which has continued to be used for development, but notes the historic past. Chickamauga is a battlefield which has been preserved as closely as possible to how it appeared at that time. The only exception might be Lafayette Road, which seems to be a decently traveled road.
Another striking contrast is the size of the Civil War battlefields compared to those from the Revolution. One can walk King's Mountain or Cowpens within a hour or so, about as long as it took for those battles to take place. One could spend many days around Chickamauga or Chattanooga and still not get to everything.
Battleline

[Gil R.]

I know what you mean about Chickamauga -- simply can't be done in a day if you know enough about the battle. I was there and had just three hours or so, meaning that I need to go back. (I still have the CD audioguide in my car, just in case...)