Harry Thompson Hays (April 14, 1820 – August 21, 1876) was an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Army officer serving in the Mexican-American War and a general who served in the
Confederate ArmyThe Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America during its brief existence from 1861 to 1865. It was established in two phases with provisional and permanent organizations, which existed concurrently....
during the
American Civil WarThe American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several other names, was a civil war in the United States of America. Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America...
.
Known as the "
Louisiana TigersThe Louisiana Tigers was the common nickname for certain infantry troops from the state of Louisiana in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Originally applied to a specific company, the nickname expanded to a battalion, then to a brigade, and eventually to all Louisiana...
", his
brigadeA brigade is a military unit that is typically composed of two to five regiments or battalions, depending on the era and nationality of a given army. Usually, a brigade is a sub-component of a division, a larger unit consisting of two or more brigades; however, some brigades are classified as a...
played a major role during the
Battle of GettysburgThe Battle of Gettysburg , fought in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as part of the Gettysburg Campaign, was the battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War and is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of...
in July 1863, where they ascended
Cemetery HillCemetery Hill is a key terrain feature in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the northernmost extent of Cemetery Ridge. It played prominent roles in all three days of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1–3, 1863....
in the darkness and overran several
artillery batteriesArtillery is a military combat Arm that employs weapons capable of discharging large projectiles in combat. They are generally capable of adding considerable fire power to the military capability of an armed force...
before finally being driven off for lack of support.
Harry Thompson Hays was born in
Wilson County, TennesseeWilson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2000, the population was 88,809. Its county seat is Lebanon and largest city is Mt. Juliet....
.
Harry Thompson Hays (April 14, 1820 – August 21, 1876) was an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Army officer serving in the Mexican-American War and a general who served in the
Confederate ArmyThe Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America during its brief existence from 1861 to 1865. It was established in two phases with provisional and permanent organizations, which existed concurrently....
during the
American Civil WarThe American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several other names, was a civil war in the United States of America. Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America...
.
Known as the "
Louisiana TigersThe Louisiana Tigers was the common nickname for certain infantry troops from the state of Louisiana in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Originally applied to a specific company, the nickname expanded to a battalion, then to a brigade, and eventually to all Louisiana...
", his
brigadeA brigade is a military unit that is typically composed of two to five regiments or battalions, depending on the era and nationality of a given army. Usually, a brigade is a sub-component of a division, a larger unit consisting of two or more brigades; however, some brigades are classified as a...
played a major role during the
Battle of GettysburgThe Battle of Gettysburg , fought in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as part of the Gettysburg Campaign, was the battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War and is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of...
in July 1863, where they ascended
Cemetery HillCemetery Hill is a key terrain feature in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the northernmost extent of Cemetery Ridge. It played prominent roles in all three days of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1–3, 1863....
in the darkness and overran several
artillery batteriesArtillery is a military combat Arm that employs weapons capable of discharging large projectiles in combat. They are generally capable of adding considerable fire power to the military capability of an armed force...
before finally being driven off for lack of support.
Early life and career
Harry Thompson Hays was born in
Wilson County, TennesseeWilson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2000, the population was 88,809. Its county seat is Lebanon and largest city is Mt. Juliet....
. His family lived in a home known as "The Hermitage," which had been given to his family by President Andrew Jackson. Following the deaths of his parents, he was reared by an uncle in
Wilkinson County, MississippiWilkinson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of 2000, the population was 10,312. Its county seat is Woodville. Wilkinson County is named for military leader James Wilkinson.-Geography:According to the U.S...
. He attended St. Mary’s College in
Baltimore, MarylandBaltimore is an independent city and the largest city in the state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore City in order to distinguish it from surrounding...
, and studied law. Hays soon established a prominent law practice in New Orleans,
LouisianaThe State of Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state divided into parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.
Hays saw his first military service during the Mexican-American War, serving in the 5th Louisiana Cavalry. Returning to Louisiana, Hays became active in politics as a
WhigThe Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from 1833 to 1856, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and the Democratic Party...
and served as a Presidential Elector supporting
Winfield ScottWinfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig party in 1852. Known as "Old Fuss and Feathers" and the "Grand Old Man of the Army", he served on active duty as a general longer than any other man in American history and many historians rate...
in 1852. His brother was the famous Texas Ranger
John Coffee HaysCol. John Coffee "Jack" Hays was a Texas Ranger captain and military officer of the Republic of Texas and the United States armies. Hays served in several armed conflicts, including the Indian and the Mexican-American wars....
. Author Shelby Foote described him as a "Tennessee born, Mississippi raised, lawyer from New Orleans."
Civil War
In 1861, Hays entered the Confederate Army as
colonelIn the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, Colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and just below the rank of Brigadier General. It is equivalent to the naval rank of Captain in the other uniformed services...
of the 7th Louisiana Infantry. Showing his attitude toward Northerners, Hays made the rouge's march of his regiment "Yankee Doodle," stating that "More rascals have marched to that tune in one day than to any other." After fighting at the
First Battle of Bull RunThe First Battle of Bull Run, also known as the First Battle of Manassas , was fought July 21, 1861, near Manassas, Virginia...
and
Stonewall JacksonThomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, and probably the most well-known Confederate commander after General Robert E. Lee. His military career includes the Valley Campaign of 1862 and his service as a corps commander in the Army of Northern...
's
Shenandoah ValleyThe Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bound to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
Campaign of 1862, he suffered a severe wound at
Port RepublicThe Battle of Port Republic was fought on June 9, 1862, in Rockingham County, Virginia, as part of Confederate Army Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's campaign through the Shenandoah Valley during the American Civil War...
.
Recovering from his injury, Hays was promoted to brigadier general on July 25, 1862 and assigned command of the First Louisiana Brigade, replacing
Richard TaylorRichard Taylor was a Confederate general in the American Civil War. He was the son of United States President Zachary Taylor and First Lady Margaret Taylor.-Early life:...
who had been promoted to major general and sent to the
Western TheaterThis article presents an overview of major military and naval operations in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.-Theater of operations:...
. This brigade was known as the "Louisiana Tigers," having taken the name from the original brigade commanded by
Roberdeau WheatChatham Roberdeau Wheat was a Captain in the United States Army Volunteers during the Mexican War, Louisiana State Representative, lawyer, mercenary in Cuba, Mexico, and Italy, adventurer, and major in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Early life and career:Born in...
. Hays lost half of his unit a few months later at the
Battle of AntietamThe Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil...
. Despite reduced numbers, he continued to lead his brigade at
FredericksburgThe Battle of Fredericksburg, fought in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, from December 11 to December 15, 1862, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside, is remembered as one of the most...
in December 1862 and
ChancellorsvilleThe Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the village of Chancellorsville and the area from there to the east at Fredericksburg. The battle pitted Union Army Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker's Army...
in May 1863.
At the
GettysburgThe Battle of Gettysburg , fought in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as part of the Gettysburg Campaign, was the battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War and is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of...
in July 1863, after he had garrisoned the town, he directed his troops in a twilight assault on Cemetery Hill. The brigade stubbornly fought their way up the steep slope, and for a brief period of time held several Union guns there. However, as General Hays looked rearward, he was dismayed to see that no additional troops had been sent to his support. Reluctantly, and with casualties mounting, he ordered the remnant of his brigade to retire in the gathering darkness just as Federal reinforcements arrived to secure the heights. His brigade brught back several battle flags captured during the attack.
Hays was briefly captured in November 1863, at Rappahannock Station but escaped. In fierce fighting at the
Battle of the WildernessThe Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both armies suffered heavy casualties, a harbinger of a bloody war of attrition by...
on May 5, he lost a third of his remaining men. Five days later, he was badly wounded by a shell fragment at Spotsylvania. He never again served in the
Army of Northern VirginiaThe Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac. Three districts were created under the Department of Northern Virginia:*Aquia...
. Upon his recovery, he was transferred to the
Trans-MississippiThe Trans-Mississippi was the geographic area west of the Mississippi River during the 19th century, containing the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri and Texas, and the Indian Territory . The term was especially used by the Confederate States of America as the designation for the theater of...
, then was assigned command in Louisiana.
On May 10, 1865, Hays was promoted to major general by his superior, General
Edmund Kirby SmithEdmund Kirby Smith was a career United States Army officer and educator. He served as a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, notable for his command of the Trans-Mississippi Department of the Confederacy after the fall of Vicksburg.After the conflict ended Smith...
, but with the demise of the Confederacy, this promotion never was formally approved by
Confederate PresidentThe President of the Confederate States of America was the Head of State and Head of Government of the Confederate States of America, which was formed from the states which declared their secession from the United States. The only person to hold the office was Jefferson Davis. He was President...
Jefferson DavisJefferson Finis Davis was an American politician who served as President of the Confederate States of America for its entire history, 1861 to 1865, during the American Civil War....
or the
Confederate CongressThe Congress of the Confederate States was the legislative body of the Confederate States of America, existing during the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865...
.
Postbellum career
After the war, Hays went back to New Orleans, where, after receiving a pardon from President
Andrew JohnsonAndrew Johnson , the 17th President of the United States , was the first U.S. President to be impeached, as well as the first U.S. president to succeed to the presidency upon the assassination of his predecessor.At the time of the secession of the Southern states, Johnson was a U.S. Senator from...
, he served as
sheriffA sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Orleans Parish for a year. He played a prominent role in the July 1866 New Orleans Race Riot, at one time deputizing nearly two hundred of his former soldiers who were now members of the "Hays Brigade Relief Society." Hays was removed from office in November by the Federal Government at the insistence of influential former Union general Philip H. Sheridan.
Hays was a Freemason, receiving his degrees in Louisiana Lodge #102 in New Orleans. He then returned to his law practice until this death at age 56 of
Bright's diseaseBright's disease is a historical classification of kidney diseases that would be described in modern medicine as acute or chronic nephritis. The term is no longer used, as diseases are now classified according to their more fully understood causes....
. Hays is buried in Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 in Washington Avenue Cemetery in New Orleans.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals