Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-04-29
u. u. hill,
Msjor.Gen. Confederate States Army.

NEWBERN, N e., M9rch y, 1863
To Nsjor-Goneral D H. Hill, Confederate States Army,
Goldshoro:
sIR: By a flag Of truce, last night. received
a communication from you Of the 24ta instant,
fall cf insolent falsehood and blsekguard abuse
To those who know anything of the peculiar
traits Of your character, it win bs amusing to
learn that you were espsble Of feeling NORTH
cation and pain" becsnso of any unf1rtunsse
conduct of North Co.olinisn.
You say l have dsscended to low abuse Of ny
| own people l do kRow what the abuse to
which You have oco can be, unless it was
when I chaTa< as "cowerdy incsndia
ries" the men b tho cammsnd Of General
French, who bu. nsd The town of Plymouth
/ did condes1n aud do condemn as "cOwsrdly
incendsries" the perpetrators of tha. disbolcai
outrage; butt have never believed tbst they
were citizsas Of North Carolina l. is evidently
g premeditsied attempt 10 DESTROY the whole
town. The houses of widows, of Union men
and of secessionists, who hsd bsea protected By
the troops of the Uaited States. were iuGiscrini.
ingtely burned, without regard to the entrsst.es
and tears Of their wives snd daughters. Gen.
French only admitted the firing of one house
I now admit that some homes wsre burned in
Plymouth by "Confedeyate troops" Bet unf0r
unstely-if to be convic ed of falsehcod can DO
8 misfortune 10 general in the Confederate
States army"--whils you confess his sin, you
from the force of irresistible habits are rRltY of
the same inGrmity. You say "it is alleged il
was done to Gust some 7 nkee thieves and ma.
rsu5ers" What I have sisted sbove Of the
persons residing in the houses is 3 sufficient ref
uta:ion Of this.
I am happy to know that you and diffsr in
opinion as to those upnn whom the burden of
this sin rests Ifthe Union forces were brutal
invaders" l see no excuse for your burning the :
towns Of those peaceful citizens whom you pro-
fess yen came to save.
II it will afford you pleasure you may know
that have omitted no opportunity of rebuking
any " atrocities" committed by troops Of the
United States, in which have been sustained
by the gsllan4 general upon whom you SO IN
worthily endeavor to cast reprosch.
As far as my observation extends, know of
but two attempts in North Carolins to destroy
towns by burning-both these were made BY
mon of your political school I refer to the at
tempt to destroy Newbern and to the burning of
Plymouth
You are pleased, in the mean mslignity Of
your nature, to make 2 comparison Of the civil !
and military governors Of North C1roina, in the |
hope Of wounding my feelings How little you !
know Of the feelings and character of the gon- |
temsn whom you would essail
feel a just and proper pride for the good con-
duct Of any true son of North Carolina, even !
when engaged in bad cause TIE gallant |
gentleman 10 whom you refsr--as little honored /
by yonr prsise as I aTu injured by your sneers-
was honored by my "0wn psople North /
CaroliniaDs-for his life long devotion to /
the Union and his often expressed de- 1
testaiion Of secession villains-your aeao-
ciates in treason. Hs was Justly endssred /
to his own people, because of bis eloquent de-
nuncistion of the ferdieh traitors, Ike yourself,
who were trying for years to plunge his country
in civil var, Ia an hour of excitement, boliev.
ing his State was about to be invaded, he drew
his sword in her defense. I honor his pstriot-
ism, while / mourn bis error. He will, / trust,
continue to merit public gratitude by resisting
the tyranny Of the destructives who hate and
slsnder him. He win live to regret be ever did
anything to call forth your praise. Those who
know you both, know you are not worthy to
unlatch his shoestrings He WAS not indebted
to you or to your friends for his present posi-
ton, and, notwithstanding his gasntry, his
breast was exposed to all the bullets Of your
calumny.
You "bite Ale," viper, when you sp7ak of
my organizing a negro brigade" In this
respect, even from secsssionists, my conduct is
Bot truth demands I should declare that if
were compelled TO choose between fighting
with such secessionists and town buraers ss
You are, attempting to destroy the Government
aud with negro brigade" to prevent its
destruction, should prefer tia negro brigade
Under no circumstances could submit to the
degradation of an association with men who
would serve such a man as D H Hill
Your sllusion TO Arnold is beneath contempt
and reveals tho deep mslignity which you have
hsd toward me- Though bound to my native
laud with hooks Of stesl'' my adopted home
is California Ny loyalty to her Is not i'm.
Deaehed. Ny duty TO her is undeniable Her
determination in tho present crisis is not
doubted. hardly think oven one Of your mad
prejudicss sgsinss the =" internal Yankees in
\ sober moment, would condemn a5 a traitsr
him who was faithful in his slIegiaGcs tn his
home, Whether ihst home was California, Lou
sisra or Vermont
But the hight of hypocritieal audaeisy is
reached when you, though rather tsmely, en-
ieavor to spssAz respectfully of the Sauthern
General Washington" In your estimation his
)aly title to public honrr was thst ho was called
1 rshei, and that he was =" hOnOred By the Bit
Sd, ard, therefore, honorOd by D. n. Hill,
major general, ConfsdeTate States army :"