Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-04-21

>idoT,tion dee to your exalted position,
rnh!:lis'e ln:sa!f your obedient servant,
D. Ii. HILL,
:Isjor General, Confederate States Army.
cor. GT,ElY TO NiJ. GEN. HILL.
NswBeRs. N. O., Msrch q, 1868
To Msjoc General d. II. HILL, o. S. A.
foldshora':
Sr-By flg of truce last night, received
communication from you Of the 24;h inst,
fnll Of ins!lent f.lsshood and blsckguard
abuse.
To those who know anything Of the pecu-
I4r trsts of your character, it will be anus
ing to learn that you were capable Of feeling
NOR! !hratinn and pain because of sny UT
fortunate conduct OF North Os,ohnian.
You say have descended to low abuse OF
,, my own ponple. do not know what the
sbuse ID which You have reference, can be,
uho; IL wai whe" | ciaraci orizad al "cow-
ardly incsndiaries" the men. under tho COM
nsnd of General French, who burned the
town of Plymouth.
did condemn and do condemn as "cow-
srh'y inceudiaries" the p.rpetrateIs Ct that
disbpIical outrage; but h,vs never believed
! they were citizsus Of North Oarolins. 1t
was eFidsDtlT pTcmeditGtsd attempt to de-
nLroy the eh3'a !nEn. This houses Of wi
doWa, OF Uni6n man AMI Of SeccesioTists,
who bad hsnn protected ny the troops Of the
United States, werc indis crimipately. burned,
wahout regard 20 the sutreslss and tears
Of their wives Hed daughters. Gen. French
only s3mitted t6s firing of one house. You
nrw admit that some hou aes were burned in
Plymouth by 'Donfederate troops" But
unfortunately ely--ii to be ci i,nvicted Of falsehood
c.n be misfnrtnne to q general in the "Con-
taderate States my'--whie ycu confess
his Sin, ynn, from ,hs force Of irresistible
habits, are guilty Of tbc samo irti rmity.-
Ton saw "lt is alleged it Wss done to oust
SINE Yankee thieves and msrauders." What
| have stated above cf ;he chsrscter of the
ps:sons residing in the kousrs is sufficient
-; .;atn,icn 1i this.
am happy TO know that you and / diffsr
in opinion as to those npon whom the burden
"f tLiJ Sin rests. If tho Unuu forces wero
" brutal invadsra.'' see no excuse for ycur
burning the towns of those peaceful citizens
whom you profess you came to sarc.
lt,t will afford you pleasure, yon may
know tnat bsvo ornittea no opportunity uf
;hni il- any "stro,iLiss" conmitted by
troop. o: Lie United States, in wbi n have
heen sustained by the gallant general upon
whom you Sal unworthIly endeayor to cast
relTosch.
As far as my observation extends, know
Of hu: l9n attcmrta in North Carolina to de-
etrny tnwns by burniug-hoth these wers
uiado ny n'on of your political school. | re-
fsr 20 The attempt to destroy Newharn end
to tho burning Of Plymouth.
Iou srs pleased, in the mean IIalignity cf
yonr nature, to make comparison Of the civil
aid military Governors of North Carolina, in
the hoIe Of wounding my feelings. How
little you know of tho feelings and character
Ct the gentleman whom you would .sssil,
feel a just snh proper pride fyr t',e good
conduct of any tue son Of North Carolina,
even when engaged in bad Cause. The
gallant gentleman to whom you refer-as
little honored by your praise as am injured
ny your snee-s-was honored oy my GOWN
peope"-Not.h Cs,n)inisns-- for bis lifelorg
devotion to the U.ion ard his often expressed
detcEtatinn Ct secession uilsins-your ssso-
ci,tes in treason. II, was justly endsarcd
to biz own people, bccau5s of his eloquent
denunci.tion # tho fisndish traitors, lire
Yourself who wero trying for years 10 plunge
his country in civil war. In m hour of
excitement, believing bis State was about 10
hs inyad. d, be drew his swerd in her defencs.
honor his patriotism, while mourn bis
orror. lie will, | trust, cun:inuo TO merit
public gratitude by resisting the tyranny Of
the dnstructives who hate Slid Islander him.
IIs will lire to regret he eyeT did anything
to call forth your praise. These who know
you both know you are aot worthy to IN
latch his shoestring. Ho ,7aa not indebted to
you or to your friends for f's present posi-
ton, and. notwithstanding hls gsllantry, bis
brsrst va exposed to eli the bullets of your
c;Iumpy.
Yon '.bi!e q fle," i:7er, h,n you speak of.
roy orea?iziog "negro Mi5ade." In. this
respect, c7en fmm seccss:oniste, Lay conduct
10 nrsaea,lab!e.
/ were compelled to choose bstween fighting
with such ssces.onsts and towr turner's as
you are, attempting to destroy tho govern
p.ent, ard with 20 ntg'o brigade - to
prevent its destruction, should prefer the
nrero brigade. URd.r no circumstances
caiId l submit to tho degIada;i,u OF on $3.50
citation with men " ho would Sci sc under such
man as D Fl. IIiil
Your slIuaicn t. Arncld ia beneath con-
tempt, and only 80, ..s the deep mslignity
which rru hsI ii t,wayds ma. Though
bound II ~ alive land with "hooks Of
stesi, TJ .vptsd hopa is California. Ny
!ora!'y 70 ;4er ia not iGpesched 81 duty TO
hsl = unosnisble. ter determination IL tho
prcie..:: crisis is not dorb::n. hardly think
erea ore nf ycr- mad prejudicss against the
Internal Yankees, in soher moment, would
condemn as traitor hi:n who was faithtui in
bis alegi,ncs to his home, whether that home
WAS California, Louisiana or Vermont.
But The heiEht OF hypocritical sudacity is
rsa:hsd when you, though rather t.meIy, su-
desgtr % speak respectfully of the Southern
General Washington. In your estimation
Lila only title to pubic honor was thst be was
called as[ebel, and that he wss ''honorsd by
the 81 eh, and therefore honorsd BY Q: d.
Hill, "M.jor General, Confederate States
Army"
The m6nnmaniac of secession, D. q. Hill. at
LIST sesskg rsspsitf9lIz .Qt Msaa5 Ma iaEtasJSa eT1