The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1866-07-14
Gen. A. p. Hill.

IS from all aftlCle IN the metropolitan
Record entitled sketches of Southern
Generals :"
When Stonewall Jackson was promo
ted and sent to the Valley, he siren
uously urged Colonel Hills name as his
successor, and the recommendation
was strongly seconded by Johnston
and Beauregard but the War Depart,
ment at Richmond refused to make the
appointment on the ground that "Vir
ginia had already more than her share
Of the brigadiers." In March '62 his
tardy promotion came, and he YVES sent
to take command of Longstreet's old
brigade-lst, 7th, 18th and 18th Vir-
ginia Regiments-then at Orange
Court House, about to take up the line
of march for Yorktown.
lie issued beautiful parting address
to his old regiment, whose grief al
losing him was only mitigated by theil
qualification at his deserved promotion
and by the fact that he left so worthy
q successor in Col. j. A. Walker.
need not dwell on the march to York
town, his services in the trenches, OF
the part he bore in the retreat, up to
the battle Of Williamsburg, on the 9th
of May, '62. In this battle fought by
Longstreet to check the advance OF
Mcclellan, and protect the retreat OF
JohnstOn's main army, General Hill
bore most conspicuous part, and han
died his command with such GOODNESS,
gallantry and skill as to gain the warm
est appreciation Of his superior officers,
and the applause of the whole army
and country. In this engagement
Longstreet captured three hundred and
fifty prisoners and nine pieces Of artil-
lery, and inflicted on the enemy loss
of at least three thousand killed and
wounded; and though he evacuated the
town that night, and was obliged for
want Of transportation to leave behind
him his killed and many of his wound
ed, it is presumed that General McClel-
Ian would now acknowledge that in
claiming a victory" on that occasion
he was merely carrying out the tactics
laid down by General Halleck in the
beginning of the war, to "claim every
engagement as victory, to keep up the
spirits of the people,
The writer once heard General Hill
say ofhis old bed fellow: Mack was
only joking when he claimed Williams
burg as a Yankee victory"
For his gallantry and skill at Will.
liamsburg, as well as his genera merits
as an officer, General Hill was, not
long after, promoted to Major-General
and assigned to the command Of the
extreme left of the Confederate lines
before Richmond. He now organized
and energctically worked to promote
the efficiency Of his famous Light Di-
vision, composed of Penders North
Carolina, Archer's Tennessee, Branch
North Carolina, Greggs South Carroll
ma, Fields Virginia and Thomas GeOr
gia brigadcs and from these cOmpar.
atively fresh troops he made Il com,
mand which has been unsurpassed in
the history of the war for dashing
charges or cool steadincss under heavy
attacks. lie was not engaged in the
battle of Seven Pines or Fair Oaks, but
kept his command well in hand, and
quietly awaited the opening of the
bloody drama of the seven days battle.
He was one of the council of war con
vened in Richmond n few days before
the great battles opened. And when
Jac kson, fresh from his great Valley
campaign, arrived in supporting dis.
lance, on the evening ofJune 26, 1862,
A. p. Hill opened the ball by u well,
directed attack on Mechanicsville
which drove the enemy from their en-
trenchmonts, and opened the way for
Longstrect to cross the Chickahominy
with his old division and General ID. IL.
Hills.
On the memorable 9th Of June, A.
p. Hill commanded the centre, Long
street the right and Jackson the left of
the grand attack upon McClellan's
works about Gaines Mill, Cold Harbor,
&c. Hill made the first assault upon
the works at Gaines Mill, and main
tanned the contest against fearful odds,
and at terrible loss to his command,
until reinforced by Pickett's Brigade of
Longstreet's Division, and Writings
Division, he carried the position by a
bayonet charge scarcely excelled during
the war. In all of the subsequent bat
ties he bore conspicuous part, but was
especially distinguished in the battle of
Frasers Farm, fought on the 3Oth of
June, Here General Hill, without ar
tillery, and in face of sixteen batteries
of the enemy strongly posted, and
supported by force greatly superior
to his own, steadily drove the enemy
a mile and a half, captured all his guns,
and inflicted upon him terrible slaugh-
ter. At half past nine o'clock at night
the retreating foe made another stand,
having received very heavy reinforce
ments, and it being impossible to drive
them further, our troops began slowly
to retire. The situation ut this time
has been thus described by sprightly
writer:
"At this moment, seeing their ad
versary retire, the most vociferous
cheers arose along the whole Yankee
line. They were taken up in the dis
tancc by the masses which, for miles
and miles beyond, were suppOrtin!
McClellan's front. 1t was q momcn
when the heart of the stoutest com
mander might have been much appall
ed. The situation of our forces wa
now as desperate as it well could be
and required courage and presence o
mind to retrieve it which the circum
stances which surrounded them were
not well calculated to inspire. lhey
had fOupbt for five or six hours with-