The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-11-25
From the Canton Miss. Mail.
Hon. A. P. Hill.

Messrs. Editors: L was highly pleased
with your obituary notice, recently, Of
Judge A. P. Hill. With your permis.
sion, propose to add to what you have
so well said, but going somewhat more
in detail into the character and history
of this great and good man:
He was born in York District, S. g.,
on the 18th of February, 1919, of pa
rents remarkable for probity of charac.
ter, vigor of mind, deep piety, and reli,
gious zeal. After the necessary prepar-
atory education, he was sent to the Uni
versity of South Carolina, then presided
over by the great and distinguished DR..
Thornwell. Here he graduated with
great honor, in class of young men
many of whom have since become the
very first men of that State. Soon after
leaving college he came to this county
and taught school, while he prosecuted,
at the same time, the study of the law,
his chosen profession. Meanwhile, this
country becoming involved in the war
with Mexico, the native fires of patriot
ism were kindled in the heart of young
Hill, and he was the very first to volun.
teer, and he afterwards became a member
of that renowned regiment commanded
by Jefferson Davis, which, in that war,
covered itself with imperishable glory.
After the close of the war, Judge Hill
married, and entered actively upon the
practice of the law, and soon rose to a
high position at the bar of this district,
which, at that time, numbered among its
members many of the finest lawyers in
the State. When comparatively young
in his profession, he was elected Judge of
the Probate Court of this county: but in
1855, when the spirit of the party ran
very high, the Democratic party, of which
he was decided member, being greatly
in the minority, he was defeated in a
canvass for reelection, by a very few
votes. From this time he grew greatly,
as a lawyer, in public confidence, and
the number and Importance of his law
cases constantly increased.
He was always strong State Rights
man and in 1860, after the election of
Mr.. Lincoln, he became an earnest and
able advocate of separation from the
non-slavery States, and the establishment
of an independant government for the
South and when convention was called,
looking to that end, the eyes of those of
his fellow-citizens who concurred with
him, where at once directed to him as
their standard bearer. He was elected
to that convention by considerable ma.
jority over an opponent of great skill,
ability and influence as a political lead
er. In that convention Judge Hill was
a conspicuous member, and, as the writer
well knows, his views were sought after
and deferred to by some of the ablest
men of that body. The result of its de-
liberations is a point of the worlds his
tory. When the war ensued, he accept
ed the issue it presented; but not as one
which legitimately followed the act of
secession. Tied to home by every con-
sideration of wife and children, of pro-
fessional engagements, and feeble health
he, at the first alarm of war, volunteered
to defend, what his judgment and his
heart told him was the right. He was
lieutenant in the Confederates," one of
the first companies formed in the State,
and commanded by that noble patriot,
hero and martyr, Judge E. G. Henry.
At the first battle of Manassas, the brave
Captain Melville fell, and the mem
bers of his company, the "Camden Rifles, -
knowing the virtue and courage of Judge
Hill, unanimously invited him (although
then an officer in another company to
take charge of them as their leader. He
did so, and nobly did he justify their con-
fdence.
At the battle of Leesburg, where the
pluck of the Confederate soldier was put
to one of its severest tests, he was twice
wounded, besides receiving two shots into
his clothing which did not touch his per-
son.
The extreme frailty of his physical
frame rendered the infantry service very
irksome to him, and he was induced, sub
sequently, to leave that branch of the
service, and to accept the captaincy of a
company of cavalry, formed for the most
part as were the two infantry companies
with which he had been connected, Of
young men of this county. While hold
ing this position, his health began to give
way; his friends saw it, and suggested tc
President Davis the appointment of Cap
tain Hill to the position of one of the
Judges of the military court for Genera
Lopgstreet's corps of the army; which
appointment he received and accepted
and continued to discharge its duties
with great satisfaction until the close o
the struggle, when he returned to hi