The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1879-09-04
S. Z. HILL.
Biographical Sketch of the Slayer Of
Jno. r. Simmons.

The current number of the Car
tersville, Ga, Express contains the
subjoined biographical sketch of
Samuel Hollingsworth Hill, who was
recently convicted in Atlanta for the
murder of Jno. r. Simmons:
He was a son of Robert L. Hill,
and born at Nashville, Nov. 10,
l847. He attended school at Nash
Vile until the year previous to the
war, when he was sent to Bethany
college in Giles county. OF which
DR.. c. n. Ordway was principal.
Upon the outbreak of the war he
raised a company of boy soldiers
little fellows. He was present at
public discussion of the great issues
at the Courthouse by Governors
Foote, Neill 5. Brown and Gen.
Robert Hatton. In his speech Gov.
Brown favored the Union, and said
he would oppose secession until the
volunteer State could follow the Old
Dominion. Before he had finished
Foote interrupted him, excitedly,
with telegram that the Old Domin
ion had seeded. The meeting was
at once broken up, and little Sam
Hill ran to the Capitol with an ord
er from Foote to fire cannon, and
this proud hearted Tennessee boy
was granted the privilege of jerking
the string that fired the first seces-
sion gun in Tennessee, That night
he managed to steal enough guns
from the arsenal to equip his little
band Of soldiers" many of whom
could hardly carry them. He took
his company to the Louisville depot,
hut could not get it on the train.
Cass. Halle was another ambitious
youth who organized a company,
but could not get the little fellows
from home. Hill did not give up
as he could not take his command,
but went to Camp Cheatham, stay
ing with Dick McCann's company
in Col. Rains regiment, but could
not get sworn in. He subsequently
tried the Thirty second Tennessee,
and failed. Then he went to Gen.
Buckner, who became interested in
him, and finally took him as a mes
senger. At the surrender of Fort
Donelson he was taken to Camp
Douglass, and after eight months he
escaped the guard at Cairo, while
going South for exchange. He got
aboard a familiar steamer, and land
ed at Nashville. He went to his
old home, and found it occupied by
Yankees and negroes. His father
had moved to a place on Cherry
street, where he died some time af
terward. Familiar 'old Tray did
not remember his young master, but
bit him as he went in the yard.
There was great joy in the family
on the return of the absent boy,
and he remained in Nashville sew
eral months. He afterwards got
with Dick Mccain, was captured,
or cut off, rather, near Corinth, and
he turned up as newsboy at Helena.
At jackson, Tenn, he engaged
with Jew and Yankee officer to
go with their teams and share prof
its in exchanging salt for cotton.
Barrel of salt for bag or cotVon
-.e-a the terms, and so great was
the prOnJS ths~e =. eix weeks he had
nearly twenty thousand oollaEa to
his part. He was now fifteen years
old. In his restless active life he
engaged with theatrical companies,
and travelled over England, Ireland
and Scotland. s.
His career would fill a volume.
He has been connected with various
business firms, the Southern Ex-
press Company and the Postoffice
Department, and always acquitted
himself with credit.