The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-11-25
HOW HILL WAS SLAIN.
A NARRATIVE DETAILING THE CIR.
CUMsTANCEs OF GENERAL
A. r. HILLS FALL.
The Only Confederate Eyewitness Of
the Death-Shot Describes
the Event.

A. Il. HIPS couriers, writes to the Phla-
delphia Weekly Times,
About midnight the cannonadng I'm
front OF Petersburg, which had begun at
nghtfall, became very heavy, increasing as
the hours went by. Colonel Palmer, chief
OF staff, woke Major Starke, A. A. g., and
requested him to find out the cause and
effect Of the prolonged firing. This was
between 2 and 3 o'clock on the morning OF
April I'd. Major Starke returned before
daylight and reported "that the enemy had
part OF our line near the Riyes salient aud
that matters looked critical on the lines In
front of the city," This he communicated
10 General Hill at Venable's.
Before sunrise General Hill came over
and asked Colonel Palmer II he had any re-
port from Generals Wilcox and Heth,
whose divisions on the right extended
from the front of Fort Gregg TO and be-
yond BURGESS mill, on Hatcher's run.
The Colonel told him that he had heard
nothing from them, and had nothing further
to report beyond Major starke's state
ment.
The General then passed on 10 his tent.
and few minutes later the Colonel, mo-
ticing his cOlored servant Charles leading
the Generals saddled horse TO his tent. ran
TO him just as he was mounting. and asked
permission to accompany him. He told
the Colonel no, and desired him TO wake
up the staff. get everything in readiness.
and have the headquarters wagonSihtched
up. He added that he was going to Gene
raj Lees, and would take Sergeant Tucker
aud two couriers, and that rs soon rs he
could have an interview with General Lee
he would return.
MOVEMENTS OF GENERAL HILL.
General Hill then rode to the courers'
quarters and found me in the act OF groom
ing my horse. RI did not then have the
slightest intimaton OF what had taken
place since our return from the lines the
night before.l He directed me to follow
him with two cOuriers Immediately to
General Lees headquarters. He then rode
off rapidly. IL was our custom IN critical
times to have during the night two OF the
courers' horses always saddled. ! called
to Kirkpatrick and jenkins, the couriers
next in turn, TO follow the General as
quickly as possible. | saddled up at
once and followed them. kirkpatrick
and jenkins arrived at General Lees
together. only few minutes after General
Hill, who at once directed kirkpatrick 10
ride rapidly back to our quarters q met
him on the road going at full speed and
tell Colonel Palmer to follow him TO the
right, and the others OF the staff and
courers must rally the men on the right.
This was the first information received at
corps headquarters that our right had
given way. General Hill then rode, at
tended only by Jenkins, to the front gate
Of General Lees headquarters (Turnbull
house. on the Cox road. nearly one and a
half mics westerly from General HIPS,
where met them.
We went directly across the road into
the opposite field, and riding due south a
short distance the General drew rein, and
for few moments used his iield-glasS.
which, IN my still profound ignorance Of
what had happened, struck me as exceed
ingly queer We then rode on in the same
direction down a declyity toward small
branch running eastward to Old Town
creek, and quarter of mile from Gene
raj Lees. We had gone little more than
half this distance when we suddenly came
upon two OF the enemy's armed Infantry
men. jenkins and myself, who up to this
time rode Immediately behind the General,
were instantly upon them, when at the de-
mand "surrender" they laid down their
guns. Turning to the General ! asked
what should be done with the prisoners.
He said Z" jenkins, take them to General
Lee" jenkins started back with his men
and we rode on"
''TO THE RIGHT"
Though not invited. was at the Gene
raPs side. and my attention having now
been aroused, and looking carefully ahead
I "a lnf az
about the old log-hut winter-quarters Of
General MahOne's division, situated to the
right of Whitworth house and on top Of
the hill beyond the branch we were ap-
proaching. Now, as | knew that those
quarters had been vacant since about |
March 18th by the transfer OF Malone TO |
north OF the Appomatt0X. and feeling |
that II was the enemy's troops in posses |
sion. with nothing looking like a Con-
federate anywhere. | remarked, pointing |
TO the old camp: "General, what troops |
are tbesey" He quickly replied: .'The |
enemy's." Proceeding still further. and |
General Hill making no further remark. | |
became so impressed with the great risk he |
was running that | made bold to say |
Z" Please excuse me, General, but where
are Won going?" He answered: "Ser- |
L
possible." Then, pointing southwest, he |
said "We will go up this side OF the
branch to the woods, which will cover us |
until reaching the field in rear OF General
IIeth's quarters. hope 10 ma The ROAD |
clear at General Heth's.'
From that time on | kept slightly ahead |
OF the General. l had kept Colts army |
nistoI drawn since the affair OF the Federal |
do lao branch D.
coming obscured from the enemy, and, |
crossing the Bowdtoin mot "Boydtown,"
as some writers have called it, piank-road, |
soon made the woods, which were keptlor
about mile, In which distance we dld not
see single person, and emerged into the
field opposite General IIeth's at point
two miles due southwest from General
Lees headquarters at the Turnbull mousse, |
and at right angles with the BoWdton
pIank-road at the Ilarman" house, when |
was distant half mile. When gong |
through the woods the only words be-
tween General Hill and myself, except al
few rellting to the route, were by himself
He called my attention and said: SER
geant, should anything happen TO me you |
must 90 back TO General Lee ana re-
port it,"
THE ENEMY.
We came into the field near its corner at
the foot of a small declivity, rising which |
could plainly see that the road was iuli OF
troops OF some kind. The General, raising |
his deld-glass, said: "They are there" l
understood perfectly that he meant the
enemy, and asked: (Which way now,
General?" He pointed to that side OF the
woods parallel TO the Bowdtoin plank road,
about 100 Yards down hill from where our
horses stood. saving: " We must keep on |
10 the right | spurred ahead, and we
nj ,,ada tuJo th;rds nj the distance. and. |