Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-07-26
GENERAL A. P. HILL.
SOME "REMINISCENCES OF The "a
NOUS VIRGINIA COMMANDER.
r,r,,r. M,stnkes Growing ont of the Ao-
sence Of His Insignia of Eahk-'e""-
.,.r.. Blundcrs Reproved with sigor'
rwri,ten for the plapatch. J

written for the Dispatch.]
Having seen an account OF the renora'
~ tho remains Of Lieutenant-General A. l.
U;Il from HOLLYWOOD cemetery 10 the s''o
81 tho monument erected to his memory
nv mind was naturally drawn TO the career
90 that Gallant officer in the war Tor souVh-
ern independence.
II was my fortune 10 be met'oef y, ~,
military family during the First Maryi"h'
cornpaign. which. "a is well known IN
cIrded the capture of Harper's Ferry WIN
ohout ten thousand fefcral troops. 70
cether with immense fuppIios III -, q,
and closed with the terflnc go ,',;otam
Sharpsburg, a. we caileu i'' VI
as the Federals have II.
"A / prefer at this disttt day 20 ut I'm
with the more pleasing features OF ,ne
struggle. will give you few ahscuotcs,
ali hearing on tho gallantry and native
-lncj, of him. who | esteem to have heeh
one of the bravest officers or an army
noted above all things for undaunted cou-
rage and intrepid yaior.
no ,rlv-arpreciated corps OF commlssaries
Of subsistence Of the Army OF Northern
Virginia. having reached there with the
brlcade of General l.. .. Is. hranch
short time before the memorable Seven
DAYS Fight Around Richmond.
his ABSENT INSIGNIA.
General Hill had but lately won and re,
ceiyed his general commission. and
our brigade was assigned to his light d
vision early IN the formation OF Il. Ny
acnuaintance with him began then. but
only such es would exist between q subor-
dinate aud superior officer, with only occa-
sional Official Intercourse.
II was his habit when on the march TO
wear what was called then hunting
shirt without coat or anv insignia OF
rank visible. To those who knew HIM the
insignia Of general was stamped on his
every feature: but with those who did not
know him this omission to display the
three stars often led to amusing blunders.
It was after we had chased little
Mack" to tine cover Of his gunboGts nj
Harrison's landing, ard were returning to
the lines around Richmond that one OF
these occurred. | had been directed ny,
the uuartormaster of the division General
J. c.. Field. since AttOrney-General OF
Virginia. to hold the wagOn-train nj q
given point on the road until ordered for
ward bv him. The train was halted and |
placed faithful sergeant at tie head To
allow il to move only when ordered 10y
Major Fields. while ana others 70 le of
20 q spring tor water, in full VI OF the
road and distant only few hundred yards.
Az had reached my turn at the dlpper
anil drank discovered the train in mo-
ton. and supposng all was right. but
anxious to know our destination, gal
loped rapidly TO the road nnd found the
sergeant somewhat nOnplussed CT what
had taken place.
cOuIgR.
He sail n courier came and told HIM 70
move the wagons on n there was an artll-
! lery train coming up behind. He told the
| courier the train WIS awaiting tho orders
| 81 Major Fields. and would - forward as
snon "a tho Major sail So To tins the
/ cour;er regliel General Hill ordered tie
wagons forward. when tine sergeant con,
sentinely -eplicd W II if General I'M told
YOU to order them forward al right; ana
! Che train was put IN motion. jhe sergeant
| fndingthat | approved Of the course WIS
much relieved, and we trotted OF towards
! the head Of tne wagon tsun. Presently
we came 10 delightful shady grove Just
| ON the roadside. where q number OF oihcers
wore resting their steads and enjoying
| the refreshing breeze on "A hotJuly day ana
! q fearful dusty march. ono OF them L
/ aalutel aud said: Good morning, Ten
eral." and exchanged tew words with the
party end continued on.
Didn't you call that man General;
! sad: "Yes: that is General llill.'
10 this he said he'd be dad burned" II
| that wasn't the courier that told MN 70
move the train forward.
And so it was; but the General know the
! sergeant did not recognize him aud gave
tho order accordingly.
LEssoS TO PAT.
When at Gordonsyillc before the engage
ment NJ Cedar Mountain Major l.. Is. Hill,
| brother of the General. aud cOmmissary
J of the division. was taken sick and was
sent up to his home at Culpeper or "a
! Richmond and was ordered 10 report to
! Naior-Gcneral llill COR dut", While one OF
the regiuentol commssaries was ordered
| 10 report TO General Branch IA my stead.
| ont of thi. movement against the enemy
the second Manassas and Maryland cam
. pairn developed in rapid succession. and
found myself loaded with the responsible
| ty Of providing for a family OF about d.
000. and daily widening the distance be-
! tween Ia and our base Of supplies. 1t was
near Frederickt0wn that another oc-
currence OF misdentlty led to thC
discontinue Of tho misldentitier. W.
! we're breaking camp at carly dawn-ln
fact. before dawn. Our wagons, with the
| headuuaTter wagon driven by noble sor
of the I'm raid Isle, were to take tho leac
on the road. The General was III his am
bulnnce. probably intending to take ms
saddle at daylight. The ambulance-driyel
wanted to pass the headquarter wagon, and
the Irish driver Of the wagon, being III
tie contrary, would not move ont OF Tho
way of the ambulance, and signlfied hi;
unwilllngness 70 the anbulance-drlYer IN
terms moro emphatic than elegant. The
first thing he knew General Hill leapec
out of the ambulance and gave him seyera
severe raps across the shoulders with tn,
fat Of his sword, which brought loud
Big yer pardon. Gineral; big yer pardon
Gineral, Didn't know you were IN th'
ambulance" THAT will learn You e
give way TO any ambulance wanting L
pass YOU" said the General quietly seat
inc himself in the ambulance, which nov
had all tho way that Pat could possibly
give 1t.
now HE SERVED A " NON COMPLAINT"
While at Harper's Ferry went TO hi
Office in an upper room where he was pa
rolling the prisoners for instructions as t
the distribution of the immense stock o
hard bread and othor supplies capturet
there. A man wearing rusty cayalrl
uniform Of the Federal army came IN an'
asked General Hill for pass to 90 over int
Loudoun, claiming to be non-combatan
resident of that county who had beel
caught at the Ferry when 1t was sur
rounded.
what are you doing with those clothe
or?" said General Hill.
Il bought them" said the man.
You are lying" said the General. &c
ont OF here, you scoundrel." AM
grabbing the fellow Ivy the shoulders h
pushed him to the head of the stairs an'
started him down with all the momentum
vigorous kick from his military boo
would impart to him.
BROKE HIS SWORD OVER HIN.
At Sharpsburg he arrived late IN the en-
! ragement because of forced march fror
/ Harper's Ferry, crossing at Boteler's ford
near Shepherdstown. While hurrying L
take position on the line he encountered
second lieutenant OF some comman
crouching behind tree. bis indignation
was so wrought up that he took the lier