Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1898-08-23
KILLED A. P. HILL.
The Death of Col. John w.
Mauk, at Centerville. Pa.


eral Net His Fate, as told by Col.
Mauk Himself. Interesting Re-
miniscence of the War.
CUMBERLAND, Md, August o.
Colonel John w Mauk died yesterday
afternoon at Centeryille, Bedford Co.,
Pa, aged 6S years.
He was famous in history as the
slayer of the Confederate general A.
p. Hill
The following is true account of
the accident as told by the deceased
prior to his death, and which was
drawn from him with difficulty, as he
was loath to discuss the matter, but
claimed the killing of General Hill
was in self-defense:
Corporal John w. Mauk and Dan
lei Wolfore, of Company f. One hun
dred and Eighty-eighth Pennsylvania
Volunteers, and another man I'M
known to those two men, on the I'd
of April, 1865, near Petersburg, Va,
after the rebel works had been carried
on the front and the main portion of
the troops deployed to the left side
of the enemy'S works, became separat-
ed from the main body and pushed
| forward to the railroad. A wagon
road ran nearly parallel to the rail-
road. A saw mill stood near the
point where they crossed the railroad,
and under some slabs they found sew
eral crowbars with which they tore
up some of the rails of the road.
After tearing up the road they went
back in the direction of swamp and
toward a body of Union men who
were On d hill near the former line of
rebel works, making coffee, etc. This
body of men were stragglers who were
lost from their command.
"When Monk and Wolford were
near this swamp they saw two men
on horseback advancing toward the
men on the hill. These men had the
appearance of officers; when they saw
the men on the hill they turned to-
ward where Mauk and Wolford were
standing behind large tree; one of
! the officers remained behind and the
other advanced with revolver in hand
and pointed it at these two men, de-
manded their surrender. Mauk and
| Wolford refused. The officers said
| they would have to surrender anyhow,
as body of troops was following
them, or rather coming in toward Pc
tersburg. The officer still advanced
and fiercely demanded their surrend-
er, with an uncomfortable epithet.
Mauk replied that he would not do it
and said to his comrade. Let's shoot
them, and instantly each fired, Mauk
choosing the foremost man who fell
| from his saddle dead; the other man
| fell forward on his horses neck and
rode off and the dead mans horse fol-
lowed. Mauk and his comrade then
crossed over to the men on the hill.
s'ShortlY afterward Mauk told the
men that he would go aud see what
that officer had with him, but soon
saw a skirmish line advancing. After
being halted by Mauk. they, among
other things, inquired whether a man
ing that there was they went off.
| Part OF these men wore rebel clothes.
Those with blue on claimed to be
| taking the others as prisoners, but
! they were all rebels aud were after
the body of Hill. Mauk and VOL
rord soon joined their regiment and
| heard nothing more of the affair un-
til they were summoned to headquar-
teTs to answer questirns and then
they learned that they, or Mauk, had
killed the famous Confederate general,
| A. p. Hill"
! Daniel Wolford, Mauk's comrade,
| is yet living and resides with his fam
lily near Fossilville, Bedford Co., Pa,
near Hyndman.