LT. GENERAL AMBROSE P. HILL
Item #: CWB12140
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Lieutenant-General Ambrose Powell Hill, the brilliant Confederate
corps commander, was born in Culpeper county, Virginia, November
9, 1825, and was trained for military life at West Point academy
where, graduating with distinction in 1847, he began service in
the First artillery, in which he was promoted second lieutenant
the same year.
His studies of the great masters of war gave him early reputation
for accurate and extensive acquaintance with the art to which he
had devoted his life. His services were required in Mexico
during 1847 and afterward in the hostilities with the Seminoles.
Detached from field duty by the government he was employed in the
position of superintendent of the coast survey, having in the
meantime received promotion to the rank of first-lieutenant. In
October, 1850 he obtained leave of absence, and in March, 1861,
his devotion to the cause of the South as against armed invasion
induced him to resign his commission in the United States army.
Virginia was beginning at that time to organize its forces for
defense against the threatened coercion, and conferred upon the
accomplished soldier the rank of colonel, with assignment to the
command of the Thirteenth regiment Virginia volunteers, which he
industriously drilled and disciplined for the great service it
afterwards performed.
The regiment thus made effective became distinguished in the army
of Northern Virginia. Commissioned brigadier-general February
26, 1862, he acquired especial distinction at the battle of
Williamsburg, and was promoted to the rank of major-general May
26, 1862. In the campaigns of this year he was constantly relied
on by Lee for services requiring expedition, skill and courage.
In the preliminaries to the battle of Mechanicsville, Lee
assigned Hill to the duty of crossing the Chickahominy, and
without waiting for Jackson ordered him to make an immediate
attack. Hill's guns opened with effect June 26, 1862, and drove
the enemy from their position.
His command bore a great part of the "brunt of battle" at Cold
Harbor, Frayser's Farm, and in the following movements by which
McClellan was driven from Richmond. The command of Hill was
usually termed "the Light Division," a suggestive designation of
which its commander seemed to be proud, and which it illustrated
by the celerity and courage of its movements in the battles
against Banks at Cedar Run, and Pope at the second Manassas.
He participated in the capture of Harper's Ferry with its
garrison of 11,000 troops and large supplies of artillery, small
arms and general military stores, and was appointed to parole the
prisoners and secure the fruits of the capture. This
accomplished he hurried to the field of Sharpsburg, reaching the
scene of that bloody battle in time to be of special service in a
critical juncture.
Attacking promptly at double-quick, with a part of his command,
immediately on reaching the field, he joined other Confederate
forces in a countercharge on Burnside's forces, which sent them
back in confusion. After remaining with Jackson in the valley he
was ordered to join Lee at Fredericksburg, and was stationed on
the right of Jackson's corps in the battle of the 13th of
December.
At Chancellorsville, in 1863, he commanded his division under
Jackson at the moment of that great soldier's wounding. His
orders from his daring chief were to "press right in," and while
obeying the command he received the news of Jackson's fall. The
command devolving on him, and perhaps freshly inspired by the
heroic orders of his commander, he "pressed right in" with an
impetuosity which was stayed only by the severe wound which
disabled him from further service that day.
The army was reorganized after the battle of Chancellorsville and
General Hill, made lieutenant-general May 24, 1863, was assigned
to the command of the Third army corps, which he commanded at
Gettysburg and in the subsequent operations in Virginia. On the
2nd of April, 1865, his thin line at Petersburg was overwhelmed,
and while personally commanding a part of his rallied force he
ventured on danger with daring that was natural to him, and was
killed by a Federal command whose surrender he had demanded.
The General's gallant escort and staff at once charged the enemy
and recovered his body. He was buried while Petersburg and the
capital of the Confederacy were aflame and occupied by the
Federal armies, and his corps was on retreat to Appomattox.
Without the usual military honors he was committed to the grave.
His personal purity, his devotion to the South, his military
renown, have become the heritage of his people.
Shipping Weight:
0.45 lb
Item # CWB12140
$150.00 USD