Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill

[jkBluesman]

Lt. Gen. Ambrose Powell Hill (b. 1825, d. 1865). An aggressive fighter, he sometimes lacked the care for details thus damaging his reputation. Hill was born in Culpeper, Virginia. He graduated from West Point in 1847 after doing the second year twice due to bad health. During his brief service in the Mexican War Hill saw only little action. His work for the U.S. Coast Survey Office ended during the secession crisis. Hill sided with Virginia and resigned his commission in March 1861, almost two weeks before his native state seceded. He was given a regiment and sent to Harper’s Ferry. At First Manassas, Hill commanded already a brigade that was held as reserve. He was promoted to brigadier general nevertheless in February 1862. When the army was shifted to the Peninsula he showed for the first time his offensive skills at Williamsburg. His performance was noted in Richmond and secured him promotion to major general in May as the youngest Southern officer of that rank (he had a red beard to appear older). During the battle of the Seven Days he commanded a large division that he named “Light Division”, probably after the “Light Artillery” (Hill’s unit in Mexico) or an English division of the Napoleonic Wars that was well known for its marching capacity. Hill’s record during the Seven Days was mixed: He attacked at Mechanicsville without securing the assigned support, he fought vigorously at Gaines Mill and with great skill at Frayser’s Farm. However, he damaged his reputation by quarrelling with his corps commander Gen. James Longstreet over the fruits of victory. Gen. Robert E. Lee solved the feud by assigning Hill’s troops to Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. Hill quarrelled with him as well, but they achieved great success on the battlefield together. Hill saved Jackson’s corps at Cedar Mountain (August 9), hold his line at Second Manassas (though he endangered his men by careless disposition) and assisted in capturing Harper’s Ferry, where he stayed to parol the prisoners. His timely arrival at Antietam and counterattack on the Confederate right saved the whole army. But the new Southern hero left a wide gap in his line at Fredericksburg, endangering the right flank and causing heavy losses in his ranks. Only the arrival of reinforcements stopped a Federal breakthrough. Hill managed the disposition of his division better at Chancellorsville. But while the attack of Jackson’s corps was on its way, “Stonewall” was hit by friendly fire. Hill assumed command of the corps, however, he was wounded himself shortly after. He got his corps when Lee reorganized the army for the invasion of Pennsylvania. According to Lee, Hill was “the best soldier of his grade” and thus he was promoted to lieutenant general May 24, 1863. But he did not rise above his grade. At Gettysburg he allowed his subordinate Gen. Henry Heth to commit two thirds of his corps in a skirmish that soon became a full scale battle. On the second and third day Hill hardly directed his troops, partly because he was sick (probably the result of gonorrhoea contracted during his West Point years). At Bristoe Station (October 14) Hill’s fruitless attack on the Union forces let to high casualties in his own corps. At the battle of the Wilderness Hill’s corps was almost routed on the first day, but stood its ground on the second. The general fell sick again but did return to command at Cold Harbor. During the early stages of the siege at Petersburg, Hill was in charge of the Confederate right and shifted his troops with great skill to counter every Union flanking movement. In winter his health kept him from the front, but he returned during the crisis in April 1865. Shortly before Lee ordered a retreat from Petersburg, Hill was deadly wounded while trying to get to his line on April 2, 1865. His remains were brought to Richmond after the war and buried under a monument erected 1892 in his honour on Hermitage Road.

Ldr: 6
Tact: 6
Init: 5
Cmd: 5 (voted 6)
Cav: 0

Teaches: Hardy, Fast, Wild, Disciplined

The bio is a few characters too long, but I almost managed to stay within the limit...

[Gil R.]

Thanks, as always.

[Gil R.]

Here’s Hill, which I’ve edited just in time to include him in the patch. To shorten it, I took out mention of paroling prisoners at Harpers Ferry and his beard making him look older; otherwise, only minor details were omitted.

Lt. Gen. Ambrose Powell Hill (b. 1825, d. 1865). An aggressive fighter, Hill sometimes lacked a care for details, thus damaging his reputation. He was born in Culpeper, Virginia, and graduated from West Point in 1847 after repeating his second year due to bad health. During his brief service in the Mexican War, Hill saw little action; he subsequently served in the Third Seminole War, before being assigned to the U.S. Coast Survey Office. During the 1861 secession crisis, Hill resigned his commission in March almost two weeks before his native Virginia seceded. Initially given a regiment sent to Harpers Ferry, Hill commanded a reserve brigade at First Bull Run. He was promoted to brigadier general in February 1862, and showed for the first time his offensive skills at Williamsburg on May 5, during the Peninsula Campaign. Hill’s performance was noted in Richmond and secured him promotion to major general that month, making him the youngest Confederate officer of that rank. During the Seven Days’ Campaign he commanded a large division that he named the “Light Division,” probably after the “Light Artillery,” Hill’s unit in Mexico, or an English division of the Napoleonic Wars that was well known for its marching capacity. Hill’s record during this campaign was mixed: he attacked at Mechanicsville without securing the assigned support, but fought vigorously at Gaines’ Mill and with great skill at Frayser’s Farm. However, he damaged his reputation by quarrelling with his corps commander, Gen. James Longstreet, over the fruits of victory. Gen. Robert E. Lee solved this by assigning Hill’s troops to Gen. “Stonewall” Jackson. Hill quarreled with him as well, but they achieved great success on the battlefield together. Hill saved Jackson’s corps at Cedar Mountain on August 9, held his line at Second Bull Run (though he endangered his men by careless disposition), and assisted in capturing Harpers Ferry. On September 17, his timely arrival at Antietam and counterattack on the Confederate right saved the whole army. But the new Southern hero left a wide gap in his line at Fredericksburg three months later, endangering the right flank and causing heavy losses in his ranks. Only the arrival of reinforcements stopped a Union breakthrough. Hill managed the disposition of his division better at Chancellorsville the following May; and, when Jackson was killed he briefly assumed command of the corps before being wounded himself. When Lee reorganized the army for the invasion of Pennsylvania, Hill gained command of the new III Corps and was promoted to lieutenant general on May 24, since, according to Lee, Hill was “the best soldier of his grade.” But he did not rise above his grade. At Gettysburg he allowed his subordinate Gen. Henry Heth to commit two thirds of his corps in a skirmish that soon became a full-scale battle, and on the second and third day Hill hardly directed his troops, partly because he was sick (apparently with gonorrhea contracted during his West Point years). At Bristoe Station on October 14, Hill’s fruitless attack on the Union forces led to high casualties in his own corps. The following spring, Hill’s corps was almost routed on the first day of the Battle of the Wilderness, but stood its ground on the second; Hill himself fell sick again, but did return to command at Cold Harbor. During the early stages of the siege at Petersburg, he was in charge of the Confederate right and shifted his troops with great skill to counter every Union flanking movement. In winter his health kept him from the front, but he returned shortly before Lee ordered a retreat from Petersburg – only to be mortally wounded while riding to join his troops in their defensive position on April 2, 1865, a week before Lee surrendered. Hill’s remains were brought to Richmond after the war and buried under the A.P. Hill Monument. (Bio by Joern Kaesebier)

Regarding abilities, I had him down already for Fast, Hardy, Heroes and Shooters. I think I'll add Bulldogs, since not that many generals have it, and because of Hill's performance at Petersburg.

[jkBluesman]

What a nice surprise that he is already done. I had mentioned his red beard because when you look at the pictures of generals, they all seem to have black beards due to the fact that we do not have colored photos from that period. That Hill was a "Barbarossa" is quite funny but not an important information.

[Gil R.]

Well, Hill's important, so I jumped him ahead of McLaws and some other guys.

I wanted to keep the red beard bit, but could think of no other way of getting below the limit.