BIO CSA D.H. Hill
Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 10:41 pm
Lieut. Gen. Daniel Harvey Hill, CSA (b. 1821, d. 1889) was a stubborn man, dreaded for his acid tongue and his temper that brought him often into trouble with his superiors. He had graduated from West Point in 1842 and served in the Mexican War. He resigned from the army in 1849 and became a professor of mathematics. In 1859 he was named superintendent of the North Carolina Military Institute. After NC had seceded, Hill organized the first instruction camp of the state. During the Seven Days’ battles the brother-in-law of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson and West Point classmate of James Longstreet distinguished himself as divisional commander (appointed Brig. Gen. July 10, 1861and Maj. Gen. March 26, 1862). During the Maryland campaign Hill fought well at South Mountain (Turner’s Gap). At Sharpsburg D. H. Hill commanded the forces in the Confederate center, defending a Sunken Road, later called “Bloody Lane”. In Jackson’s corps Hill led a division at Fredericksburg, which formed the reserve. In December 1862 Hill was sent on request of President Jefferson Davis to oversee the defence of North Carolina. During this assignment Hill kept two veteran divisions from the Army of Northern Virginia, thus leaving George E. Pickett’s division under strength at Gettysburg. This strained the relations between Hill and Lee further; Hill still feeling ill-treated as Lee did not appoint him corps commander after Jackson’s death.
But as the need of good high ranking officers rose, Davis offered Hill a command in the Army of Tennessee. Hill agreed and was appointed Lieut. Gen. (July 11, 1863). In the West he took the command of the 2nd corps over from William J. Hardee who had been transferred at his own request to Mississippi. Hill had known the army commander Gen. Braxton Bragg from times in the old army. When he saw Bragg so “gloomy and despondent” as he wrote later, almost all his confidence in Bragg was gone. Their relationship got worse, especially after the Battle of Chickamauga, where Hill’s corps had the bad luck of facing the best Union commander of William S. Rosecrance’s army: George Thomas. The victory was won by Hill’s old commander from times in the Army of Northern Virginia. James Longstreet, who arrived with his forces from the East just in time to break the enemy’s battle line. But due to mismanagement of Leonidas Polk and especially of Bragg and due to Thomas heroic stand, the Union army survived and entrenched in Chattanooga. When the majority of corps and division commanders signed a letter that asked for Bragg’s relieve of command (officially due to his bad health), Bragg tried to get rid of his enemies. President Davis wanted to keep Bragg. Though he did not press charges against Longstreet, Polk, Hill and others, he had some of them transferred. Hill, being one of them, felt he was made the scapegoat but Davis had made up his mind. Thus the career of a good general was ruined. Davis even refused to submit his nomination as Lieut. Gen., which was thus never confirmed by the Confederate Senate. His last service was with Joseph E. Johnston with whom he surrendered in 1865. After the war Hill returned to teaching, became a publisher and was named president of the University of Arkansas.
As his nomination as Lieut. Gen. was never confirmed you might put him as Maj. Gen.. What did he get as teaches? "Shooters" maybe or at least "Disciplined" and "Organized"? When in future patches handling of artillery will be included, he should get a high rating as he fought with the artillery in Mexico and used his guns well at Sharpsburg.
But as the need of good high ranking officers rose, Davis offered Hill a command in the Army of Tennessee. Hill agreed and was appointed Lieut. Gen. (July 11, 1863). In the West he took the command of the 2nd corps over from William J. Hardee who had been transferred at his own request to Mississippi. Hill had known the army commander Gen. Braxton Bragg from times in the old army. When he saw Bragg so “gloomy and despondent” as he wrote later, almost all his confidence in Bragg was gone. Their relationship got worse, especially after the Battle of Chickamauga, where Hill’s corps had the bad luck of facing the best Union commander of William S. Rosecrance’s army: George Thomas. The victory was won by Hill’s old commander from times in the Army of Northern Virginia. James Longstreet, who arrived with his forces from the East just in time to break the enemy’s battle line. But due to mismanagement of Leonidas Polk and especially of Bragg and due to Thomas heroic stand, the Union army survived and entrenched in Chattanooga. When the majority of corps and division commanders signed a letter that asked for Bragg’s relieve of command (officially due to his bad health), Bragg tried to get rid of his enemies. President Davis wanted to keep Bragg. Though he did not press charges against Longstreet, Polk, Hill and others, he had some of them transferred. Hill, being one of them, felt he was made the scapegoat but Davis had made up his mind. Thus the career of a good general was ruined. Davis even refused to submit his nomination as Lieut. Gen., which was thus never confirmed by the Confederate Senate. His last service was with Joseph E. Johnston with whom he surrendered in 1865. After the war Hill returned to teaching, became a publisher and was named president of the University of Arkansas.
As his nomination as Lieut. Gen. was never confirmed you might put him as Maj. Gen.. What did he get as teaches? "Shooters" maybe or at least "Disciplined" and "Organized"? When in future patches handling of artillery will be included, he should get a high rating as he fought with the artillery in Mexico and used his guns well at Sharpsburg.