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Ambrose Powell Hill - The Forgotten General - The Rest of the Story One of the South's leading generals, Ambrose Powell Hill, still receives to this day a lack of recognition among Civil War researchers and historians. When he died his personal papers and military dispatches were destroyed to keep them out of enemy hands. His early rise to success was chiefly overshadowed by being a subordinate commander to the famous Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. History overlooks an important development that occurred in Hill's life at a young age that had an impact on his military career and reputation. A. P. Hill came from a wealthy and prominent family from Virginia. The Hill family never owned slaves. His brother-in-law was the famous Rebel raider John Hunt Morgan. Hill entered the West Point military academy when he was sixteen along with other future Civil War generals such as Dabney Maury, George Pickett, Cadmus Wilcox, Henry Heth, Ambrose Burnside and Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. Hill's roommate at West Point was the Northern army's future commander, George B. McClellan. In academic standing Hill ranked 39th in his class ahead of Jackson who ranked 51st. Following the first year as cadets they were given their first leave of absence from the academy. The cadets were cautioned to proceed directly home without stopping en route at New York city, known in its day for being a den of vice. During his leave Hill contracted syphilis which had an immediate effect on his health. His condition rapidly deteriorated and the Academy surgeon recommended he be sent home on a twenty day leave of absence which was extended several months. Falling behind in his studies Hill was required to repeat his second year in order to graduate with the class of '47. At the time Hill was engaged to Mary Ellen Marcy from Philadelphia. She was the blonde, blue-eyed daughter of Major Randolph Marcy. She expressed her love for Hill in her letters to her father and told him she was going to marry Hill. When gossip of Hill's illness spread Mary called off their engagement. She later became the wife of George B. McClellan Hill's roommate at West Point. Hill later married another and had two daughters. Hill quickly settled down from his youthful indiscretions to become a devoted husband. A description stated that "his noble traits of mind and heart shone most conspicuously in the intercourse of private friendship, or in the midst of his family." Robert E. Lee was the godfather of Hill's youngest daughter Lucy, born in 1863. As the cause of Hill's illness became common knowledge among his classmates it took a peculiar turn during his post military career. When the war started Hill received his commission as Colonel of the 13th Virginia Infantry Regiment and quickly rose to command a division with the rank of major general. First serving under General James Longstreet in the First Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia Hill was eventually transferred to the Second Corps under Stonewall Jackson. To the Confederate soldier, Longstreet they were proud to serve under, Jackson they respected, but it was Hill they idolized. Stonewall Jackson was known as a staunch Presbyterian. A Jackson biographer suggests that "Jackson was fanatical in his Presbyterian faith, and it energized his military thought and character. Theology was the only subject he genuinely enjoyed discussing. This fanatical religiosity had drawbacks. It warped Jackson's judgment of men, leading to poor appointments; it was said he preferred good Presbyterians to good soldiers. In command, Jackson was extremely secretive about his plans and extremely meticulous about military discipline. This secretive nature did not stand him in good stead with his subordinates, who were often not aware of his overall operational intentions until the last minute, and who complained of being left out of key decisions." Under Jackson's rigid personality and religious fervor burned an unforgivable ability to treat Hill as an equal for what Jackson perceived as an unpardonable mistake in the young life of Hill. On one occasion Jackson had Hill arrested for not obeying his orders. When Hill pressed for a general court martial to prove his innocence the matter was quietly dropped. Jackson often berated Hill in front of his men. At least one brigadier in Hill's division felt that Jackson discriminated against the officers of Hill's division because of his feud with Hill. To Hill's credit he served in every major battle from Manassas to Petersburg with distinction. He was always there or always came up in the nick of time. Jackson's offensive ability was carried almost in whole by Hill's division. It was always Hill's command that precipitously arrived in time to save the Army of Northern Virginia from defeat giving the laurels of a successful rescue to its commander Jackson. In effect Jackson's reputation relied on Hill's division to turn the tide of victory in the Confederate's favor winning laurels for Jackson as head of the Second Corps and for Robert E. Lee in overall command. Hill's symptoms from his early bout with syphilis constantly affected his ability on the battlefield. Hill was known to be suffering from illness at the Wilderness campaign and during many other major battles. On many occasions he had to pull himself from his sick bed to race off to join his division in order to turn the tide of battle in the South's favor. Biographers often show comparisons of photos of Hill only a few short years apart illustrating his deteriorating physical appearance which they benevolently blame on the war and ignore the actual disabilitating effects Hill's early disease was having on his body. Despite these sufferings Hill was probably the most outstanding general in Lee's command. It was only to Hill that Lee gave broad discretionary authority in allowing him to open any of his official communications, and instructing Hill "if necessary act upon them according to the dictates of your good judgment." It was Hill that Lee often rode beside as the Army of Northern Virginia was on a march and it was in Hill's camp that Lee frequently enjoyed the company of his favorite commander. When Stonewall Jackson was critically wounded at Chancellorsville it was Hill who knelt at his side and cradled Jackson's blood stained head and shoulders against his chest until an ambulance arrived. Hill became wounded himself when he retraced Jackson's steps in order to find Jackson's personal belongings removed from his body when he was wounded to keep them out of the enemies hands. When Jackson finally succumbed to his wounds his last words were, "Tell A. P. Hill "to prepare for action." Many Confederate officers gained their fame fighting in Hill's division. Men like Maxey Gregg, William Mahone, Dorsey Pender, Harry Heth, and Cadmus Wilcox just to name a few. Major Willie Pegram, the famous boy artillerist, gained his reputation serving under A. P. Hill. Pegram was so indispensable to Hill's division that recommendations for Pegram to be promoted were returned with the statement that "the artillery could not lose the services of so valuable an officer." Indeed, many thought that Pegram was the best gunner in the Army of Northern Virginia. Ironically Pegram died the same day as Hill. Hill was promoted to lieutenant general after the death of Jackson and put in charge of the newly established Third Corps. In February of 1865 Hill's health progressively deteriorated to such an alarming state that General Lee insisted he take a sick furlough to recuperate. In the closing days of the war as Ulysses S. Grant was encircling Petersburg south of Richmond Hill once again raced from his sickbed to challenge a Federal attack near his headquarters. Spying two Federal skirmishers Hill called on them to surrender. In reply they opened fire killing the gallant Hill. Of all of Robert E. Lee's generals who died during the war Lee cried for Hill alone. Five years later as Lee lay on his death bed and his memory turned back to the war he rallied one last time to whisper to those around him, "Tell Hill he must come up.". The cause of Stonewall Jackson's resentment toward A. P. Hill can be summed up by Jackson's intolerance and religious passion but it was Hill who overcame the stigma and embarrassment of his youthful impropriety to become one of the South's leading generals. Article by Paul R. Petersen. Author of Quantrill of Missouri, Quantrill in Texas, Quantrill at Lawrence and Lost Souls of the Lost Township. References: Southern Historical Society Papers William Woods Hassler, A. P. Hill - Lee's Forgotten General. 1957, Chapel Hill Press. James I. Robertson, "Stonewall Jackson: Christian Soldier". Virginia Center for Civil War Studies. Retrieved 26 February 2013. 
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