A.P. Hill Coming Home
By Marc Ramsey · Originally published March 2023 · pp. 1–5
A.P. Hill Coming Home
roommate, George B. McClellan, then 15 years old. June 19,1847, Hill graduated fifteenth in the class. Assigned to the artillery, along with other new graduates who included John Gibbons, his orders assigned him to the First US Artillery, replacing 1st Lt. Thomas J. Jackson, class of 1846. Even though the war was winding down, Hill saw limited action. Like other Virginia officers, Hill sided with his state and the Confederacy. As the Civil War went on, Hill rose through hierarchy of the Army of Northern Virginia. At Petersburg, he was commanding the Third Corps, a shadow of the unit he had led earlier. When the Confederate lines were stretched too far and broke at Five Forks, Hill scrambled to get some sort of control over the deteriorating situation. On April 2, Hill was trying to reach Heth’s Division along the Boydton Plank road when he and his courier, Sgt. George Tucker, encountered two Union soldiers of the 138th Pennsylvania, Corporal John Mauck and Private Daniel Wolford. Hill was shot in the heart and died instantly. After being killed at Petersburg, Hill’s body was taken to Richmond, then placed in a
A.P. Hill program. temporary grave at a plantation in North Chesterfield County. “The grave was hastily dug, and, with the assistance of my father’s butler, I made a rough
Portrait of Hill by William Ludwell Sheppard, 1898. by Marc Ramsey On Saturday, January 21, 2023, a very special thing happened in Culpeper, Va. At long last, Confederate General Ambrose Powell Hill was brought home and laid to rest in historic Fairview Cemetery, established in the 1850’s, and we in the 15th Virginia had the honor of being part of the Honor Guard Battalion, several hundred veteran reenactors strong, Col. Bill Russell, Longstreet’s Corps, commanding. Gen. Hill had always wanted to be buried in
his home town of Culpeper, but it took one hundred and fifty-eight years and three prior interments for his wishes to be realized. This was the fourth and last time the General would be buried, and the first funeral for him with full military honors. Why had it taken so long? Born November 9, 1825, “Powell” Hill grew up in Culpeper. On April 26, 1842, Hill accepted an appointment to the United states Military Academy at West Point. Among many future Civil War generals was his
Description: On the Hermitage road, three miles north of the City. Unveiled May 30th, 1891. General Hill was the last Confederate General killed in battle, being mortally wounded in front of Petersburg, Va., April 2, 1865. In commemoration of his heroic character and signal services to the ‘Lost Cause,’ this pedestal and portraitstatue was erected by his admirers and comrades-inarms.
case to receive the coffin. We buried the body about 2 P.M., April 4, 1865, in the old Winston burying-ground near Bellgrade [sic] plantation.” wrote cousin G. Powell Hill – (SHSP 31 (1891):183-186). Two years later, Hill was exhumed and reburied without honors at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond. As monuments began to appear throughout Richmond and the rest of the South during the next several decades, Hill’s former soldiers wanted to raise one for their general. The Pegram Battalion Association led the fundraising efforts. Unable to raise enough money through traditional efforts, the group appealed to prominent tobacconist and Confederate veteran Lewis Ginter, who had served under Hill during the war. Eventually they decided to erect the monument near Ginter’s home outside Richmond and
H Hill. . . . from page 1 cleanse history (in the hope of wanted to place the general’s body there too. (Emerging Civil War article). Then, in 1891, he was reinterred once again and buried at the future site of his monument, the intersection of Laburnum Ave. and Hermitage Rd. in Richmond’s North Side, on land donated by Ginter. On May 30, 1892, a high standing likeness, by artist William Ludwell Sheppard, and tall pedestal, was completed over his grave. Years later, as the culture wars swept over Richmond, the powers that be in the former Confederate capital decided it was time to
getting votes, no doubt) and all of the beautiful Confederate monuments were to be torn down. Hill’s was the last, but thanks to the efforts by his descendants, especially his great, great nephew John Hill, his remains were saved, put in the care of the Bennett Funeral home, and prepared for a proper funeral with full military honors at Fairview Cemetery on Saturday January 21st, Stonewall Jackson’s birthday. After organizing ranks and companies, the battalion stood, formed on both sides of the road leading uphill to the grave site. Shortly thereafter occurred a moment that I will never forget A Honor guard.
The attendees at the ceremony.
Reenactors came to show their last respects.
A.P. Hill’s remains transported to the burial site.
Gen. A.P. Hill’s last ride, Fairview Cemetery, Jan. 21, 2023.
A.P. Hill’s casket at the grave site.
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A.P. Hill’s widow portrayed by a living historian. color guard marched up, followed by a mule drawn wagon bearing A.P. Hill’s remains in a beautiful oak casket covered by an old style Virginia Flag, followed by a led riderless horse and more color guard, with a drummer providing a marching beat, all passing between our ranks. We then wheeled into the road and followed the cortege up the hill where the ceremony began. There were prayers, and songs, music in an old time Virginia style, provided by Virginia Dare-Scott and Susan Carraway, “Carry me back to Old Virginny,” and more, and a stirring bag pipe rendition of “Amazing Grace” by the Va. Scotts Guards, under the direction Pipe Major David Hinton. The Welcome, Invocation and later Benediction were movingly provided by Pastor John Collins, Chaplain of the Virginia Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans. Another very interesting point in the program was the Eulogy, “He is Now at Rest,” dynamically presented by living historian Patrick Falci. “Gen. Hill has been known as Lee’s forgotten general, but not here, not today in Culpepper, not today in Virginia!” The ceremony ended with military honors, musket and cannon salutes by Longstreet’s Corps and Knibbs Battery, and a solitary bugler playing “Taps.” Then came a rousing rendition of Dixie, in which everyone, young and old, reenactor or modern spectator, Hill family members, women in black mourning, even a few law enforcement personnel, all joined in with gusto, and let go a huge cheer to cap off the day. On command, we formed the battalion and filed out by the left flank, passing Gen. Hill’s casket, to which we paid honors, and marched back to our initial assembly point. Here Col. Russell
gave us parting, inspirational remarks, and then dismissed us all to return home or to find loved ones in the crowd at the cemetery, or to pay last, final respects to General A.P. Hill, which many of us did. The town of Culpeper, the administrators of Fairview Cemetery, the Bennett Funeral Home, local and state law enforcement, so many dedicated volunteers and devoted family members, several hundred reenactors, all deserve a great deal of credit for the way the cemetery had been put into perfect shape, with parking well organized, and a program that inspired everyone who was there. A memory was created for us all, never to be forgotten.
CivilWarNews.com In their final words, both Lee and Jackson mentioned Hill: “Order A.P. Hill to prepare for action. Let us cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees.” General Thomas J. “Stonewall Jackson, May 10, 1863. “Tell A.P. Hill he must come up! Strike the Tent!” General Robert E. Lee, October 12, 1870. To assist in the ongoing legal battle to take possession of the General A.P. Hill grave marker/monument in Richmond, contributions may be made to the: A.P. Hill Memorial Association P.O. Box 1063 Mechanicsville, VA 23111
Marc Ramsey is co-owner, along with his wife Jill, of Owens & Ramsey Booksellers. For almost 30 years they have specialized in the buying, selling, and trading of rare, collectible, and new books on military history, especially Civil War titles, as well as artifacts and paper items. They also provide appraisals for estate planning, charitable deductions, or insurance purposes. The Ramseys send out a monthly direct-mail catalog, and can be seen at many Civil War shows and conferences throughout the year. Call Marc at 804-272-8888 or visit their website at www. owensandramsey.com.
Civil War News contributor Marc Ramsey (center) in front of the Honor Guards at the ceremony.
Photographs from the Original Article
Captions and credits appear in the article text as originally printed.