and then Hill came up

Today is the 145th anniversary of the battle of Sharpsburg — known as the bloodiest day in American history and probably the finest moment of A.P. Hill’s 23 year military career.

Hill began the Maryland Campaign rather inauspiciously. On September 3, he was arrested by Jackson. In his report of the Maryland Campaign, Hill noted “The march was without incident of importance until arriving at the ford opposite the Warrenton Springs.”

It markedly was not “without incident,” and at the time of his report Hill and Jackson were still bickering about that march. ¹ What seems to have happened was this: Hill disregarded Jackson’s customary rest stops and so Jackson halted Hill’s lead brigade.

Hill stomped over to Jackson. He presented Jackson with his sword, and sneered at him. “If you take command of my troops in my presence, take my sword also.”

“Put up your sword and consider yourself in arrest,” Jackson retorted.

And so Hill went into Maryland this way: “march[ing] on foot with the rear guard all the day through Maryland, an old white hat slouched over his eyes, his coat off and wearing an old flannel shirt, looking mad as a bull.” During this time, Maxcy Gregg also incurred the wrath of Jackson, as did courtly Dixon Barnes, one of his regimental commanders. ²

Henry Kyd Douglas was an aide on Jackson’s staff who wrote a book called I Rode With Stonewall Jackson after the War. He states that he was summoned by Hill who told him: “It is evident a battle is at hand. I do not wish anyone else to command my division in an engagement.” Douglas then, supposedly, interceded on Hill’s behalf with Jackson. However, it happened, Hill was restored to command of his famous Light Division before Harper’s Ferry. ³ A soldier recalled that “donning his coat and sword he mounted his horse and dashed to the front of his troops, and looking like a young eagle in search of his prey, took command of his division to the delight of all his men.”

Hill was given responsibility for handling the surrender at Harper’s Ferry. Rather peevishly, Hill noted that “I granted General White the most liberal terms, and regret to report that this magnanimity was not appreciated by the enemy, as the wagons which were loaned to carry off the private baggage of the officers were not returned for nearly two months, and not until repeated calls had been made for them.” McClellan, who repeatedly refused to answer Hill’s inquiries (preferring to deal through Lee himself, apparently), finally returned the twenty-seven wagons and teams with an endorsement to Lee: “furnished by General A. P. Hill at Harper’s Ferry in September last for the transportation of private baggage belonging to certain paroled officers of the U.S. Army passing to within our lines. In so doing I desire to express my appreciation of the courtesy thus extended to these officers and to request that you will convey the same to General Hill with my thanks for his action in the matter.”

Left behind by Jackson to see to the paroling of the enemy and final disposition of the Ferry, Hill was not at Sharpsburg in line of battle on the morning of September 17, 1862. Instead, he was 17 miles or so away. Hill received an order at 6:30 AM from Lee to come to Sharpsburg. He was moving by 7:30. (Thomas’s Georgia Brigade stayed behind at the Ferry “to complete the removal of the captured property.”)

The day was hot and the pace of the march was killing. Hill, it is said, drove the Light Division at the point of his sword; almost certainly he was seen riding up and down his lines mounted on either of his two splendid mounts — the gray Champ or his black charger Prince — wearing a red “hunting shirt,” exhorting his men onwards.

This march — which would later play such a big part in the history of the Army of Northern Virginia — was barely mentioned by Hill in his report. A few anecdotes survive. A frightened lieutenant found behind a tree had his sword broken over him. Hill also apparently also stopped at the Potomac crossing to smack a mouthy teamster with his sword when the man told Hill to mind his own business after Hill told him to stop mistreating the mules.

When Hill arrived on the battlefield at 2:30, Army of Northern Virginia tradition states that Lee embraced Hill — the only such a show of emotion by the commanding general during the War.

Henry Kyd Douglas - the same who claimed to have interceded on Hill’s behalf — was talented with the pen. He wrote later that,

But then, just then, A.P. Hill, picturesque in his red battleshirt, with 3 of his brigades, 2500 men, who had marched 17 miles from Harpers Ferry and had waded the Potomac, appeared upon the scene. Tired and footsore, the men forgot their woes in that supreme moment, and with no breathing time braced themselves to meet the coming shock. They met it and stayed it. The blue line staggered and hesitated, and hesitating, was lost. At the critical moment A.P. Hill was always at his strongest.

Hill put it more simply. “My troops were not in a moment too soon,” he wrote proudly in his report. William Allan noted later, “his arrival was not less opportune to Lee than was that of Blucher to Wellington at Waterloo, nor was his action when on the field in any way inferior to that of the Prussian field-marshal.” ⁴

Going on with his account of the battle, Hill wrote:

The enemy had already advanced in three lines, had broken through Jones’ division, captured McIntosh’s battery, and were in the full the of success. With a yell of defiance, Archer charged them, retook McIntosh’s guns, and drove them back pell mell. Branch and Gregg, with their old veterans, sternly held their ground, and, pouring in destructive volleys, the of the enemy surged back, and, breaking in confusion, passed out of sight.

The three brigades of my division actively engaged did not number over 2,000 men, and these, with the help of my splendid batteries, drove back Burnside’s corps of 15,000 men.

Hill’s attack was launched into the corps of his old friend Ambrose Burnside. After the battle, Hill was supposedly asked if he knew the Burnside who his Division had slammed into with such force. “Ought to. He owes me $8,000.00.” Whether Burnside owed his friend Hill a loan or not, they definitely knew each other from West Point where they were classmates and partners in various mischief in the form of “senior pranks.” ⁵

After the battle, Hill issued an official order congratulating the Division:

You saved the day at Sharpsburg and at Shepherdstown. You were selected to face a storm of round shot, shell, and grape such as I have never before seen. I am proud to say to you that your services are appreciated by our general, and that you have a reputation in this army which it should be the object of every officer and private to sustain.

Hill’s opportune arrival probably saved Lee’s Army and prolonged the War another two years plus. It certainly also had another big impact on the War: it is probably the act that earned Hill a corps command following the death of Jackson.

1. This was the ugliest internal squabble in the history of the Army of Northern Virginia. Hill believed Jackson was keeping a “blacklist” against him. Jackson — after Hill badgered him enough — eventually preferred charges — or rather a single charge, Neglect of Duty, of which there were 8 specifications. The feud culminated in Hill’s calling Jackson “a slumbering volcano” in a letter to Lee. After this, Lee supposedly called both of his feuding lieutenants to his headquarters and there was a private meeting, but what was said is speculative. [↩]
2. Barnes was arrested for allowing his men to pick apples. Hill restored him to command before the battle after Barnes volunteered to go into the fight as a private: “General Gregg, I order you to give Colonel Barnes his sword and put him in command of his Regiment.” Barnes was mortally wounded at the head of his regiment and died two days later. [↩]
3. The veracity of some of the stories told in Douglas’ memoirs are questionable; he seems to have occasionally embellished or even downright created fabrications. Therefore, this story is somewhat suspect. What more likely happened was Hill simply sent a note to Jackson asking to be restored to command for the Campaign and Jackson, knowing Hill’s quality as a fighter, decided to put the bickering aside when battle was imminent. [↩]
4. Allan was an Ordnance Officer under Jackson. [↩]
5. Burnside was soon promoted to command of the Army of the Potomac. It was not the best move of the War. [↩]

Tags: A.P. Hill, antietam, Burnside, sharpsburg, Stonewall Jackson