A. P. Hill
A mercurial and aggressive Confederate corps commander, his timely arrivals on battlefields earned him Lee's trust and a complicated legacy.
1825–1865 (age 40)·Confederate Army general·Birthday: November 9
Biography
A.P. Hill was a wiry, often ailing Virginian whose combativeness defined his Civil War career. Graduating from West Point in 1846, he served in the Mexican-American War and later sided with the Confederacy. Commanding the famous 'Light Division,' he became known for forced marches that delivered his troops to critical moments, most famously at Antietam, where his last-minute arrival saved Robert E. Lee's army from potential destruction. Promoted to lieutenant general, he led the Third Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia through the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg. His relationship with superiors was famously prickly, feuding with generals like James Longstreet. Hill's war ended abruptly in the closing days of the conflict; while trying to rally his troops near Petersburg, Virginia, he was shot and killed by a Union soldier, becoming the only Confederate corps commander killed in action.
#1 When A. Was Born
The biggest hits of 1825
A.'s Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1825Born
1830Started school
1838Became a teenager
1841Could drive
1843Could vote
1846Turned 21
1855Turned 30
1865Turned 40
President: Andrew Johnson
Key Achievements
- Commanded the 'Light Division,' one of the most effective large infantry units in the Army of Northern Virginia.
- His division's rapid march and arrival at the Battle of Antietam in 1862 prevented a Confederate collapse.
- Was promoted to lieutenant general and given command of the Third Corps in 1863.
Did You Know?
He often wore a red calico hunting shirt into battle, which became a recognizable trademark for his troops.
He suffered from recurring health problems, frequently attributed to a case of gonorrhea contracted as a young man.
The site of his death is now a busy intersection in the Petersburg, Virginia, area, marked by a monument.
“My men can always find me under fire at the front of the line.”
