Category Archives: William H. Hill Diary

Deserter: Brigade down to 800 men

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Dick Stanley

With the end of our last known diary by a 13th Regiment soldier [i.e. the Spartan Band’s William H. Hill] or, for that matter, any Humphreys’ Brigade soldier, we’re left to use the words of those outside either unit in … Continue reading →

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Their feet bleeding at every step

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Dick Stanley

On New Year’s Eve, a Thursday, it was sleeting while Spartan Band diarist William H. Hill wrote the last entry in what is apparently his last extant diary. “It turned very cold suddenly and sleeted for several hours. Our men … Continue reading →

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Furloughs

Posted on May 5, 2012 by Dick Stanley

Most of the senior officers had already left on furlough, despite continued cannonading and rifle firing for several miles around nearly every day, when General Longstreet issued a Dec. 27, 1863 order on the subject for the junior officers and … Continue reading →

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Building huts on Christmas Day

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Dick Stanley

On Dec. 21, 1863, a clear and icy cold Monday, Humphreys Mississippi Brigade and the 13th Regiment “left camp at Clinch Gap at 10 a.m. and marched 9 miles to Longs Ferry on the Holston River and camped,” Spartan Band diarist William … Continue reading →

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Longstreet relieves McLaws, who is challenged to a duel

Posted on April 14, 2012 by Dick Stanley

The 13th Regiment lost its longtime division commander on Dec. 18, 1863. “Friday. Cloudy and very windy and cold,” Spartan Band diarist William H. Hill recorded. “General Longstreet today relieved General McLaws from command of this division. “The reasons that … Continue reading →

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The Fights at Bean Station and environs

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Dick Stanley

On Sunday, Dec. 13, 1863, Spartan Band diarist William H. Hill wrote that Humphreys Brigade was put to work against General Burnside’s pursuing Yankees. It was raining steadily again and rations were short. “The roads are very muddy and the … Continue reading →

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Withdrawal: Miles of fence on fire

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Dick Stanley

After the failed first-light attack on Fort Sanders, General Burnside offered his old West Point classmate General Longstreet a flag of truce. “The morning being very cold and frosty, and the enemy’s wounded in our ditch and in front of … Continue reading →

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The Battle of Fort Sanders

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Dick Stanley

By Nov. 28, 1863, the siege of Knoxville was entering its second week. Longstreet, who had been dithering on the question of where best to attack the Union defenses, had finally settled on one—the red-dirt Fort Sanders (above, looking west) … Continue reading →

Posted in Battles: Fort Sanders, Confederate Veteran Magazine, Gen. Benjamin G. Humphreys, Gen. James Longstreet, Gen. Lafayette McLaws, Humpreys Mississippi Brigade, Jess N. McLean, Nimrod Newton Nash, Siege of Knoxville, The Battle Flags, The Lauderdale Zouaves, The Minute Men of Attala, The Spartan Band, William H. Hill Diary | Tagged , | Leave a comment