Henry Hill, Company E

A document in this soldier’s file reported that Henry Hill had been shot by his commanding officer Lieutenant Alexander.* However, other documents prove that the Lieutenant shot William Hill, Company H, 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry.

According to his Compiled Military Service Record, Henry Hill was born in Duplin County, North Carolina. He enlisted in 1863 at age eighteen and mustered out at Brazos Santiago, Texas in 1866.

Widow – 302,248 / —–, Margaret Hill

Declaration for Widow’s Pension and Increase, 14 March 1883
56 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va; post-office address, Norfolk, Virginia
“She is the widow of Henry Hill … that her maiden name was Margaret Johnson … married to said Henry Hill, on or about the 6th of September A.D. 1856, at Surry Court House, in the County of Surry, the State of Virginia, by consent of her former master … her husband, died in the service of the United States, as aforesaid, at Bermuda Hundred, in the State of Virginia, killed by Lieut. Spencer… for refusing of his commanding officers to take muskets as he was a cavalry man and he was ordered to take muskets, and he disobeyed and he was shot and killed dead … and that she has the following-named children of deceased husband, under sixteen years of age, who are now living, the dates of whom births are, given below, to wit:
Mary Hill, born August 9, 1858, living at Norfolk
Stephen Hill, born April 12, 1860, living at Norfolk
Woody Hill, born May 1863, living at Norfolk
“Also personally appeared Humphrey McCoy and Mary Walker, residents of Norfolk City”

Sworn Statement, Margaret Hill, 12 June 1883
“45 years old … she was born at Surry Court House, Virginia, sometime 1838, and when she was quite small her former owners moved to Sussex C.H. Va. carring [sic] her with them and that she remained with them at Sussex C.H., Va. untill [sic] the close of the war in 1865 … she first became acquainted with Henry Hill her p.o. was Sussex C.H., Va. and … [they] grew up together … do not know [sic] where her husband was born … she has no means of support except what little her children do for her and she is unable to do any kind of work”

*The officer was not court-martialed.