Biographies | 1896 Bios
Charles Wesley Hill
Being early left an orphan Charles W. Hill lived among strangers, and was bound out until twenty-one, but ran away from his guardian after serving six years. Since then he has been wholly dependent upon his own resources. In the fall of 1856 he came to Iowa, and for one year remained in Mahaska county, but on the expiration of that time removed to Panora, Guthrie county, walking from Oskaloosa to that place, carrying his worldly possessions. There he remained until the breaking out of the Rebellion. For a short time he attended the Iowa Wesleyan University, after which he engaged in teaching, being thus employed, and with a term half finished, when he enlisted, becoming a member of Company C, Fourth Iowa Infantry. On the 5th of July, 1861, they left Guthrie county, being among the first three-year men in the field.
During the first years of the war the company was under the command of General Curtis in Arkansas and Missouri, their first battle being at Pea Ridge in March, 1862. They afterward joined the Fifteenth Army Corps, with which they went to Vicksburg, the next battle being Chickasaw Bayou. The company then participated in the battle of Arkansas Post under General McClernand, he having temporarily relieved General Sherman, who commanded at the last engagement. The Fifteenth Corps was afterward under General John A. Logan, and in that department Mr. Hill remained until the close of the war. He passed through the various grades of official positions in his company, being Corporal, then Sergeant, and being made Second Lieutenant in 1863 and promoted to First Lieutenant in 1864. During the last five months he served as regimental Quartermaster, being detailed to that position while at Savannah, Georgia. He was with Sherman on the celebrated march to the sea, and participated in the engagements at Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge under General Hooker, being temporarily detached from Sherman's army for that purpose. The First Division of the Fifteenth Army Corps was the only part so detached. Mr. Hill was in the battle of Jackson, the siege of Vicksburg and the final assault on that stronghold,- in fact was in two assaults on Vicksburg. After its surrender the second battle at Jackson took place, it having been recaptured by the enemy. After the fall of Vicksburg, the Fifteenth went on transports to Memphis and then marched to Chattanooga, Tennessee, being in several battles and skirmishes en route, among which was the battle of Cherokee Station. Next followed the engagements at Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, as previously noted. The student of history still remembers the peculiar combination of affairs leading up to these engagements. The campaign of 1863 was ended with the battle of Buzzards' Roost or Ringgold. They then returned to Woodville, Alabama, where the regiment re-enlisted.
At Ringgold, Mr. Hill was wounded but was able to join the boys on their veteran furlough, though not fully recovered, coming home in March, 1864, and after thirty days returned in time to start on the Atlanta campaign. He was in the battles at Resaca, Dallas, Big Shanty, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta and Jonesboro. On the day General McPherson was killed, our subject received his second wound, being struck directly over the heart. A peculiar feature of this wound was the fact that his life was saved by the ball striking a book carried in his blouse pocket, thus retarding its force and preventing its entering his body. Though unconscious for hours and carried off the field for dead, he recovered and in a few days rejoined his command, but was never again able to carry a knapsack. Mr. Hill witnessed the signaling between Generals Corse and Sherman, the former at Kenesaw mountain, and the latter at Altoona. This was the· foundation plank of the famous song "Hold the Fort." General Corse being closely pressed, Sherman signaled him to "Hold the fort, for I am coming." General Corse's reply, however, does not appear in the song but was characteristic of the man and the situation, it being, "I am minus one ear and a cheek bone; but I can whip hell out of them yet.” The regiment was engaged in skirmishing all the way to the sea when Savannah was the objective point, reaching there December 16, 1864, and General Sherman presented Savannah, with the trophies of war, to President Lincoln as a Christmas gift. After the fall of that city the troops went on transports to Beaufort, South Carolina, whence they marched against Columbia, taking that place, and at Cheraw, North Carolina, captured valuable stores. From there they proceeded to Bentonville, where the last battle was fought in that department. They then went on to Raleigh, where the army lay at the time of Lee's and Johnston's surrenders and the assassination of President Lincoln. They then marched on to Richmond, Petersburg and Washington, participating in the grand review of the victorious armies. The regiment of which our subject was a member then proceeded to Louisville, Kentucky, and at Davenport, Iowa, was mustered out and discharged, August 8, 1865.
Mr. Hill returned to Panora after an absence of over four years, during which time the most stirring events in his life experience occurred. In the fall of 1865 he entered the Iowa Wesleyan University to complete the course so summarily closed at· the breaking out of the war. He was elected Clerk of the District Court of Guthrie county for the term beginning January I, 1869, and was re-elected five successive terms, closing his connection with that office on the 1st of January, 1879. He then retired to his farm for two years, at the end of which time he entered the law department of the University of Michigan, where he was graduated in March, 1883, and immediately entered upon practice at Panora. He there remained until the spring of 1889, when he went to Tacoma, Washington, but at the end of two years returned to Iowa, locating at Guthrie Center, in October, 1891, and began the prosecution of his profession. In November, 1894, he was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Guthrie county, in which position he is now capably serving.
On the 4th of November, 1869, Mr. Hill wedded Miss Mary J. Farnsworth, a native of Indiana, coming to Guthrie county with her parents when a child. Two daughters were born of this union: Lavina, who is a student in the senior year in the Iowa College, at Grinnell; and Alberta, who was born in March, 1873, and died at Tacoma, Washington, in September, 1890.
The family to which our subject belongs has been well represented in the wars of this country, the paternal grandfather having served in the war of 1812, while five brothers of Mr. Hill aided in the preservation of the Union during the Civil war, all in different regiments. Justus E., who was a member of the First Colorado Cavalry, is now a resident of Sioux City, Iowa, and is in the employ of the railroad. James L. was a member of the Sixty-seventh Indiana Infantry, was taken prisoner in 1863, and probably died in Tyler, Texas, .having never since been heard of. Thomas J., a member of the Eighteenth Iowa Infantry, died at Newtonia, Missouri, in 1863. Aaron M., now a farmer residing near Eddyville, Iowa, was a member of the Eighth Iowa Cavalry. A step-brother, W. H. Spurgin, was also in the First Iowa Cavalry, and is now a fanner living near Panora.
Mr. Hill holds membership with Charley Baker Post, No. 23, G. A. R., at Panora; also Panora Lodge, No. 121, A. F. & A. M.; and Milton Chapter, No. 98, R. A. M., of Guthrie Center, of which he is Secretary. His church relations are with the Presbyterians, and in the work of that denomination he takes an active part. He has hosts of friends in Guthrie county, where he has so long resided, and has the confidence and esteem of all with whom he comes in contact. As a lawyer he stands high among his professional brethren, and has won an enviable reputation, while as an official he gives unqualified satisfaction.
A Memorial and Biographical Record of Iowa, Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company 1896, pg. 555.