CDV OF 121ST & 152ND NEW YORK OFFICER WOUNDED AT SPOTSYLVANIA, WITH PHOTO ALBUM

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Item Code: 480-255

Image is a waist-up seated view of a Captain David Hill who served in both the 121st and 152nd New York Infantry. Hill is posed seated and holding his forage cap in his lap. The cap bears a “US” in a wreath on the front of the crown. The subject wears a dark frock coat and light trousers, sword belt with Model 1850 foot officers sword and his sash which he has draped across his chest showing that he is serving as Officer of the Day. Unfortunately, the rank on his shoulder straps is not visible. An interesting feature of the frock coat is that it has a button-down belt loop visible on the left side.

The contrast and clarity are very good but the paper does have moderate surface dirt around the subject’s face and above his head.

Reverse is blank.

With the image is the album it came from. The album is full of civilian CDVs related predominantly to the Neeley and Barnes families though several others are mentioned. Captain Hill’s relationship to them is not known. The album is in nice condition. It is bound in leather and shows only slight wear to the outside covers and a little heavier on the spine. Both brass fasteners are present and working. The album holds 47 images of adults as well as children. Most are wartime with the others being just post, perhaps 1870’s. All are ID in ballpoint pen on the album page, but, even better, the back of the album has an identification page filled out in period ink matching and confirming the modern pen ID’s.

David Hill was born February 9, 1838 in Perinton, Bushnell Basin, New York. He enlisted at Fairfield, New York as a private in Company C, 121st New York Infantry on August 23, 1862. At the time he was 24 years old. He was described as being 6’ tall with black eyes, brown hair and a dark complexion. By profession he was a teacher.

Hill’s stay with the 121st was short, on September 22, 1862 he was discharged to accept a commission as 1st lieutenant in Company F, 152nd New York. He was promoted to captain on January 3, 1863.

The 152nd served in the 7th Corps taking part in the defense of Suffolk, Virginia from April to May of 1863 and then served with Keys on the Peninsula in July until called to New York to help put down the draft riots.

In October of 1863 they were assigned to the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Corps and served with them at Mine Run and the Wilderness. During the fight at Spotsylvania on May 12, 1864, Hill was wounded in action. The regimental history says “CAPT. DAVID HILL, OF COMPANY F, A NOBLE AND BRAVE MAN, WHO ENLISTED TO FIGHT, STANDS OUT IN PLAIN VIEW, DARING THE ENEMY TO COME OUT FROM THEIR COVER. WAVING HIS SWORD HIGH ABOVE HIS STALWART FORM, HE RECEIVED A BULLET IN HIS HAND, LACERATING IT TERRIBLY, AND IMBEDDING THE BULLET IN THE SWORD HILT.” Captain Hill was sent to a general hospital on June 2, 1864 and was discharged due to his wounds on November 1, 1864.

After the war, Hill attended Amherst College graduating in the class of 1871, he was then employed as a professor of rhetoric and elocution at Williston Seminary from 1871 to 1876. He also studied law at Boston University graduating in 1878. He married in 1880 and had five sons.

Hill moved to Easthampton, Massachusetts where he was active in politics and practiced law. He died January 9, 1900 and is buried in Bushnell’s Basin Cemetery, Monroe County, New York.

Also with the image are blow-ups of Hill’s CDV showing the hilt of his sword. The intent of the enlargement was to show the bullet embedded in his sword, however whether the bullet is present or not is totally subjective.   [ad] [ph:L]

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