William Hill
William Hill
1829-1904
William was born in December of 1829 in NY, as were both of his parents. (1)
William served in the Navy during the Civil War and was discharged at the end of the war with honors. (2) The Navy was the only military organization that was not segregated at the time. All other known civil war veterans within this section of Slate Hill were members of the United State Colored Troops (USCT).
Our research shows that William served as a landsman on the Harvest Moon under Rear Admiral Dahlgren. (3)(5) He was on the Harvest Moon when it sank on March 1, 1865 near Beaufort Harbor South Carolina, victim to a torpedo. (4) It being fairly shallow water and near to the land, all the men survived except for one. The wreck can still be seen in Beaufort Harbor South Carolina. For more information on the Harvest Moon.
We only know of one wife, Lizzie Hill. In the 1900 census he was 70 and was married to Lizzie who was 33. They married in 1894. Lizzie appears to have had 2 children that did not survive long. It is unclear whether these were William’s or from a previous union. One can only imagine Lizzie’s struggles with those few short facts. The census also indicates that William could not read or write. We have no records of him having a prior wife or child.
William died of heart disease in July 1904. His obituary reported that during the war he was wounded, and this was a great source of trouble to him after the war. (2)