The Parting
General A.P. Hill and His Wife Winter of 1862-63
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Not even the biting cold of a Virginia winter could cool the
affection shared by General A.P. Hill and his wife, Kitty Morgan
Hill. Theirs was one of the war's great love stories. As commander
of "Hill's Light Division" in Jackson's Corps of Lee's
Army, Hill could rarely leave the army -- but Kitty tried to follow
her husband. They enjoyed a marriage of devotion, faith and friendship
which produced four daughters. Kitty Morgan McClung married Hill
in 1859, when the general was a lowly lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
They settled in Washington, D.C., where they became a popular
couple in the capital's social circle. Their marriage, a daughter
later recalled, was "an ideal one." But America's bloodiest
war lay just ahead, and many of the army officers who were their
friends in Washington would soon be made into enemies by the winds
of war. In March of 1861, Hill resigned from the U.S. Army and
accepted a Confederate colonel's commission in the 13th Virginia
Infantry. He was soon promoted to brigadier general and distinguished
himself at the Battle of Williamsburg. He rapidly acquired rank
and position, rising from brigadier to lieutenant general in little
more than a year. Kitty was often nearby. In the winter of 1862-63,
following the Battle of Fredericksburg, the couple enjoyed fleeting
moments together near the Virginia front. Despite the hardship
of war and the demands of command, their relationship remained
strong. As a soldier, Hill realized that any day in war could
his last. A final parting would come eventually -- on a warm day
in early spring near war's end. Until then, however, they rejoice
in occasional reunions, treasured time together, until the moment
came for another parting.
950
Limited Edition Numbered and Signed
75
Artist Proofs Numbered and Signed
Image Size: 19" x 25 1/2"
Overall Size: 23 1/2" x 29 1/2"
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the secondary market. Please call 817-560-2143 or
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more information.
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