HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

charge of his duties. A native of Clay county. Major Hill was born in
Posey township, at what was known as Van Buren Stage Station, a mile
west of where the city of Brazil now stands. His natal day was August
29, 1843. His parents, Abel S. and Almira (Usher) Hill, were both
natives of Brookfield, Madison county, New York, born in 1808 and 1811
respectively. In the year 1834 Abel S. Hill came to Indiana, driving
across the country with Highland horses by way of the Cleveland route.
He settled at Terre Haute and, in Indiana as in New York, became a
prominent and influential resident of his community. He had served as
deputy sheriff in the Empire state and after coming to Indiana was
township trustee. He and two others were the only supporters of the
Whig party in Dick Johnson township, Clay county. He died in the
year 1882, after long, active and helpful connection with the interests of
his adopted state. His wife, who passed away in 1881, was a consistent
and faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Her brother,
Hon. John P. Usher, was attorney general of Indiana in 1861 and became
a member of President Lincoln’s cabinet before his term as attorney
general expired, being appointed secretary of the interior January 8,
1863. He was reappointed in 1865 and served under President Johnson
until the 5th of May of that year, when he resigned.
    Major Hill was the fifth in order of birth in a family of eight chil—
dren but only two are now living. His eldest sister is Sarah J. Hill.
His brother, younger than himself, was Nathaniel Usher Hill, late of
Bloomington, Indiana. He was prominent in the political circles of the
state and for two terms filled the office of state treasurer. he died May
8, 1908.
    Major Hill spent his boyhood days under the parental roof and when
sixteen years of age entered the military school at Clinton, Indiana. He
there remained for six months, after which he returned to the farm. He
was not yet eighteen years of age, when, in response to the country’s call
for aid, he enlisted as a member of Company F, Tenth Regiment of
Indiana Volunteers for three months. The smoke from Fort Sumter’s
guns had hardly cleared away when he joined the boys in blue, being
mustered in at Indianapolis April 21, 1861. He became drill master of
his company at Camp Morton, Indianapolis. and was also in the postoffice
at the camp until July of that year. He then joined his regiment, which
had been sent to the front .At Clarksburg, West Virginia,he was first
under fire at the battle occurring on the 11th of July at Rich Mountain.
Following the expiration of his three months’ term of enlistment he was
mustered out of service at Indianapolis, August 5, 1861. He became a
recruiting officer at Camp Morton, on the 1st of October of the same year,
having re—enlisted as a member of Company G. Second Indiana Cavalry,
under Captain I. S. Leabo, he had as a recruiting officer enlisted sixty—
five in the company and with his troops was mustered in October 4, 1861,
for three years, or during the war. Mr. Hill was commissioned second
lieutenant and spent some time with his men at Camp Bridgeland on Fall
creek, where he drilled his company. Later in the autumn they marched
to New Albany, Indiana, across the Ohio river and arrived at Louis-
ville, Kentucky, on Christmas day. They spent the winter at Camp Wick—
liff near Green river and in March, 1862, crossed the stream to Bowling
Green, Kentucky, and proceeded on their way to Nashville, Tennessee.
They participated in the first battle of Shiloh and in the engagements
at Perryville and at Gallatin, being at the last named place until July 1862.