Leading His Brigade When Killed

Union Colonel Sylvester Gardner Hill was killed in action December 15^th 1864 during the Battle of Nashville.

Sylvester Gardner Hill was born June 10^th 1820 in North Kingstown, Washington, Rhode Island.  He moved to Cincinnati, Ohio in the 1840’s working in the lumber business.  When gold was found in California, Hill caught the fever and traveled there, but finding no profit hunting for gold, he moved back east to Muscatine, Iowa.

When the Civil War started, Hill helped to raise the 35^th Iowa Infantry.  He was appointed Colonel of the regiment on September 18^th 1862.  They started out doing garrison duty in Illinois and Kentucky before joining the Union Army of the Tennessee at Vicksburg.  As the Union forces put Vicksburg under siege, Hill was placed in command of the 3^rd Brigade of the 1^st Division in the XVI Corps.  Hill was wounded at the Battles of Pleasant Hill and Yellow Bayou, but was back in command at the Battle of Tupelo.

At the Battle of Nashville on December 15^th 1864, Hill was leading his Brigade against Confederates holding Montgomery Hill.  He was shot in the head and died instantly.  His body was taken home to Muscatin, Iowa where he is buried in the Greenwood Cemetery.

In Nashville

The 173^rd Ohio Infantry mustered into Union service on September 18^th 1864 for one year.

The 173^rd Ohio Infantry was organized in Gallipolis, Ohio.  Most of the men were from Ohio’s 11^th Congressional District.  They mustered into Union service for a one year term, under the command of Colonel John H Hurd on September 18^th 1864.  The men were sent to the Defenses of Nashville in the Department of Cumberland, where they were assigned to guard duty.  The 173^rd was in the town during the Battle of Nashville on December 15-16^th 1864, and guarded the prisoners there until February 1865.

The 173^rd was mustered out of service at Nashville, Tennessee, discharged on July 5^th 1865 at Camp Dennison, Cincinnati, Ohio.  The regiment lost 108 men during their service.