July 12, 1862 (Sunday): Hill and Longstreet Part Ways

General A. P. Hill

HEADQUARTERS LIGHT DIVISION, July 12, 1862.
General R. E. LEE,
Commanding Army:
    I have the honor to request that I may be relieved from the command of Major-General Longstreet.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,


A. P. HILL,
Major-General, Commanding Light Division.

[Indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS, July 14, 1862.
Respectfully forwarded.
    If it is convenient to exchange the troops, or to exchange the commanders, I see no particular reason why Major General A. P. Hill should not be gratified.
Very respectfully,





JAMES LONGSTREET,
Major-General, Commanding.

Official Records, Series I., Vol. 11, Part 3, Page 640.

After the fight at Ellerson's Mills a staff officer of Hill's told the Richmond Examiner that for a time Hill had commanded all of Longstreet's troops, the inference being Longstreet was away from his post.  Longstreet replied in a letter to the Examiner he had arrived on the field in the company of General Lee prior to Hill's arrival.  Lee believed by transferring Hill to Stonewall Jackson's command that Hill would have a fresh start.  History would soon record Hill had, if anything, a worse relationship with Jackson.