Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 19.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

Among the many events of personal interest that occurred in the South during the late war but few are of more dramatic character or aroused a deeper interest among our people than the unfortunate personal difficulty which took place in the Confederate States Senate at Richmond, during its secret session, between Mr. William L. Yancey, of Alabama, and Mr. Ben. H. Hill, of Georgia. Several different and conflicting versions of this affair have been given through the southern press, but none has yet been published that accords with a statement we recently derived from a gentleman who was at the time a senator, and an eye-witness to all that happened on the occasion.

Origin of the trouble.

The difficulty had its origin in the heated political contests so common in this country prior to the breaking out of the war. It was when Yancey, with his dazzling eloquence, was “firing the Southern heart” that a barbecue, attended by thousands, was given in one of the Southern counties of Georgia. It was here that Hill and Yancey met—the one the bold and eloquent defender of the Union, and the other the boasted champion of secession—and during the debate which ensued words were uttered that caused an estrangement that was never afterward reconciled.

The two men met again in the Confederate Senate, both doubtless smarting under the recollection of past contests and entertaining no kindly feelings for each other. It was when the cause of the South was drooping and every patriot heart was heavy with despondency [375] and gloom that Mr. Yancy, rising in his place in the Senate, declared that the war could no longer be carried on with any hope of success unless many of the constitutional restraints and embarrassments were thrown aside, and boldly advocated a radical change in the Government to meet the demands of the public and the exigences of the hour.

An exciting scene.

Upon the conclusion of Mr. Yancey's remarks, Mr. Hill promptly arose to reply. The scene was one of the most intense excitement. He depreciated the opinion advocated by Mr. Yancey, and proceeded with great severity to review his past political career, running back to the beginning of the times when our sectional troubles were first agitated. He said Mr. Yancey, not satisfied with having warred upon and disrupted the old Union, was now crying out against and endeavoring to subvert and break down the Confederate Government. When Mr. Hill concluded, the excitement, already at white heat, was increased beyond anything ever before witnessed during those troublesome times. Mr. Yancey arose and in a calm, dignified, and self-poised manner peculiarly his own, commenced his reply. He described Mr. Hill as repeating slanders that had been uttered against him for the past twenty years, and that all which Mr. Hill had uttered had been said innumerable times before by every third-rate politician in the country, and continued by saying: “ Nature had designed the Senator from Georgia as an imitator; that he had been cast in a certain die, and it was vain to attempt to enlarge his dimensions.”

An inkstand thrown.

Pallid with rage, Mr. Hill mounted to his feet, and seizing a heavy glass inkstand, hurled it with all his might and power at the head of Mr. Yancy, which, grazing his forehead, ploughed its way to the skull and passed on in its furious course, crushing a heavy window facing beyond. Without turning his head, Mr. Yancy, who was at the time addressing the Speaker, continued his speech, deliberately remarking: ‘It is always the prerogative of cowards to strike from the rear.’ Enraged still more at this remark, Mr. Hill, gathering a chair, rushed upon his antagonist, who heedless of the attack, was continuing his remarks as calmly as if nothing had happened, when a number of senators interposing, the difficulty was ended. Mr. Yancey's wound bled most profusely, and a scene of the utmost confusion prevailed.

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Cause of Yanceys death.

It has been several times stated since Mr. Yancey's death that it resulted from injuries received in this rencounter; but such is not the fact, as he died from a disease that could in no way have been superinduced by this cause.