GDG- A. P. Hill & VD

[Bob Huddleston]

Bud Robertson discovered Hill's VD when he was researching for his 
biography: Hill contracted gonorrhea while a student at USMA -- probably 
while on leave in NYC -- and Robertson located the hospital records at 
West Point. See his fine biography for details.

Take care,

Bob

Judy and Bob Huddleston
10643 Sperry Street
Northglenn, CO  80234-3612
Huddleston.r at comcast.net

"The first law for the historian is that he shall never dare utter an 
untruth. The second is that he shall suppress nothing that is true. 
Moreover, there shall be no suspicion of partiality in his writing, or 
of malice." Marcus Tullius Cicero, De Oratore, II.XV,62

On 1/31/2012 8:27 AM, CWMHTours at aol.com wrote:
> Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:
> In response to Nancy's question I can't answer it but only add  another
> question?
>
> Is there good evidence about the stories- there are many- of  A. P. Hill
> having syphilis?
>
> How much info is there on that topic?  Is it  true?
>
> If he was laid up during the battle from the symptoms what  would the
> symptoms be?
>
> Did he acquire it later in life or was it communicated to him  by his
> mother?
>
> A BACKGROUND STORY:  In the 1950s and 60s my grandparents  lived in the
> lovely charming wholesome town of Concord NH.  All very proper  and New
> Englandish.
>
> Next to my grandparents was a lovely white huge New Eng house  all
> beautiful.  There was a nice family of elderly sisters and a  brother.  Three of
> them were crippled.  One of the old ladies was not  disabled.  I would always
> visit and they would give me homemade  donuts.  My  grandmother made them.
> Mrs Mudget on the other  side would make homemade donuts.  Everybody made
> killer homemade  donuts.  So I'd go over in the summers and say hi and eat
> donuts.   Occasionally they would give me a little $ to run to the store for
> them.   They were named Caravelles.  It was a New England version of  Mayberry.
>   (Actually Aunt Bee and my grandmother knew each other growing up  in
> Manchester)
>
> Once I got old enough my parents explained that they all had  either
> syphilis  or gonorea and that they acquired it from their  mother.  This was
> before the days of penicillin.
>
> I submit this in that growing up with the disabling effects of  their VD
> crippled them and gave them constant pain or discomfort.  I never  knew the
> specifics.
>
> In light of the stories of A. P. Hill I remember from boyhood  the
> devastating effects of VD so I wonder if he was sometimes crippled by the  symptoms.
>   I don't know what the symptoms would be but I guess there were  good days
> and bad days.
>
> Having witnessed VD as a kid I can see A. P. Hill being pretty  sick and
> out of commission during Gtysbg.
>
> P. S.  My mouth frequently waters at the memory of those  homemade donuts.
> Never had anything like them  since.
>
> A  Loyal Neo-Anti Unionist,
> Peter
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