A Portrait and Biographical Record of Hendricks County (Chicago: A.W. Bowen & Co., 1895)--pages 952-953
Capt. Daniel F. Hill, prosecuting attorney of Hendricks County, was born in this county January 26, 1839, and is the son of Samuel and Rebecca (Homaday) Hill. Mr. Hill was born in North Carolina and settled in Hendricks County as a pioneer, in 1832, in Middle Township, where he became a substantial farmer. He descended from English ancestry (the family settling in America in colonial time) and is still living in Danville, having reached the venerable age of eighty-eight years. Our subject first received a common school education, and had nearly completed his course at Wabash College when it was interrupted by his enlistment. He was mustered into the United States service at Indianapolis, Ind., August 31, 1861, for three years, as private, and on the organization of Company I, Eleventh Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, was promoted sergeant under Capt. Isaac Elston and Col. Lewis Wallace. He served in this regiment two years and was honorably discharged at Indianapolis, on account of disability. He returned home and remained until partly recovered, and then enlisted in the One Hundred and Thirty-second Regiment, was commissioned adjutant, and served one hundred days. He then enlisted at Indianapolis, Ind., in Company G., One Hundred and Forty-eighth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, was commissioned captain, served until the close of the war, and was honorably discharged at Indianapolis, in September, 1865. He was in the battles of Fort Heinman, Fort Donelson, Pittsburg Landing and Corinth, at which latter battle he was taken sick with typhoid fever, was taken to a field hospital, and was in military hospital at Corinth and field hospital at Pittsburg Landing, and for five weeks was near death and for three weeks was delirious. He was furloughed home for ninety days, and on reporting at Indianapolis, was discharged on account of disability. Capt. Hill was severely disabled by this attack of typhoid fever, his left leg being permanently swollen and afflicted with varicose veins. While with the Eleventh Indiana he was on many hard marches, notably that from Crump's Landing to Adamsville, Miss., which was a night march at sixteen miles in the rain and mud, the soldiers suffering much from cold and exposure and fording the creeks. The next day after, on Sunday, April 6, 1862, they went into the battle of Pittsburg Landing. The night before the surrender of Fort Donelson, in February, 1862, Gen. Wallace ordered the brigade not to build fires, as they were in plain sight of the rebel artillery and at short range. The ground was covered with snow and the night was intensely cold, and Capt. Hill and his comrades came near freezing—four of them had but one blanket with which to cover themselves. The long night finally came to an end, with many a soldier dead from exposure.
After his return home, Capt. Hill engaged in the mercantile business at Pittsboro, Ind., and was then station agent ten years on the I., B. & W. R. R. During this time he read law and practiced in the justice courts, and was admitted to the bar of Danville in 1872, and has since practiced law successfully in his town. He was elected prosecuting attorney in 1892, and still fills this office, and is a vigorous prosecutor of the criminal element, standing high at the Hendricks County bar. Fraternally he is a Mason of the Western Star lodge, Danville, and has been secretary and steward. He is also a member of the G.A.R., Jesse S. Ogden post, Danville, and has filled the offices of adjutant and post commander. Politically he is a Republican. The captain was married, November 28, 1867, at Pittsboro, Ind., to Sarah J., daughter of Joseph M. and Mary (Bradshaw) McVeigh, and to this union has been born one son, Harry E. The captain and wife are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Capt. Hill is one of the honored citizens of Danville. As an attorney he has been connected with many of the important cases of Hendricks County. He was an active soldier, and took part in all the marches, battles and skirmishes of his regiment, and was prompt to do his duty.