▁the ▁state ▁house ▁of ▁represent atives ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 6 – 1 8 3 8 , ▁as ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Wh ig ▁National ▁Convention ▁at ▁Harris burg , ▁Pennsylvania , ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 9 , ▁Wh ig ▁president ial ▁elect or ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 0 ▁and ▁was ▁an ▁un success ful ▁candidate ▁for ▁election ▁to ▁the ▁Tw enty - se vent h ▁Congress ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 0 . ▁He ▁was ▁charg é ▁d ' aff aires ▁to ▁Belg ium ▁from ▁May ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 8 4 2 , ▁to ▁August ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 8 4 4 . ▁Hill i ard ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁Wh ig ▁to ▁the ▁Tw enty - n inth , ▁Th ir ti eth , ▁and ▁Th irty - first ▁Congress es ▁( M arch ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 4 5 ▁– ▁March ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 8 5 1 ) ▁but ▁he ▁was ▁not ▁a ▁candidate ▁for ▁ren om ination ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 0 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 6 , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁president ial ▁elect or ▁on ▁the ▁National ▁American ▁ticket . ▁ ▁Civil ▁War ▁service ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁by ▁Jefferson ▁Davis ▁Confeder ate ▁commission er ▁to ▁Tennessee . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁Civil ▁War , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁colon el ▁in ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁States ▁Army . ▁ ▁Hill i ard ' s ▁Leg ion ▁was ▁organized ▁at