"My Great Grandfather"

His parents: John Clay Hall and Lunetta Stephenson.

WILLIAM M HALL
PCT CO H 13 REGT TEXAS CAY
CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY

This is an article from the Beaumont Enterprise September 24, 1922. The story is about William Madison Hall (1842- 1926), his wife Hester Ann McMahon (1848- 1932) and some of his Civil War experiences. William Madison Hall served in Company H 13th Texas Cavalry (Dismounted).

VETERAN OF CIVIL WAR TELLS OF EXPERIENCES

Crossing a "footlog" which later turned out to be a dead negro, saving the life of a fellow soldier by suggesting that he place his cartridge box on his right side and the finding of the photograph of a beautiful northern girl, are a few of the outstanding memories of the civil war enjoyed by William M. Hall, of Newton, a veteran of the Dixieland forces. Mr. Hall, aged 80, is the father of Robert M. Hall, of Beaumont.

Mrs. Hall, who enjoys good health at the side of her veteran husband forgives his "love affair" of the war. She and her husband did not marry until Lee and Grant met, muskets were laid away, and the war was done.

And so the veteran tells the story unblushingly. It was during the Battle of Mansfield. The yanks were in retreat it appears, and the soldier picked up a photograph, evidently dropped by one of the northern soldiers. It bore no name but it was marked with the name of a photographer in a northern city. Mr. Hall, then Private Hall first class, kept the picture and cherished it. He has it yet, awaiting its owner. He never knew whether the girl's sweetheart was slain by the southern army or not.

Mr. Hall was born in Arkansas in 1842. His parents moved to east Texas when he was five years old. At the age of ten his father died and he was left to support the family. In ' 62 "Billy" Hall voluntered with the Newton county calvary. He was sent to Houston county for training. Later he was transfered to Company H, Thirteenth regiment of Texas dismounted calvary, Walker's division and Wall's brigade. He served with these forces until the end of the war. He was in the Battle of Mansfield, Pleasant Hill, Jenkins Ferry on the Sabine river.

He tells with a chuckle of saving the life of one Alfred Hare, his comrade, during the battle of Mansfield. Usually the soldiers carried their cartridge boxes on their backs. At the time the men were marching left oblique and their right sides were exposed to the sometimes heavy fire. Hall suggested placing the cartridge boxes on their right sides. Hall and Hare had no sooner acted than a bullet struck Hare's cartridge box sinking itself well into the metal. Hare fell out but was back in the fight next day remarking to everyone that he was there because Hall had saved his life.

He quotes an old woman's version of one fight he was in:
"Mr. Walker's critter company formed a string of fight right in my yard. They tore down my fence turned over my ash-hopper, and killed two chickens and a duck."

Mr. Hall askes that a southern veteran by the name of Roan, and another Sam Roberts, get in touch with him if they are alive. He knows of but four veterans of his company now alive. They are H. F. Brack, Richard West, James Fancher and himself.

Mr. Hall's children are Robert M. Hall, Beaumont; Mrs. Robert Fuller of Call, Texas; Mrs. H. H. Miller, Mrs. Fannie Miller, Mrs. J. O. Marshall, Mrs. J. B. Kerr, and Mrs. James Chaddick, all of Newton.(This list of his children is not complete ~ I have listed all his children below.)

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Pictured in the family photograph:
1 Anna Elizabeth Hall Chadddick
2 Ida Virginia Hall Fuller
3 John Miles Hall
4 Emma Lunetta Hall Marshall
5 William Harrison Hall, my Grandfather
6 Dr. Henry Stephenson Hall
7 Etta Luvicey Hall Kerr
8 Thomas Brazier Hall
9 Mary Francis Hall Miller
10 Robert Madison Hall
11 Minnie Hester Hall Miller
12 Ina Bufort Hall