{⋆★⋆} BG Beall, William Nelson Rector

William Nelson Rector Beall

Born: March 20, 1825
General Beall.jpg


Birth Place: Bardstown, Kentucky

Father: Samuel T. Beall 1791 – 1840
(Buried: Mount Holly Cemetery, Little Rock, Arkansas)​

Mother: Sally Rector Unknown – 1840
(Buried: Mount Holly Cemetery, Little Rock, Arkansas)​

Wife: Felicia Eakins Bass 1845 – 1904
(Buried: Mount Olivet Cemetery, Nashville, Tennessee)​

Children:

William Abadie Beall 1870 – 1921​
(Buried: Mount Olivet Cemetery, Nashville, Tennessee)​
John Bass Beall 1874 – 1939​
(Buried: Bellefontaine Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri)​

Education:

1848: Graduated from West Point Military Academy (30th in his class)​

Occupation before War:

1848 – 1849: Brevet 2nd Lt. United States Army, 4th Infantry Regiment
General Beall 2.jpg
1849 – 1855: 2nd Lt. United States Army, 5th Infantry Regiment​
1855: 1st Lt. United States Army, 1st Cavalry Regiment​
1855 – 1861: Captain, United States Army, 1st Cavalry Regiment​
1861: Resigned from United States Army, August 20, 1861​

Civil War Career:

1861 – 1862: Captain of Cavalry in the Trans Mississippi Department

1862 – 1865: Brigadier General of Confederate Army, Cavalry

1863: Captured during the Siege of Port Hudson

1863 – 1864: Prisoner of War held by the Union Army, Johnson's Island

1864: Confederate Agent for the supplying Confederate Prisoners

1864: Paroled by the Union Army to perform his duties as Supply officer
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1864 – 1865: Cotton Broker in New York City proceeds went to supplies

Occupation after War:

1865 – 1883: General Commission Merchant in Saint Louis, Missouri

Died: July 25, 1883

Place of Death: McMinnville, Tennessee

Cause of Death: Not Known

Age at time of Death: 58 years old

Burial Place: Mount Olivet Cemetery, Nashville, Tennessee

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Open letter from Beall to former Confederates prisoners outlining his activities on the behalf from OR Series 2, Volume VIII, pages 748-9.
The Confederate Prisoners of War:​
Having performed the duty of furnishing you supplies, agreeable to the arrangement between General Grant and Colonel Ould, I feel that it is due to you and just to myself that you should have an outline of these duties. The arrangements made to supply the prisoners of war through the agency of their respective authorities permitted the Confederate authorities to send 1,000 bales of cotton from Mobile to me in this city, to be sold by me and the proceeds to be expended in the purchase of supplies as you might need. At the time of the arrangement—11th and 12th November, 1864—it was thought that the orders to receive the cotton on a U. S. vessel would reach Mobile on the 22d of November, and that the cotton would reach this city about the 6th of December. Under this impression, at that date the United States War Department had me paroled and permitted to come from Fort Warren to this city for the purpose of receiving and selling the cotton. Nothing having been heard of the cotton, on the 5th of January, 1865, my parole was suspended and I placed as a prisoner of war in Fort Lafayette, where I remained until the 24th of January, when, 830 bales having arrived, my parole was renewed and I allowed to enter upon my duties. The long delay brought the cotton to this city on a greatly depreciated market. As this delay and the consequent very heavy loss to the -prison fund has been attributed to various causes I will state that from official letters in my possession I learn that on the 17th of December, 1864, General Granger, U. S. Army, commanding in Mobile Bay, notified General Maury, commanding at Mobile, of his readiness to receive on board a U. S. transport the 1,000 bales of cotton; that on December 22d General Maury notified General Granger of his readiness to ship the cotton; that the 1,000 bales were received on the transport and receipted for by a U. S. officer on the 15th of January. The vessel being of insufficient capacity to bring the entire quantity, 170 bales were left with the U. S. quartermaster of Fort Morgan for future shipment to New York. I have learned unofficially that the delay was caused by miscarriage of orders and uncommonly tempestuous weather.​
The 830 bales, after being put in good condition for market and due notice given, were sold at public auction on the 8th of February, 1865, and brought an average of 82 cents per pound and netted $331,789.66; $8,589.68 was paid as internal revenue. The 170 bales turned over to the quartermaster at Fort Morgan did not reach this city until the 8th of April, 1865, and, after being put in marketable condition and sold at public auction April 18, netted only $23,994.76—an average of 29f cents per pound. The delay of the 17 0 bales for seventy-two days cost the prison fund $42,569.50. I feel assured that this detention was caused by some inefficient U. S. quartermaster on his own authority. All of the cotton reached this city in most wretched condition, and had to be repicked and rebaled before it could be offered for sale. Having only within a short time been able to bring personally the matter of the internal-revenue tax upon the cotton, amounting to $8,589.68, directly before the honorable Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. McCulloch, he promptly ordered it to be refunded, and on yesterday, 13th instant, it was received and paid to the contractors who furnished clothing.​
On entering upon my duties it was my wish and intention to furnish you provisions, at least sugar and coffee, as well as clothing and blankets. Upon calculation I found that it would require $1,200 per day to supply the small ration of sugar and coffee, and it could not therefore be done for want of funds. The very severe winter made the demand for clothing the most important. Attached hereto is a list of the prisons and number of prisoners confined therein at the time I entered upon the discharge of my duties. (See List A.) It will be observed that to the prisons where but a small number were confined I sent no supplies. Such prisons were, as a general thing, used merely for the temporary detention of prisoners, they being speedily transferred to larger stations. Among the 2,259 boxes of provisions, clothing, and tobacco that arrived from the South there were a number for the officers, prisoners of war, at Hilton Head, Morris Island, and Fort Pulaski; but learning officially that these officers had been ordered on exchange I had the boxes distributed among the remaining prisoners. After this was done I learned that those officers had been returned to Fort Delaware. During the performance of my duties, which occupied my entire time and attention for several months, I received from the U. S. officers with whom I had business intercourse great courtesy and every assistance. To the quartermaster's department in this city great credit is due tor the prompt and correct transportation of supplies, as shown by the receipts in my possession from the Confederate prisoners who distributed the supplies at the several prisons. The charge has been made that I u gave contracts to Union men." In reply I have but to say that I looked upon my duties and obligations as too sacred to admit of my consulting anything save the interest of the prisoners. I gave contracts where I thought the best results could be obtained without reference to political opinion. To Messrs. Duncan, Sherman & Co., bankers, I gave the control of the cotton, and to their most excellent management you are indebted for receiving the highest market price for the cotton. Especial thanks are due them, as their services were given without charge.​
Newspax>ers will confer a great favor bv copying the above.​
WM. N. R. BEALL,​
Late Brigadier-General, C. 8. Army.​
 
In Beall's West Point class of 1848 was one of Sherman's 3 brothers-in-law. Hugh Ewing did not however graduate, he was a dropout.From that class were 6 Civil War brigadier generals including Ewing.
 
1/25/62 Memphis-Van Dorn asks that Capt Stockton be promoted Major; reports Capt Beall is with him

2/6 Van Dorn arrived at Jacksonport with his staff, where he established his Hqs. Members of his staff who opened offices in Jacksonport were:

Capt W. N. L Beall AAG


2/18 Pocahontas, Ark-Van Dorn asks President to appoint Capt Beall as Lt Col of PA

3/21/62 AG Cooper to Beauregard-Capt Beall recommended by you has been appointed to temporary rank of Lt Col

3/24/62 AG Cooper to Beauregard-Capt Beall has been assigned to Van Dorn


3/28 Hqs TM Dist, Jacksonport, Ark-S O #37-Capt Beall to relieve Maj Phifer as Provost Marshall of Jacksonport.

4/8 EVD/Col WNR Beall, AAG Hqs TMD Des Arc, Col James P. Major at Devall's Bluff – use the Bracelet & other transportation, except for the Kaskaskia, to send a full load of troops to Memphis to load on the Magnolia

4/17 W R Beall-Apptd Brig Gen to rank from 4/11

4/23 Gen Beall assigned to the command of Cav by order of Beauregard

5/5 Hqs Army of the West, Camp McIntosh, Maury to Gen Price/copy to Gen Beall-There is no official information at these Hqs of Gen Beall having command of all the Cav of this army. You will therefore not issue the order to Col McCulloch till you have rec'd orders to that effect from this office.

5/14 Hqs Army of the West, Maury to Gen Beall cdg Cav-Col Bradfute requests that you order 4 Co's of Cav to report to him here to relieve some who have been on picket. Prepare them for 3 days of duty.

5/23 Hqs Army of the West, Maury to Col Bradfute-As soon as you have turned over your pickets to Maj Phifer, report to Gen Beall at Corinth.

6/16 [6/19] S O #118/II Priceville, Ms- Gen Beall, having reported for duty with the Army of the West, will report for duty to Gen Maury, cdg Div

6/20 S O #88 by Bragg-
III. Gen Van Dorn, cdg Dept of Southern Ms & East La, is authorized at his discretion to order for service within the limits of his Dept. the troops of this Dept. on or near the line of the Ms Central RR.
IV. Gen W. N. R. Beall is hereby relieved from duty in the Army of the West, & will report to Gen Van Dorn, at Jackson, Ms



8/29 Van Dorn to Ruggles at Port Hudson-Going to move north-Want all the men I can get. Think 2,500 or 2,800 sufficient at Port Hudson. Turn over command there to Beall & come to Jackson to take command. Send 12th La Regt to Villepigue at once. Send 4th​ La to Vicksburg at once also, if by so doing you do not reduce the command to less than the above number.



9/7/62 Ruggles handed over command of Port Hudson to Beall.

Beall's first act was to declare the works in progress to be entirely too long for the projected manpower.

As if to confirm Beall's decision the garrison at Port Hudson was almost immediately reduced to fewer than 1000 men as troops were ordered away to support the various offensive designs that were being staged. Beall's concept for the defensive works was based on 4 1/2 miles of continuous parapets & ditches to support the Arty positions. He began the new line but his effort was severely hampered by a scarcity of labor. The surrounding plantations were not offering the needed manpower, in the form of slaves, & the available soldiers showed little interest in manual labor of this type. There were simply not enough workers to accomplish the work. Beall appealed to President Davis for the authority to proclaim martial law as a means to forcibly procure the needed help but was denied. Instead, Davis granted authority to request slaves from an extended area around the fortress city.
A slow trickle of troops began to arrive. Several Btrys were transferred in by mid Sept accompanied by a gift from President Davis. A 20 lb Parrott captured in the fighting on the Va peninsula was sent along with 4 Co's of the 12th La Hvy Arty Bn, under Lt-Col Paul de Gournay. The red legs had too few pieces to serve & the idle gunners were put to work building emplacements for promised guns.

In mid Sept the collapse of the proposed advance on New Orleans led to another bonanza for Beall. Ruggles ordered Beall to concentrate his entire command, except a tiny garrison that would stay in Baton Rouge, at Port Hudson. Relieved of the responsibility of maintaining a large garrison at Baton Rouge, Beall recalled the 4th La & another Btry. Additionally orders were issued to Van Dorn that Regts then being paroled from the northern Ms disasters were to be retained for Beall's garrison.

10/13 Beall to Pemberton-This is a matter of great importance. We have some 16 guns in position & but a small command to protect them against land attack. Urge the importance of sending reinforcements at once to this place. Refer you to Gen Ruggles



10/20 Beall to Pemberton-10" Columbiad arrived yesterday. All that are to come should come by water.
10/21 Pemberton tells Beall- Mount 10-inch gun at once. I will hold 4000 men here [not Meridian?] in case you need help. Make every effort to obtain further information.
10/22 Beal to Pemberton-10" gun mounted at 8 PM-10/20-ready for action.

10/22 Pemberton to Beall-Carry out these instructions at once-entrench by detached redoubts & redans. [Goes on to name roads where these entrenchments should be placed]. I will try to have reinforcements ready if they are actually needed when the time arises.
10/22 Beall to Pemberton-Engineer reports the shortest line of defense for this place is 7 ½ miles-the handful of men here cannot resist an attack by a land if made in force-reinforcements should certainly be sent


Port Hudson, Confederate Bastion on the Ms-Hewitt
Says Villepigue relieved Beall of command & that Pemberton inspected the garrison a week after Villepigue died & found no reason to replace Beall-footnotes refer to:
Letters & telegrams received: Dept of Ms & E La 1862-65 RG 109 NARA

10/29 telegram from Villepigue [cdg reserve force arriving at Port Hudson] to Pemberton-Confusion may result if I assume command at the present time unless otherwise ordered I will remain hard by with my Corps to support Gen Beall in case of land attack.


11/9 Beall to Waddy-Gen Villepigue is very ill. If he ever recovers it will be long before he does duty. A general officer should be sent to command his reserve corps unless it is to be a part of the command of this place.

11/9 Jackson Waddy to Pemberton, Abbeville: Gen Villepigue has been very ill for several days; is not expected to recover. Shall Gen Beall take command of Gen V.'s forces? They want a general officer.

11/9 to Richmond reporting Villepigue death today-had been recently assgd to command of a column of 4000 men to move where needed
11/9 Waddy to Beall -Assume command at once of the reserve corps near your post formerly commanded by Villepigue.

12/27 S O #67/2- S O #54 is revoked & Gardner is assgd to command of 3rd military Dist w/Hqs at Port Hudson relieving Gen Beall-signed Pemberton
12/27 S O #67 [from Pemberton] upon being relieved by Gen Gardner, Beall will assume command of troops in & around Port Hudson

12/27 Gardner to Port Hudson- Physically arrived Port Hudson 12/27-takes command 12/28

12/28/62 G O #1-Gardner assumes command of this post & District #3. Gen Beall to retain immediate command of the troops intended for the defense of this place

.

7/9/63 Port Hudson surrenders
 
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