Pvt. John Middleton Hester, Co. D, 41st Alabama Infantry…
Posted by Pete | Posted in News | Posted on 04-11-2014
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John Middleton Hester
John Middleton was born in Pickens County, Alabama about 2 miles south of Coalfire. He was a blacksmith and farmer like his father before him. He enlisted in Company D of the 41st Alabama Infantry Regiment at Pickensville, Alabama on the 27 March 1862 by H. Talbird. He did his school of the soldier in Tuscaloosa near the University of Alabama.
After their school of the soldier the 41st was sent to Tennessee. On Oct. 10, 1862, John Middleton was chosen to be apart of the Color Guard of the Regiment, this was a very big honor, to be selected for the Color Guard a soldier had to show steadfastness and bravery in battle.
On 24 March 1863 he was appointed to the special services as a teamster, a few days later he was given the position of Division Wagoneer, by order of Gen. John C. Brickinridge.
He was sent to Vicksburg, Miss. with a supply wagon train. John Middleton was it Vicksburg during the 47 day siege. After Vicksburg fell he was paroled and sent to Demoplis, Alabama, and from there I think he went home to Coalfire.
Military records show him back with the 41st in January, as he got $88.00 back pay from May 1, 1863 to December 31, 1863.
I believe he is with the 41st as it goes to Virginia to be apart of the Army of Northern Virginia.
The next military records on him shows him on a roll of prisoner war in Columbus, Miss. In May of 1865. He is paroled there on May 19, 1865. Now how he got to Columbus I’m not sure, but I think he was sent back to Alabama or Mississippi to get supplies. Because the Army of Northern Virginia did have any food for soldiers or animals.
After the war he returned to his home in Coalfire, married Rebecca Wilkins and they had five children.
I am proud to say John Middleton Hester is my Great-great-grandfather. It is an honor to me to be apart of this Confederate soldiers family….Daniel E. Hall
Thanks to Danny Hall, my nephew who wrote the article….This is a reprint from “Rebel Yell”, Grizz’s Corner, published by Southern Press, Gordo, Al….Thanks to both for this story reprint…My great-grandfather…
It would have been neat to have known John Middleton Hester; but, then, I barely knew Blanton Hester; and, to this day, I cannot remember what he looked like. So, the earliest Hester of my memory was D. W. I wonder if John Middleton ever knew (or ever ran across) my Great-grandfather, Killakranky Harper. Killakranky fought in the Georgia Militia, but I’m sure that there must have been some association between the Georgia and Alabama militias, since they are neighboring states. It is known that Killakranky fought at Shilo and with the Army of Northern Virginia. He writes in his diary volumously about Stonewall Jackson as well as Robert E. Lee; however, these associations might date his experiences with the Army of Northern Virginia a little before that of John Middleton because the dire need for supplies by the Army of Northern Virginia is largely absent from his diary. After the war, it is known that Killakranky moved to northern Alabama to the area near Cullman, married, and had my Grandfather, Albert Harper, among others, and who later moved to Birmingham and a long and successful career with the Birmingham City School System, first as a teacher, and then as a principal and Chairman of the Board of Education, which was his position at the time of his retirement in the early Fifties. Although today, Cullman and Coal Fire seem like close neighbors, that wasn’t so in the late 19th century. Those communities were very far apart when the fastest transportation was a fast horse, and the most common communicaton (besides snail mail and I mean real slow snail mail) was a loud yell.
According to the records we have John Middleton Hester was tall and skinny. And Jessie Blanton was also a taller individual. Middleton Hester, John Middleton’s father was 6’3″ according to records we have. Dad took after Granny Hester, a towering 5’2″ and Sambo and I took after dad. But if you will notice, Danny and John Middleton favor a lot. Dan looks as though he is his great-great grandson, with all those genes passing through D. W to Danny…. Right, Danny?
Uncle, thank you for the compliment, and I thank Pop if we favor. I’m with Errol, I would love to have seat down with John Middleton and have a very long talk, not just about the war but about life!!!!
Yes, we all would and maybe we can some day, but it may not be relevant at that time.