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Major-Generals and Brigadier-Generals, Pro-Visional army of the Confederate States, Accredited to Arkansas.
Brigadier-General William N. R. Beall was a native of
Kentucky, born in 1825.
His parents moved to
Arkansas, and from that State he was appointed to the United --States military academy at
West Point in 1844.
He was graduated in 1848, and was assigned to the Fourth infantry as brevet second lieutenant.
He served on the frontier in the
Northwest until 1850, with promotion to second lieutenant of the Fifth infantry, April 30, 1849.
From that time until 1855 he served in
Indian Territory and in
Texas, and was commissioned first lieutenant of the First cavalry, March 3, 1855, and before the end of the month, March 27th, captain in the same command.
He was engaged in several Indian expeditions, encountering the hostiles in several combats and skirmishes.
The last of these expeditions was in 1860 against the Kiowas and Comanches.
He was on frontier duty when his adopted State seceded from the
Union.
He then sent in his resignation as captain in the
United States service and received the same rank in the
Confederate States army.
He served in
Arkansas under
General Van Dorn, who, on the 17th of March, 1862, recommended that he be commissioned colonel.
On the 11th of April this request was more than granted, for
Captain Beall was commissioned a brigadier-general in the army of the
Confederate States, and on the 23d of the same month was assigned by
General Beauregard to the command of the cavalry of the army at
Corinth.
On September 25th he was in command at
Port Hudson, and though
Gen. Frank Gardner subsequently assumed chief command,
General Beall and his brigade continued to be important factors in the
