Confederate Soldier

Confederate Soldier

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William Asa Meador

William (Bill) Asa Meador (b. July 10, 1830, d. Jan. 13, 1915) was born in Green County, Alabama, the son of Hugh and Elizabeth Hendrick Meador. When he was 11 years old, his father died and he lived with his mother until he was 19. In 1849, at the age of 19, he moved to Navarro County, in east Texas where he farmed.

In 1854 William Meador moved to Bell County in central Texas where he was first employed as a farm hand. He later traded stock until the Civil War. On December 25, 1855, he married Emily Marshall (b. Apr. 3, 1839, d. May 17, 1911), the daughter of Samuel and Mary Wingfield Marshall. The Marshalls moved to Grimes County, Texas in 1828. The 1860 census of Bell County, Texas listed William and Emily Meador, occupation as "farmer".

Both William's grandfathers, Jason Meador and Samuel Marshall, served in the American Revolution. William Meador was a 9th generation Meador descended from the Jamestown, Virginia colonist, Ambrose Meador.

In 1862 William Meador enlisted in Company I, Allen's 17th Texas Volunteer Infantry. The 17th Texas Volunteer Infantry Regiment was one of 22 infantry regiments from Texas. It was organized around January, 1862. The 17th was part of the 3rd brigade of the famous Walker Texas Ranger division, also know as 'Walker's Greyhounds'. They were ultimately surrendered by General E.Kirby Smith of the Trans-Mississippi Department on May 26, 1865.

The officers in Company I included Captain John Smith, 1st Lieut. R.H. Taylor and 2nd Lieut. Jno. W. Houston. From February to May, 1862, the 17th Texas was assigned to the eastern district of Texas. In February, 1863, the division moved to Camp Wright and was attached to the district of Arkansas, Trans-Mississippi Department. In April, they marched to Louisiana. There they had brief skirmishes at Perkins Landing and encountered Union forces along the Red River, and in November, 1863 they destroyed a Union transport. Other destinations of the 17th Texas included Atchafalaya Bayou, Camp Bayou Boeut, Camp Bayou De Glaize and Plaquemine, Louisiana.

While in camp near Austin, Arkansas, Meador was mistakenly given a dose of strychnine instead of morphine. (It should be noted that strychnine was also kept in the camp to control the rats that followed a field hospital.) He survived but remained ill for almost two years. He was given a medical discharge at Camp Bayou De Glaize on March 3, 1864. (See transcript of medical discharge.)

William Meador returned home to Bell County, Texas. In 1872 he built and operated a saw mill on the Leon River, but the venture did not prove successful, and in 1874 he purchased a 200-acre farm where he built a two-story home and six tenant houses. The farm was located in northern Bell County. He added to his acreage until he owned 1,200 acres. The area is know as 'Meador Grove' today.

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Confederate States of America

Certificate of Disability or Dishcarge

W.A. Meador of Capt. J.F. Smith's Company "I" 17th Tex. Vol. Inft. C.S.A. was enlisted by Col. R.T.P. Allen, at Camp Terry Travis County Texas on the 9th day of May 1862 to serve for three yrs. in the war. He was borne in Greene County in the State of Alabama, is 34 years of age, is 5 feet 10 inches high. Eyes Blue, hair brown, complexion dark and by occupation when Enlisted a Farmer. During the last two months said Soldier has been unfit for duty Sixty two days. Said Soldier has been absent on Surgeons Certificate for ten months and is apparently entirely unfit for military service.

Camp Bayou De Glaize J.F. Smith

February 11th 1864 Capt. Company I

17th T.V. Inftr.

Approved - Geo. W. Jones - Lt. Col. Comdr.

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I certify that I Have carefully examined W. A. Meador of Capt. Smith's Comp. and find him incapable of performing the duties of a soldier because of hypertrophy of the Liver and Stomache attended with constant distrubance of the Digestive Function. There is also intense muscular rigidity of the Spine rendering it totally impracticable for him to bend the body in the slightest degree. He had a long and very severe attack of Pneumonia at Camp Nelson, Ark. in Nov. 1862 since which time he never done any duty being in hospital or on sick Furlough. Since his attack he has been in Hospital under the most needs course of treatment - without the slightest benefit. I therefore recommend his Discharge from the Service.

D. Port Smithe

Surgeon P.&C.S.

Dishcarged at Bayou Del Glaize, La. this the 3rd day of March, 1864.

Geo. W. Jones

Let. Col. Comdr.

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CREDITS

Confederate documents on file at Harold B. Simpson History Complex, Hill College, Hillsboro, Texas.

Bell County, Texas data on file at Bell County Museum, and history taken from The Story of Bell County, v.2, ppg 743-744. c.1988 Bell County Historical Commission, ed by E.A. Limmer, Jr.

Original 'tin-type' photograph of W.A. Meador was restored and colorized by his grandson, William Madison Meador of Alpine, Texas, a photographer by profession.

Information compiled and presented by Samuel C. Bennett, M.D., great,great grandson of William A. Meador.