- H. J. WALL, M.D., Richland Center, Wis., member of G.A.R.
Post No. 33, was born July 12,
- 1844, in Ithaca, New York. His parents, John and Jane (HALL)
WALL, were natives respectively of Ireland and New York, and
they lived in the latter State after marriage, rearing two children,
one of whom was a daughter named Elizabeth, still living at Van
Ettenville, New York, the wife of M. D. CANFIELD. Dr. WALL was
educated in Ithaca, at Washington Academy and in Geneva College,
enlisting while engaged in the study of medicine in the fall
of 1863, at Oswego, New York, in the 21st New York Calvary and
was soon after commissioned as Commissary of Subsistence. As
he had not completed his studies he could not obtain a surgeon's
commission but he was active in raising his regiment which was
mustered at Elmira, New York, and after being sent to the front
on the Potomac River, was placed on picket duty with headquarters
at Halltown below Harper's Ferry. Dr. WALL was with his command
at this point several months, went thence to Cornersville, Md.,
performed guard and picket duty on the B. & O. R. R., and
joined General Sigel's forces at Martinsburg, Dr. WALL having
charge of Ordnance and Subsistence stores. At the beginning of
the forward movement he received instructions to forward the
condemned stores to Washington and afterwards, with his detachment
reported to General Moore at Martinsburg on guide and scout duty
in command of about 20 men; he carried dispatches to General
Sigel, went on the following day with that General on a forced
march, reporting to his regiment in the 1st Cavalry Brigade of
the 1st Division and was again placed in charge of the Ordnance
and Subsistence Department. In that capacity he went with Sigel
up the Shenandoah Valley to Newmarket where he remained on duty
at brigade headquarters until September, 1864, when he received
orders to report to division headquarters and was assigned to
same duty as before, remaining until some time in October. At
that date General Sheridan ordered him to report to himself near
Middletown and he was there performing his duty when the battle
of Cedar Creek was fought. After this action Dr. JOHNSON returned
with General De Sha and his staff, intending to make Martinsburg;
the doctor was with the escort and while on the way rode some
distance ahead of the General and staff who were overtaken by
the rebels and captured. Only this chance action of Dr. WALL
in riding forward saved him from a similar fate and the capture
was only discovered when the General and staff failed to reach
the city. At Martinsburg Dr. WALL received orders to go to Pleasant
Valley, where he received, inspected and forward army stores
until the surrender of Lee and Johnston, when he was ordered
to report to the Commissary General at Washington, where he was
assigned to duty on the defenses below the city in the same capacity.
He finally prepared his last report and turned over the stores
at Alexandria to proper authorities and remained in service in
Washington until his resignation June 19, 1865.
- He returned to Ithaca and went thence to Elmira, where he
read law for a time and afterwards
- went to Minnesota where he engaged in the practice of medicine
at St. Paul. In the spring of 1870 he established his business
at Fort Atkinson, Iowa, and went to Richland in the fall of 1875,
where he has since been located. In 1879 he attended lectures
at Rush Medical College in Chicago, taking an advanced course.
He was married in Rock county, Wisconsin, in February, 1869,
to Cora, daughter of Bradley and Lucretia (HOWSE) PLATO, a native
of Wisconsin. Two daughters, Catherine and Jennie now belong
to the family. Dr. WALL has been an active political worker in
Wisconsin and Minnesota, serving on the State Central Committee,
but has never been himself a candidate for office. He is Surgeon
of his Post in 1890 to which office he was elected by acclamation.
He belongs to the Medical Association and to the Minnesota Medical
Association, to the Masonic Fraternity and to the Order of Redmen.
His ability, skill, learning and experience have given him a
large practice and many friends and adherents.
-
- From "Soldiers' and Citizens' Album of Biographical
Record Containing Personal Sketches of Army Men and Citizens
Prominent in Loyalty to the Union" by H.O. & M.A.W.
Brown. Chicago, Grand Army Pub., Co., (c)1890, pp. 812-813.
-
- Courtesy of a transcriber.
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