1st Lt. & Adjutant of the 30th/39th Arkansas Infantry Regimen, Killed in action at the Battle of Helena, Arkansas.
"William F. Rector was killed on top of the Federal breastworks at Helena, on the
4th of July, 1863, the first to reach the rampart; he fills a hero's grave." – John Hallum, History of Arkansas, 1887.
"Lieutenant William F. Rector, adjutant of the regiment, son of Governor Henry M. Rector, was killed while mounting the breastworks, waving his cap and cheering his men." – Fay Hempstead, A Pictorial History of Arkansas, 1890.
"… Surviving the withering fire, sweeping up the hill into the Federal works, they poured a destructive volley into the Union line. It was during this assault that a heroic and gallant action was taken by the adjutant of the 39th Arkansas Regiment. . . . As Lieutenant Rector – the first man on the enemy works – fell, the whole brigade rushed the fort with a while shout and drove the concealed enemy out of their rifle pits." – Josiah H. Shinn, Pioneers and Makers of Arkansas, 1908.
"Rector pushed rapidly forward during the battle and found himself alone, some fifty yards in advance of the regiment. Fearing that his men were about to falter under the excessive heat and the difficulties of the approach, Rector scaled the breastworks of the enemy, reached the top, within twenty feet of the opposing line, when he stopped, placed his cap upon his sword and held it out with his right hand, cheering his regiment and bidding them to come on. In this position his right arm was broken by a bullet from an enemy's rifle, and his cap and sword fell to the ground. With his left hand he picked up his sword, thrust it through his cap, again held it aloft and again cheered his men to action. A second bullet from the enemy struck him, passed entirely through his body piercing both lungs and inflicted a mortal wound. The regiment pressed forward and took the fort, but were soon compelled to abandon it, leaving Rector where he fell. …"
Valor in Gray: The Recipients of the Confederate Medal of Honor. 1996 by Gregg S. Clemer
"William F. Rector was killed on top of the Federal breastworks at Helena, on the
4th of July, 1863, the first to reach the rampart; he fills a hero's grave." – John Hallum, History of Arkansas, 1887.
"Lieutenant William F. Rector, adjutant of the regiment, son of Governor Henry M. Rector, was killed while mounting the breastworks, waving his cap and cheering his men." – Fay Hempstead, A Pictorial History of Arkansas, 1890.
"… Surviving the withering fire, sweeping up the hill into the Federal works, they poured a destructive volley into the Union line. It was during this assault that a heroic and gallant action was taken by the adjutant of the 39th Arkansas Regiment. . . . As Lieutenant Rector – the first man on the enemy works – fell, the whole brigade rushed the fort with a while shout and drove the concealed enemy out of their rifle pits." – Josiah H. Shinn, Pioneers and Makers of Arkansas, 1908.
"Rector pushed rapidly forward during the battle and found himself alone, some fifty yards in advance of the regiment. Fearing that his men were about to falter under the excessive heat and the difficulties of the approach, Rector scaled the breastworks of the enemy, reached the top, within twenty feet of the opposing line, when he stopped, placed his cap upon his sword and held it out with his right hand, cheering his regiment and bidding them to come on. In this position his right arm was broken by a bullet from an enemy's rifle, and his cap and sword fell to the ground. With his left hand he picked up his sword, thrust it through his cap, again held it aloft and again cheered his men to action. A second bullet from the enemy struck him, passed entirely through his body piercing both lungs and inflicted a mortal wound. The regiment pressed forward and took the fort, but were soon compelled to abandon it, leaving Rector where he fell. …"
Valor in Gray: The Recipients of the Confederate Medal of Honor. 1996 by Gregg S. Clemer
1st Lt. & Adjutant of the 30th/39th Arkansas Infantry Regimen, Killed in action at the Battle of Helena, Arkansas.
"William F. Rector was killed on top of the Federal breastworks at Helena, on the
4th of July, 1863, the first to reach the rampart; he fills a hero's grave." – John Hallum, History of Arkansas, 1887.
"Lieutenant William F. Rector, adjutant of the regiment, son of Governor Henry M. Rector, was killed while mounting the breastworks, waving his cap and cheering his men." – Fay Hempstead, A Pictorial History of Arkansas, 1890.
"… Surviving the withering fire, sweeping up the hill into the Federal works, they poured a destructive volley into the Union line. It was during this assault that a heroic and gallant action was taken by the adjutant of the 39th Arkansas Regiment. . . . As Lieutenant Rector – the first man on the enemy works – fell, the whole brigade rushed the fort with a while shout and drove the concealed enemy out of their rifle pits." – Josiah H. Shinn, Pioneers and Makers of Arkansas, 1908.
"Rector pushed rapidly forward during the battle and found himself alone, some fifty yards in advance of the regiment. Fearing that his men were about to falter under the excessive heat and the difficulties of the approach, Rector scaled the breastworks of the enemy, reached the top, within twenty feet of the opposing line, when he stopped, placed his cap upon his sword and held it out with his right hand, cheering his regiment and bidding them to come on. In this position his right arm was broken by a bullet from an enemy's rifle, and his cap and sword fell to the ground. With his left hand he picked up his sword, thrust it through his cap, again held it aloft and again cheered his men to action. A second bullet from the enemy struck him, passed entirely through his body piercing both lungs and inflicted a mortal wound. The regiment pressed forward and took the fort, but were soon compelled to abandon it, leaving Rector where he fell. …"
Valor in Gray: The Recipients of the Confederate Medal of Honor. 1996 by Gregg S. Clemer
"William F. Rector was killed on top of the Federal breastworks at Helena, on the
4th of July, 1863, the first to reach the rampart; he fills a hero's grave." – John Hallum, History of Arkansas, 1887.
"Lieutenant William F. Rector, adjutant of the regiment, son of Governor Henry M. Rector, was killed while mounting the breastworks, waving his cap and cheering his men." – Fay Hempstead, A Pictorial History of Arkansas, 1890.
"… Surviving the withering fire, sweeping up the hill into the Federal works, they poured a destructive volley into the Union line. It was during this assault that a heroic and gallant action was taken by the adjutant of the 39th Arkansas Regiment. . . . As Lieutenant Rector – the first man on the enemy works – fell, the whole brigade rushed the fort with a while shout and drove the concealed enemy out of their rifle pits." – Josiah H. Shinn, Pioneers and Makers of Arkansas, 1908.
"Rector pushed rapidly forward during the battle and found himself alone, some fifty yards in advance of the regiment. Fearing that his men were about to falter under the excessive heat and the difficulties of the approach, Rector scaled the breastworks of the enemy, reached the top, within twenty feet of the opposing line, when he stopped, placed his cap upon his sword and held it out with his right hand, cheering his regiment and bidding them to come on. In this position his right arm was broken by a bullet from an enemy's rifle, and his cap and sword fell to the ground. With his left hand he picked up his sword, thrust it through his cap, again held it aloft and again cheered his men to action. A second bullet from the enemy struck him, passed entirely through his body piercing both lungs and inflicted a mortal wound. The regiment pressed forward and took the fort, but were soon compelled to abandon it, leaving Rector where he fell. …"
Valor in Gray: The Recipients of the Confederate Medal of Honor. 1996 by Gregg S. Clemer
Gravesite Details
Son of Governor Henry M. and Elizabeth Field Rector. He died at the Battle of Helena, Arkansas
