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Joanie Jackson read the following speech at the marker dedication:

Maj. David F. Boyd of the 9th Louisiana Infantry of the Confederate States said, “He who feels no pride in his ancestors is unworthy to be remembered by his descendants.”

Mr. William D. Winston, known to his family as “Doc” was born in October 1844 in Tennessee. He enlisted on Oct. 1, 1862, as a private in Company F of the 4th Alabama Cavalry. The 4th Alabama saw military action in the battles of Lexington, Trenton, Jackson, Parker’s Cross Roads and Chickamauga, with later involvement in the Knoxville and Atlanta campaigns.

Soldier Winston was captured as a prisoner of war at Huntsville, Ala., on Jan. 2, 1865, and was sent from Nashville, Tenn., to Louisville, Ky., on Jan. 15, 1865. From

Louisville, he was sent on to Camp Chase in Columbus, Ohio. After signing an oath to the government of the

United States on March 10, 1865, he was released on May 5, 1865.

On his oath, Mr. Winston is described as having “fair complexion, light hair, was 5 feet 6 inches tall, and had brown eyes.”

He came home and married Mary Ballinger on June

22, 1884, in Dade County, Georgia. I am told by his great niece, Christie Ballinger, that he and Mary raised Mary’s four brothers whose parents had died, one of which was Christie’s grandfather, Roy Ballinger.

Mr. Winston filed for a war pension in September

1902 when he was 58 years old and had “rheumatism, neuralgia, was feeble, and unable to work.” Apparently he was not awarded the pension because he had to file again in January of 1907. He died on Nov. 29, 1910.

His widow filed in Walker County, Georgia for a “Pension Due Deceased Soldier” of $60 on Jan. 25, 1911.

Mr. Winston must have been a well-liked and respected man in the community as attributed to the affidavits signed for his pension filing.

Today, we honor Mr. Winston’s service to the Confederacy and place a military headstone at his grave. A grave that was so long marked by a fieldstone with his name, date of birth and death scratched on it. Also marking the graves of Mr. Winston and his wife are handmade wooden crosses, made by Christie Ballinger when she was around 9 years old.

Thank you to Mr. Winston and all the veterans buried here at Estelle and across the United States for their service and sacrifice. We have not forgotten you.