The "Hallman Family" has one of its very own Confederate War stories. Sometime early in 1865, as Union Forces under General William Sherman were sweeping though the South, Sherman's soldiers swept through Gilbert, South Carolina and the surrounding area. Union troops looted and burned homes, taking whatever they wanted from the local women and children while their husbands, brothers and fathers of these homesteads were away at war. The families that were left behind didn't have anyone to defend them and had to contend with the terror that was brought down upon them by these savage Union forces. The Hallman family's Grandfather and Grandmother's property also fell victim to the massive destruction and devastation Yankee troops brought to the helpless home and land owners throughout the south.

When these troops arrived at the home of Davis and Elizabeth Hallman they demanded that Grandmother Hallman give them all of her valuables (money, silver, gold, heirlooms and anything else of value). She told Sherman's soldiers that she didn't have any valuables but they would not take her word for this and badgered her over an extended period of time, demanding to know where she had hidden here money and valuables. After a very long period of time making their threats without producing the results they had expected, the troops left, swearing to return later in another attempt to find her valuables.

Several days earlier, before the Union troops had arrived, Grandmother Hallman had hidden all of the Hallman Family's money, silver, gold and family valuables some distance away from the house. She had also driven all their livestock deep into the woods or way back into fields far away from their home in an attempt to keep Union troops from getting their livestock as well. Grandmother Hallman, as well as other families in the Gilbert area had learned from news carriers several months earlier that Sherman's troops were brutal men who did whatever they desired in there uncontrolled raids throughout the South. Knowing this, Grandmother Hallman planned her defense accordingly. While making her plans, she had confided in a neighbor friend who lived a short distance away, where she had hidden the family valuables. She did this in case something happened to her before her husband returned from fighting in the Civil War, someone would know where to direct him to recover these valuables. From all indications, the Union raiders only attacked residences of families who, from outward appearances, were the wealthiest families as they swept through the south. This is not to say that the Hallman homestead wasn't a nice home because it was according to the measure of wealth at that time. Their home was a wide house with a breeze way hall separating the living area from, what I can discern, was a large storage area for food items such as wheat, corn and canned (jarred) food for the family. There was also an area for storing food for hogs, cattle and chickens as well.

It seems that this neighbor that Grandmother Hallman had confided in, was terrorized by the same Yankee soldiers that had threatened Grandmother Hallman, with threats that they were going to burn down her home if she didn't tell them were the Hallman Family had hidden their valuables. The story goes that this neighbor woman, out of fear of her home being burned if she didn't tell, eventually submitted to the raiders' threats and gave them the location of where Grandmother Hallman had hidden the family valuables.

The same Union raiders who had earlier visited Grandmother Hallman's home returned and this time, with a vengeance. They located the valuables, taking all of them, and in an attempt to send a message to other southern families who were not cooperating with Sherman's forces, they set fire to the homestead and burnt it to the ground. Union forces did not physically harm Grandmother Hallman but in addition to the terrible financial loss of all family valuables and the burning of the Hallman homestead, the terror she and other family members were subjected to that day will never be forgotten by her ancestors.

When the war ended Grandfather Davis Hallman returned home to find their home completely destroyed. Our Grandparents, and I feel sure with the help of their neighbors, rebuilt their house on the same house plan that was described earlier. Today, although the home is not livable, it still stands on that same spot where the original homestead was burned by Union troops.

Before modern day cemeteries were developed, family members were often times buried on land they owned that was the tradition within the Hallman family. Less than a hundred yards from the Hallman home is the gravesite for Grandparents, Elizabeth Carolyn and Davis Hallman. Grandfather Hallman's grave is remarkable because of the large granite headstone and marker depicting him being a Confederate War Veteran. Continuing to this day, on the headstone there is worn but beautiful Confederate Flag waving in the soft country breeze, as if to say "Peace at Last".

It is with great honor and a privilege that I carry the same name as my Grandfather, Davis Hallman.

With Never Ending Love For My Family, I Dedicate This Brief Memory Of History To My Lovely and Caring Wife, Linda Caroline Gonzalez Hallman, Our Two Children Deborah Caroline Hallman Daniels and Matthew James Hallman, As Well As Their Immediate Family Members,

I am now and always will be, deeply grateful for my heritage.