William W. ``Billy'' Houston , son of Mary Emmaline Watlington and Wilson Houston, had an uncle, Sterling M. Watlington , serving with Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest's troops in West Tennessee and North Mississippi. Their unit was K Company, 18th Cavalry. At sixteen years of age, in 1864, he joined the same company as his uncle under a false name and age because he did not have the consent of his mother and step-father. He enlisted as Tommy Campbell, and served until the end of the war in May 1865.
One of the stories about him is that he was so young that his Uncle Sterlie and other older soldiers assigned him to care for the horses when the company dismounted to engage in combat, as was their custom. Some soldiers had to care for the horses behind the lines, but nearby. Billy always complained because he didn't get to kill any Yankees while he was taking care of the horses. In fact, care of the horses was a critically dangerous job, and very important. The Yankees tried to frighten and stampede the horses so they could catch them for themselves, and leave the Confederates on foot.
Billy Houston was an older first cousin of my grandfather, Michael Roberts Watlington , and one of his childhood heroes. Their families were close friends in later years. Billy married Mary H. McHaney whose family had large holdings of land on Bear Creek at the railroad. In later years Billy Houston ran a general merchandise store in Pinson. Mack Rob Watlington rented his land in some years, and other years from his in-laws, the McHaney family.
Among Mack Rob Watlingtons favorite cousins were Mack Harvey Watlington at Jack's Creek, Billy Houston at Pinson, and Obediah F. Watlington at Big Springs. They were ``brother-cousins'' because he had shared bed and board with them so often. Billie Houston actually lived and worked with Michael C. and Fredonia's family much of the time from when he got out of the Army in May 1865 until he married in May 1873. This included the two year excursion into Texas and Arkansas with the family. See more in Mack Rob Watlington's story.