"William Nelson Hall"(April 28 1827-August 25-1904)

Was the first black person,in  Nova Scotian and third Canadian to receive the Victoria Cross.He receive the  medal for his actions in the Siege of Lucknow.Robert was born at Horton Bluff, Nova Scotian,in  1827as the son of Jacob and Lucy Hall,who had escaped American slave owners in Maryland and were brought to freedom in Nova Scotian by the British Royal Navy.The Halls first lived in Summerville,NS where Jacob worked in a shipyard operated by Abraham Cunard until they bought a farm across the Avon River at Horton Bluff.William first worked in shipyards at nearby  Hantsport,Nova Scotian,before going to sea at 17 he sailed first on merchant ships based out of the Minas Basin including the Braque Kent of Kentville,Nova Scotia.William briefly served in the United States Navy from 1847-1849.He served for a time aboard the USS Ohio alongside John Taylor Wood who later supported William US Navy pension claim.William volunteered for the the British Royal Navy in February 1852,serving at first aboard HMS Rodney.William fought in the Crimean War serving ashore in a naval brigade from Rodney at the battles of Inkerman and Sebastapol in 1854.When the Indian Mutiny broke out in may 1857,William was on HMS Shannon en route to China.She was intercepted and ordered to Calcutta (since renamed Kolkata). A Shannon Brigade was formed of several gunners,sailors,and marines,under Captain William Peel.The ship was towed over 600 miles up to the Ganges River to Allahabad.Then the force fought across country to Campbell's headquarters at Cawnpore and were in time to take part the Siege of Lucknow.On November 16 1857 at Lucknow,India naval guns were brought up close to the Shah Nujeff mosque,and the gun crews kept up a steady fire in an attempt to breach and clear walls,while a hail of musket balls grenades from mutineers inside the mosque caused heavy casualties. Able Seaman Hall and Lieutenant Thomas James Young,the battery's commander,were eventually the only survivors,all the rest having been killed or wounded,and between them they loaded and served the last gun.His citation reads: Lieutenant (now Commander)Young,late Gunnery Officer of her Majesty's ship "Shannon," and William Hall, Captain of the Foretop,"of that Vessel,were recommended by the late Captain peel for the Victoria Cross,for their gallant conduct at a 24-pounder gun,brought up to the angle of the Shah Nujeff,at Lucknow,on the 16th of November 1857.William remained with the navy,rising to the rating Petty Officer First Class in HMS Royal Adelaide when he retired in 1876.He returned to his home village in Horton Bluff where he ran a small farm until his death in 1904.