{⋆★⋆} MG Walker, John George

John George Walker​

Born: July 22, 1821

Birthplace: Jefferson City, Missouri

Father: John Walker 1772 – 1838

(Buried: Woodland – Old City Cemetery, Jefferson City, Missouri)​

Mother: Sarah "Sallie" Caffery 1781 – 1849

(Buried: Woodland – Old City Cemetery, Jefferson City, Missouri)​

Wife: Sophia Mary "Mammy" Baylor 1838 – 1931

(Buried: Mount Hebron Cemetery, Winchester, Virginia)​

Children:

Sophie Annie Walker 1859 – 1909​

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John George Walker 1860 – 1861​

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Grace Courtenay Walker 1862 – 1888​

(Buried: Mount Hebron Cemetery, Winchester, Virginia)​

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Alice Ashmore Walker Rogers 1864 – 1902​

(Buried: Mount Hebron Cemetery, Winchester, Virginia)​

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Frances Agnes Walker 1867 –​

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Louise T. Walker 1874 – 1950​

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Mary Lee Walker James 1876 – 1956​

(Buried: Mount Hebron Cemetery, Winchester, Virginia)​

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Lt. Philip Everett Meade Walker 1877 – 1936​

(Buried: Mount Hebron Cemetery, Winchester, Virginia)​

Education:

1844: Graduated from Washington University​

Occupation before War:

1846 –1851: 1st​ Lt. in United States Army, Mounted Rifles​

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1847: Wounded during Battle of Molino del Rey, Mexico​

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1851 – 1861: Captain in United States Army, Mounted Rifles​

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1861: Resigned from the United States Army in July of 1861​

Civil War Career:

1861: Lt. Colonel of 8th​ Texas Cavalry Regiment

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1861 – 1862: Served in the Department of North Carolina​

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1861 – 1862: Colonel of 8th​ Texas Cavalry Regiment​

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1862: Brigadier General of Confederate Army Infantry​

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1862: Brigade Commander during Peninsula Campaign, Virginia​

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1862: Wounded during the Battle of Malvern Hill, Virginia​

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1862: Brigade Commander during the Battle of South Mountain​

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1862: Brigade Commander during the Battle of Antietam, Maryland​

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1862 – 1865: Major General of Confederate States Army Infantry​

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Served in the Trans – Mississippi Confederate Department​

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Commander of Walker's Greyhounds​

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1864: Brigade Commander Battle of Mansfield, Louisiana​

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1864: Brigade Commander Battle of Jenkins Ferry, Arkansas​

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Commander of the Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana​

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Commander of the District of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona

Occupation after War:

Lived in Exile in Mexico for many years​

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United States Counsel in Bogota, Colombia​

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Special Commissioner to Pan – American Convention​

Died: July 21, 1893

Place of Death: Washington, D.C.

Cause of Death: Cerebral Hemorrhage, apoplexy, coma, paralysis

Age at time of Death: 71 years old

Burial Place: Stonewall Confederate Cemetery, Winchester, Virginia

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy Birthday Major General John George Walker! Salutes remembering General Walker on his birthday.

 

[Pollaco]

Actually he wasn't exiled for "many years" in Mexico, it was more like several months. One biography stated that the travelled to London in August of 1865 to join up with his wife.

 

[DixieRifles]

There really is such a word.

Indubitably.

 

[danny]

Actually he wasn't exiled for "many years" in Mexico, it was more like several months. One biography stated that the travelled to London in August of 1865 to join up with his wife.

5/24/65 Hempstead, Maj Gen Walker to Col S S Anderson, Hqs Dept TM-It is my painful duty to inform you that my Corps no longer has an existence, the men having disbanded & gone to their homes…
http://finding-aids.lib.unc.edu/00404/#folder_51#1

5/31/65 Houston-Gen J G Walker states: Rec'd 5/31, Houston, $700 secret service money

6/12/65 San Antonio-Gen Walker determined to leave earlier than planned for Mexico as he had found a group including Gen Preston, Col Luckett, Gen Bee & others had formed a party of 40 armed men. As the party was a pleasant one [including Bee?], he joined up with them. Forrest got sick & could not finish the trip.
Douglas French Forrest-Odyssey in Gray

6/27/65 Leaving Pedro's Negros on this date, we were joined by Gov Allen, Gov Moore, Col Dennis, Maj__Capt__Capt __ who travelled with us to Monterey. We were joined by Col Mitchell & Col Wood with their families…I met Preston, Walker, Bee & many others who were detained in Monterey from the dangers of travel on the Matamoras road…

7/28/65 Arrived Havana on the 28th​-ref to Maj Minter, Capt Beauregard … ref to Benjamin, Helm, & Breckinridge who left for South Hampton

Preston, Walker & Gov Moore arrived by the Vera Cruz steamers on the 7th​. Preston & Walker left for South Hampton on the next day

There, Walker joined his wife, sister-in-law and mother-in-law. While living in England, he wrote his history of the war in the Trans Miss and worked with other expatriates in Europe to promote Confederate settlement and mining in Venezuela and various business ventures. The Walkers returned to the US in 1868.
Walker's Texas Division by Richard Lowe

 

[Pollaco]

I'm a little curious about his wife's nickname "Mammy"(Sophia Baylor). Was she really that good running a household or was that meant to be sarcasm?

 

[Stone in the wall]

The Lost Order or Special Order No. 191 contains these words about General Walker ...."General Walker, with his division , after accomplishing the object in which he is now engaged , will cross the Potomac at Cheek's Ford, ascend its right bank to Lovettsville, take possession of Loudoun Heights, if practicable, by Friday morning , Key's Ford on his left, and the road between the end of the mountain and the Potomac on his right. He will, as far as practicable, co-operate with General McLaws and General Jackson in intercepting the retreat of the enemy". It also contained the following..."The commands of Generals Jackson, McLaws, and Walker , after accomplishing the objects for which they have been detached, will join the main body of the army at Boonsborough or Hagerstown".

When Walker reached Cheek's Ford he found the enemy there in force. He then determined to cross at Point of Rocks, crossing night of the 10th and into early morning. The 11th they camped as they had on the move for 2 days with almost no sleep or rest. The next day they reached Hillsborough and camped. Morning of the 13th they arrived at the foot of Loudon Heights. (Walker had made good time this was a Saturday.) The 27th NC and 13th Va took possession of the heights with out opposition. Next morning He placed Capt French with 3 Parrots and Lt M A Martin's 2 rifled pieces in position. Opening fire about 1pm. Silencing 7 guns in an 8 gun battery near Barbour Heights and causing a great commotion among the enemy. Due to a heavy mist could not open fire till 8am on the 15th. The enemy replying feebly at first and by 9am had ceased to return fire. At 9:30 Walker observed a white flag. Harpers Ferry Had surrendered.

That same evening Walker crossed the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah River and reaching Sharpsburg by day light on the 16th.

 

[Stone in the wall]

Walkers division (4,000 men) in defiance of gravity hauled 4 guns to the crest of Loudon Heights. When the bombardment commenced Walker's cannon caused more damage than any other Rebel position. Shortened version from NPS.

I've often wondered if Walker had had a guide, or someone who knew the area if he could have avoided pulling those heavy guns uphill. Certainly he had cavalry traveling with him. The 1st cavalry had companies from Jefferson and Loudon counties. As Keys Ford was to be on his left. From Hillsborough instead of taking the Harpers Ferry Road, he continue west (this is the same route Braddock took in 1775 crossing the Shenandoah at Keys Ford) to the top and backside of Loudon Heights and it's all down hill from there.