{⋆★⋆} BG Walker, Leroy Pope

Leroy Pope Walker​

Born: February 7, 1817

Birthplace: Huntsville, Alabama

Father: John Williams Walker 1783 – 1823

(Buried: Maple Hill Cemetery, Huntsville, Alabama)​

Mother: Matilda Pope 1791 – 1835

(Buried: Church Street Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama)​

Wife:__________________ Hopkins

Wife: Eliza Dickson Pickett 1832 – 1885

(Buried: Maple Hill Cemetery, Huntsville, Alabama)​

Children:

Clifton Walker​

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John Percy Walker​

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Matilda Pope Walker 1851 –​

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Eliza Pickett Walker 1853 – 1854​

(Buried: Maple Hill Cemetery, Huntsville, Alabama)

​

Dr. Leroy Pope Walker Jr. 1855 – 1941​

(Buried: Maple Hill Cemetery, Huntsville, Alabama)​

Education:

1833 – 1835: Attended University of Alabama​

​

Attended University of Virginia​

Occupation before War:

Attorney in Huntsville, Alabama​

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Alabama State Representative​

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1848: President of Alabama State Democratic Convention​

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1850 – 1851: Delegate to Nashville Convention​

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1856: Democratic Party Presidential Elector​

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1860: Delegate to Democratic Party National Convention​

Civil War Service:

1861: Confederate States Secretary of War​

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1861 – 1862: Brigadier General of Confederate Army Infantry​

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1861 – 1862: Garrison Commander at Mobile & Montgomery, Alabama​

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1864 – 1865: Colonel of Confederate Military Court​

Occupation during and after War:

Counsel for Alabama Unionists charged with Treason​

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Attorney in Huntsville, Alabama​

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1875: President of Alabama State Constitution Convention​

​

1883: Defense Lawyer for Frank James​

Died: August 22, 1884

Place of Death: Huntsville, Alabama

Age at time of Death: 67 years old

Burial Place: Maple Hill Cemetery, Huntsville, Alabama

 

[Pollaco]

I forget which book I've seen it in but Walker was called "cadaverous".

 

[Pollaco]

Both careers as Sec.of War and brigadier general were short lived. He was a cabinet member from Feb. 21, 1861 to Sept. 16, 1861. Then he was a brigadier from only Sept. 28, 1861 to March 31, 1862 when He resigned due to disgust over not getting a more active command. He was then commissioned a colonel on April 6, 1864. What did she do for those 2 years in between?

 

[Pollaco]

Brother to Richard W. Walker the Alabama Supreme Court member (later Senator) who administered the oath of office to Jefferson Davis.

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy Birthday Secretary of War/Brig. General Leroy P. Walker! Salutes remembering General Walker on his birthday.

 

[Pollaco]

Secretary of War Walker sent a telegram to Gen. Beauregard just before the Bombardment of Fort Sumter. Beauregard was to back down if Anderson should surrender. But the telegram also contained this sentence "reduce the fort as your judgement decides to be most practicable."

 

[Pollaco]

In July of 1861 Secretary Walker told President Davis that there were applications on file to join the Army in his office and "that if arms were only furnished no less than 200,000 additional volunteers for the war would be found in our ranks in less than two months."

 

[Pollaco]

Secretary of War Walker sent a telegram to Gen. Beauregard just before the Bombardment of Fort Sumter. Beauregard was to back down if Anderson should surrender. But the telegram also contained this sentence "reduce the fort as your judgement decides to be most practicable."

The story is that the telegram was signed by Walker but composed by Davis.

 

[Pollaco]

He resigned as Sec.of War on September 16, 1861 and was commissioned a brigadier the following day, September 17, 1861.

 

[Lyle Smith]

I forget which book I've seen it in but Walker was called "cadaverous".

I suspect that might have been directed at Alexander Stephens.

 

[USS ALASKA]

Anniversary Bump

Promotion

17 Sept 1861

Leroy Pope Walker was promoted Brigadier-General PACS 17 September 1861.

Davis's first Secretary of War was Leroy Pope Walker of Alabama. Walker had no formal military experience or training yet held a commission as brigadier general in the Alabama militia. More importantly, Walker had served as Chairman of the Alabama Delegation to the Charleston Democratic convention, was a secessionist, and was very popular in his state. Davis was working in a time constrained environment, and the pressure to organize a new government was monumental. Forging the states into a new nation, mobilizing the military forces and preparing for potential war were tremendous tasks, and time was fleeting. His need to build a national government inclusive of representatives from every state was, in many ways, an acknowledgement of how hard was the task ahead of him. Walker appeared to be a popular choice and, without proper military experience, would willingly carry out Davis's direction. Davis himself had served successfully as Secretary of War for Franklin Pierce, so he knew what the right person with authority could do in the position. Instead he chose as his Secretary of War, Walker, to whom he delegated no authority and who sought none. Davis must have understood the importance of this position and its bearing on the outcome of the war, yet he intentionally did not accord it proper authority.

Walker's lackluster performance in the initial days and weeks of his appointment stemmed from his personal belief that there would be no war. He famously remarked that "he would wipe up with his pocket handkerchief any blood that eventually might be spilled over secession."6 By the time he finally realized war would come, he sprang into action with much energy but still proved inadequate to the task. He had not developed relationships with the state governors, who were uneasy about committing state troops to the new Confederate Army. The absence of a grand strategy or consensus regarding the deployment of forces was far outside his grasp. This indecisiveness led to continuous controversy with states over who had the authority to deploy troops. Ultimately Congress, frustrated by overwhelming confusion and disorganization spewing from the War Department, set its sights on Walker. Despite the success of the Confederate Army at First Manassas in July of 1861, Walker's time was up. On September 1st a clerk in the Confederate War Department recorded that the "press and congressional critics are opening their batteries on the Secretary of War, for incompetency."7 Within the week Walker resigned, and by mid month he accepted a commission as Brigadier General in the Confederate Army. Assigned to duty in Alabama, he served barely half a year before resigning from the Army, also. His appointment as Secretary of War lasted less than a year, but the slow start in organizing the military would have lasting negative effect. Worse, the lesson to be learned was wasted on Davis. Despite the significance of the post he again filled it with an accomplished but unqualified subordinate who did not push to broaden the scope of responsibility in the office, thereby wresting authority away from the President.

Above two paragraphs excerpted from Strategic Leadership, Southern Style: Civilian Statesmen in the Confederacy's War by Colonel Bryan E. Denny, United States Army. Distribution A: Approved for Public Release. Distribution is Unlimited.

https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA589311.pdf

Cheers,
USS ALASKA