Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-01-16
biographical, Sketch OF Gen. Walker.

\
Tennessee. and belongs H. an old, respectable
and wealthy family. His father intended that he
should adopt the legal profession. and he receiv
ed classical education. He eviuoed dislike
for the study Of the law--his mind tending to
wards historical lore. chemistry, mineralogy and
kindred sciences. At an early age he made the
tour If Europe. and finished his education ut one
Of the German Universities; here he learned to
write aud speak the French German Spanish
aud Italian languages. He read with avidity all
books of travel. and his mind was continually
upon dreams Of adventure in new countries. Be-
ing pressed to chonsea profession, he adopted
that of medicine, and studied two years in Pa
rls.
But our hero preferred the sword to the seal
pei aud refused to write M. D." after his name.
lie returned IN America. and 1919 bccume con-
nectrl with the New Orleans Crescent, of which
he was part proprietor. lie assumed the editorial
nagpmen Of thai jnurnal. and entered warmly
into the schemes for the Liberation Of Cuba But
they all failed aud the Crescent waned rapidly.
Mr Walker made his hegirn from New Orleans
| in l549 so and turned his face toward the new
II Dorado
In San Francisco he became connected with
| the Herald then just established there by Mr..
John Nugent. graduate of the New York Her
aid office. After this he went to Marysvillc, and
engaged in the practice of the law-having been
! admitted to the har of Louisiana previous to his
going to California. Iii, popularity. ability and
large acquan,o specially with western and
southern people-gav him a lucrative practice.
! but his mind turned upon other things.
| In 1883 he began 10 think about his Sonora
| expedition. Santa Anna WAS then in the flush of
| his power, aud turning his steps towards an
! imperial throne The people "f Sonora de-pised
] Santa Anna, aud were IN open rebellion agnin-t
1 his nLthprty. rhehou-e IT Gauana. which IL
! the Oldest and wralihir-i family in Sonora, and
! which hn- ruled that State Tor many vcnr-, had
! gotten up armed opposition to santa Annals
| government mud invited Mr.. Walker In DIN them
with hi. friends. they offered him large grants
! of land. if he would assist them in establishing
! republican government. In 1854 Walker organ
! ized hs expedition aud snilcd lr"ln San Francis
! ca. They were Ia 90 first tn the Gulf of Guay
lnn-. bat through th. treachery of Gnunnn. did
not succeed in 80 doing, and fortified Themselves
at the Encana,a. The expedition remained here
/ three four months. the members being all per-
! sonal friend of tn, COMMANDER and resolved I"
.nnd by him /" The last His Mexican friends.
! howcvr, did not keep their promises, and the at
/ fnir WIS a laillrr. Mr.. Walker ,eat II retreat to
/ San Frunri~cp. wher, he was arrested and tried
! b, fore the United States Circuit Caurt. for ale
gpa violation of the neutrality laws. He d"fcn
1 did biz own with great abiity, aud WAS nc
Quilted. He settled the principle of law for thnt
! count aud it. decision is now precedent On the
/ hunks.
/ Mr. Walker now engaged in politics. which
were running very high and was delegate to
the Drnncrniic State Convention Of 1851. vixen
the Democratic party spit. Hr edited the Sacra'
| menta State Journal.
! At about this time he rend Mr. Sqnire,' pleas
I'm, book ahont Nicaragua, and became at once
! in lovo with the country. He aware that
there wa. civil wax gning an. aud talked with
| ,ne Of his friends to the praciicahilty
If assisting the Democratic party. Soon
after Mr.. Byron Cole left San Francisco
! to travel through Honduras "a the agent ot
the Mining and the Trading Company, aud Mr..
Walker Obtained through him exact report as
to the state ofahairs in Nicaragua. Mr.. Cole
having finished his business in Honduras. went
with Colonel Wells. of San Fanci-co. to Nicara-
qua. from whence they transmitted To Mr.. Wal
ker an accurate account If the political affairs OF
thu country. The leading members the Chnmor
party urged Mr.. Cole I" retnrn t" San Fran
CISCO. aud bring Mr.. Walker down. and II com
mission N General was sent 10 him with grant
Of fifty eight thou and acres 1T land. Mr.. Parker
| ii. French also concerned IN tins matter.
Mr.. Walker accepted the commission, aud be.
! ing a General proceeded 10 raise his army. which
numbered sixty five picked men. all his personal
! friends. His second in command was Colnnel {.
! c. Horribly, u tried soldier, fexnn,who had ser
we'd with distinction in the Mexican war Most OF
the men paid their own expenses. Those wh" were
too poor tn do 81 fitted "utby General Wal
ker
The brig Vesta was chartered. and the little
band Of liberators set sail from San Franciso in
May nf this y.nr y" effort made by the
! Unted States authorities to deiain her. TIL" brig
arrived at Real.jo in June, and was received with
open arms by the people. In his first action with
the ari>tocratic troops. he had forty five men
against six hundred; this forty five mru killed "ne
hundred aud eleven of the enemy and then retr9a-
ted. We ght doubt this story, were it not re
ported by the party opposed to Walker His op
erations were delayed tor time by the jealousy
of rival. Cen Murnz (-ince dead. but he finally
| succeeded. : readers are well aware, IN pos
| sc>>iug all the principal places in the republic.
| and in debating terms nf peace with the nrl>tn-
| cratic party. Gen. Walker retained his position
at the brad Of the army, but received no other
cnolument reward, neither did he ask my for
him-clfnr hi friends. Daring his whole canpnicn
his men behaved WE'LL and even their enemies
could charge act If violence against them
their commander.
! When the news of General Walker campaigns
reached the United States, his personal friends,
many of wlm are conservatives. expressed much
! surprise. They thought it singular that mild
hammered, refined high educated. soft spoken
| gentleman. could have shown sa mach desperate
| valor. In person Gen Walker is quite the reverse
! of ones i,lea uf of war. He about five
feet 1--WE inches in height and weighs about Que
| hundred Bnd frty pounds! His face is not hand
-o,n.: his eyes light blue, aud his skin diSfgured
| Ivy freckl"s. He speaks slow aud soft, and at
rare intervals. prefrrrng to be II listener rather
than talker. He is man I'VE are told these
things by persons entirely DISCONNECTED
with his sch"m"s-of profound eruditon. of
irrepr"actuble character. of the most desperate
courage. physical and moral without n faint of
avarice in his composition. and with no small
| vices