The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-08-13
rForthe Dispa,ch.l
Another Chapter I'm the Military he
- cnrts or general James A. walker.


cord OF general James A. Walker.
Tn the sketch 81 General Walker IN this
mornina,s Dispatch there~are,- several lnn
portant omissions which I beg leave 70
supply a, a., ,.;on ~
Harper's Ferry, in June, 1861; captain
Walker, was made Lleutcnant-Colohei!a anu
assigned not to, the Stonewall brigade put 70
the Thirteenth Virginia regiment. Wmcn
then belonged to the old "Fourth DT1gaGc,
commanded by Colonel (afterWaros uen-
eral Arnold Elzey. A: =: Hal was ,; gu.
Colonel. j. E. B., Terril was OUT Ma!o..
The companies were all Original Volun.e ~.
splenddly, differed, and IL Is saIe 70 ssy 'nrs
never was there o nobler body Q! fhen nloiS :
sniendidIy led to a more brilliant career
than that same old, Thirteenth Virginia
regiment. e.i -aH, -, ~ w. - com. INC, AMONG
us, q stranger, but by his r1gid aisc,PIa,
marked skill, heroic. courage, anu klhu'!
T devotion to the interests OF his men, ne
COON won a. place in their anectlons "hlcn
time only served to intensity. 900,
When in the early spring OF 1862 "A: L:
Hill was promoted and entered upon that
cn,endid career which terminated on that
LAST sad day when his lines were broken az
Petersburr, Walker was at once made COLO
neI or the regiment, and led 1t through
Jacl;son's splendid Valley campaign, the
battles around Richmond, and the second
Manassas campaign BY the way, Colohtl
Walker first originated $50 far as nave peeh
able to ascertain) the sobrtqtet "foot-cav-
alrv," which was afterwards apphea 10 the
whole OF Jackson's command.
In the autumn OF 1861 "Jeb : Stuart haa
led the Thirteenth in q number OF rapid
marches and brilliant affairs on the out
nosts-sucb MS "Niason's Hill," "Nunson's
Hill. y. =" LewensyiIie," &c.-and the men
had sometimes complained little that they
were required to make caualry marches on
foot. But the successes gained, the c0mpll-
ments which Stuart bestowed upon them, and
finally his application to the War Depart
ment that the regiment be changed into cav
airy and assigned to his command, silenccd
eyery murmlr, and made the men enthuSl-
astic over this outpost duty. IL
After the evacuation OF Manassas, Walker
had been: for some days holding the advance
at Bealeton with his regiment, when one
dav Mcclellan came up in heavy force just
"a another infantry regiment had disem-
barked from train OF cars to relieve the
Thirteenth. We boarded the train Us or
dered, "Jeb." Stuart and his cavalry adj
yaneed to skirmlsh with the enemy, and Just
as our train moved back the lenemYs she'll
began to fall unpleasantly near, and Walker
called out in his clear, ringing tones. 1T Is
all right, boys. the Thirteenth Foot Cavalry
is mounted at last" 1t was, believe, the
origin OF the Sobri1uet which has made
"Jachson's Foot Gavalry''I as famous as
Napoleon's Old Guard. - .~...
In the campaign OF 1862 Walker was almost
always detailed to advance his regiment az
skirmishers, and he won reputation for
himself and his men second to none other
in the army. Us .lt} .,s..
General Ewell said OF the old Thirteenth
during this campaign: sit is the only regl-
ment I ever saw which nercr fails" Gem
eral Jeb. Stuart characterized it as g the
regiment which alpays does exactly what
tell thein." General Early said "thcy can
do more hard fighting and be in better
plight afterwards than any, men / ever
saw" And after the war, when the writer
alluded to the old Thirteenth one day in a
conversation with General r. Flee, the
old hero at once replied, eyes! that was
4. p. HIPS, and J. a. Walkers, and j. T..
Is. Terrilis regiment, and it was 4 splendid
regiment, sir-one of the very best in our
service, .....,'. III ..-.., ....,. .,. -.
Colonel Walker'a and the Thirteenth were
highly complimcnted in the official reports,
and there can be but little. doubt that they
saved the day both at Gaines's Mill and at
Cedar tSlaughter's Mountain. 80.
at Sharpsburg Colonel Walker was de-
tailed to command Trimble's brigade, which
he did with distinguished ability and from
Sharpsburg, to the spring of 1868 General
Early commanded the division and Colonel
Walker the old Fourth brigade.
Just after Charlottesville hereceiycd the
promotion which be. had so CALAMITY won,
and was assigned to the command OF the
Stonewall'' brigade, which he bravely led
until its organization pershed at Spotsyl-
vania Courthouse and he was terribly
wounded. He returned to the army to
command Early,s old division, which he led
to AppomattoX Courthouse. / am not sure
that his commission as Maior-General was
ever actually issued, but he won 1t farlg'
and would have received 1t had the war
lasted little longer. ..!' a. -
General Walker was certainly one OF the
coolest, bravest, :ibiest soldiers with whom
I ever came in contact, and possessed won
derful magnetic power over ms men. Ills
voice, clear as trumpet's call, coulu De
heard above the roar OF the oattle, Wmie
his towering form could always be seen In
the very thickest OF the fight. 49,.
Stern in the discharge Of duty-gentle
and kind in his sympathies-true to his
section and to his state-Janies A. Walker
is a born leader OF men,, and every way
worthy Of the confidence and support OF
With the "empty sleeves OF the gallant
Holiday; the clarion voice OF Walker, and
the polished oratory Of Daniel to lead the
Conseryativeforce, we are certain OF victory,
and (what is better Of. able, honest, incor-
Eruptible officers. . .,..,',.- ..l' =,