Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-08-21
SPECTATOR AND GENERAL ADVERTISER
From the Richmond Dispatch.]
Another Chapter in the Military Record
of General James A. Walker.

[From the Richmond Dispatch.l
Another Chapter in the Military Record
of General James A. Walker.
just about the time of the evacuation
of Harper's Ferry, in June, 1861, Cap
tain Walker was made Lieutenant-Col-
onel and assigned not to the Stonewall
Brigade but to the Thirteenth Virginia
Regiment, which then belonged to the
old Fourth Brigade" commanded by
Colonel afterwards GeneraI Arnold
Elzey. A. p. Hill was our Colonel. J.
E. B. Terrell was our Major. The COM
panies were all original volunteers,
splendidly differed, and it is safe to say
that never was there a nobler body of
men more splendidly led to a more
brilliant career than that same old Thir-
tenth Virginia regiment.
Lieutenant Colonel Walker came
among us stranger, but by his rigid
discipline, marked skill, heroic courage,
and kindly devotion to the interests Of
his men, he soon won place in their
affections which time only served to in
tensify.
When in the early spring of 1862, A.
+. Hill was promoted and entered upon
that splendid career which terminated
on that last sad day when his lines were
broken at Petersburg, Walker was at
once made Colonel of the regiment, and
led it through Jackson's splendid VAL
ley campaign, the battles around Rich
mond, and the second Manassas cam
paign. By the way, Colonel Walker
first originated $50 far as have been
able to ascertain) the sobriQuet foot
~ hi i
to the whole of Jackson's command.
In the autumn of 1851 "Jeb" Stuart
had led the Thirteenth in a number of
rapid marches and brilliant affairs on
the Out-pOsts-such as Mason's Hill"
"Munson's Hill ,""Lewensville," Sc
and the men had sometimes complained
little that they were required to make
c0valey marches on foot. But the sue
cesses gained, the compliments which
Stuart bestowed upon them, and finally
his application to the War Department.
that the regiment be changed into cav
airy and assigned to his command, 81 .
fenced every murn4ur, and made the
men enthusiastic over this outpost duty.
After the evacuation of Manassas,
| Walker had been for some days holding
the advance at Bealeton with his regi-
ment, when one day Mcclellan came up
in heavy force just as another infantry
regiment had disembarked from train
of cars to relieve the Thirteenth. We
boarded the train as ordered" Jeb" Stu
art and his cavalry advanced to Skin
mish with the enemy, and just as our
train moved back the enemy's shell be-
gan to fall unpleasantly near, and
Walker called out in his clear, ringing
tones, "It is all right, boys, the Ihir-
teeaath Foot Cavalry is mounted at last"
It was, I believe, the origin of the sobri-
quet which has made "Jdcksoaa's Foo,
Cavalry" as famous as Napoleon's Old
Guard.
In the campaign of 1862 Walker was
almost always detailed to advance his
regiment as skirmishers, and he won a
reputation for himself and his men see
ond to none other in the army.
General Ewell said of the old Thir-
tenth during this campaign: "It is
the only regiment I ever saw which
aaever falls" General Jeb. Stuart char
acterized it as "the regiment which al
aOdys does exactly what I tell them."-
General Early said "they can do mere
hard fighting and be in better plight af
forwards than any men I ever saw."-
And after the war, when the writer al
luded to the old Thirteenth one day in
conversation with General r. e. Lee
the old hero at once replied, eyes tina
was A. P. Hill's, and J. A. Walkers
and J. E. B. Terrill's regiment, and il
was splendid regiment, sir-one of the
very best in our service.''
Colonel Walker and the Thirteenth
were highly complimented in the off
cial reports, and there can be but littl,
doubt that they saved the day at Gaines
Mill and at Cedar (Slaughter's) Noun
tain.
At Sharpsburg, Colonel Walker wa
detailed to command Trimble's brigade
which he did with distinguished ability
and from Sharpsburg to the spring o
; 1858 General EARLY commanded the di
vision and Colonel Walker the ole
, Fourth brigade.
Just after Charlottesville he received
the promotion which he had so gallant
ly won, and was assigned to the com
mand of the "Stonewall" brigade, which
he bravely led until its organization per
} ished at Spottsylvania Courthouse ant
he was terribly wounded. He returned
to the army to command Early's old di
vision, which he led to Appomatto1
j Courthouse. I am not sure that hi!
commission as Major General was eve
actually issued, but he won it fairly an,
would have received it had the war last
ed little longer.
General Walker was certainly one O
the coolest, bravest, ablest soldiers will
whom [ ever came in contact, and pos
sessed wonderful magnetic power owe
his men. His voice, clear as trumpet
call, could be heard above the roar Of tn
battle, while his towering form could al
ways be seen in the very thickest of tn
fight.
i Stern in the discharge of duty-gentl
and kind in his sympathetic to hi
section and to his State-James A
Walker is born leader of men, and ev
cry way worthy Of the confidence ant
support of Virginia.
\ With the "empty sleeve" of the gal
liant Holiday, the clarion voice Q
Walker, and the polished oratory Q
Daniel to lead the Conservative force
we are certain of victory, and {what i
} better of able, honest, incorruptible OF
!, ficers,
, OLD THIRTEENTH VIRGINIA.