Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-02

4 Short Sketch of a Prominent OieiA0"'
Col. Robert d. Walker and wife will
leave to-day for sparta. to attend the Gel
ebration of the golden wedding of Bishop
George T. Pierce, OF the Methodist Epls-
conaI Church. of which denomination
Is also prominent and venerable men,
Der. Col. Walker is a native OF Charles
ton. :. c.. and was born October 13, 1919,
and is consequently in his list year,
though those who know him best would
scarcely suppose him to be within a dozen
Years of three score and ten. He will also
shortly celebrate his golden wedding, ana
Will or that occasion make as good
showing Of descendants as that oil MS
friend. the Bishop: his family comprising
II children. . grandchildren, and great
grandchildren.
Resides the ms and downs usually in
cidant TO human life Col. Walker has had
several narrow escapes from DEAN. re
ms one Of the few survivors OF the III
f,fad steamer Pulaski. which was DuIheu
at sea June II. 1888, on her voyage lIOIl
Savannah to Baltimore. and was nEe udy
| at sea on a raft. consisting 81 tIie III " ar
| deck of the vessel, without Ioou u =
| The story Of that terrible Calamity Is
| one or most heartrending IN the
history of shipwrecks. In 1860,
while returning TO Savannah from
tho dfsbanded army of the Confederacy,
Col. Walker took passage al Augusta on
the steamer Amazon. IhIS Nessel was
snagged, and her passengers were trans
fcrred to the steamer Governor iFoup.
Five hours afterwards that vessel TOOK
fire NIanv nersons were burned to death
or drowned. and Col. Walker escaped,
tbouob severely burned about the arms
ana face. and was confined to his room for
several weeks from his injuries. me Coio-
mel was also an officer in one OF the COM
| panies organized early in the war, known
| as the Pulaski Guards, and was afterwards
a IieutenantOftheWas hington olunteers'
| a company Of the First Volunteer Eegl-
mant of Georgia. He was promoted from
| thar positi0n to that of Captain and Com
missarv ofthe Regiment and was with 1t at
| the battle of Fort Pulaski and with ITS
| garrison was carried a prisoner to the
| North. IN.
| CoI. Walker thinks that the name "Pu-
| laski' is an unfortunate one Tor hlul'
| though he has successfully managed Two
| loan associations of that name. The Col
onel came to Savannah in 1876, and was
/ elected a member of the Board oil Alder
| men in 1919. He is the only survivor OF
| the members and officers of Council
! who served that wear. He was an Alder
man for eight terms, City Assessor Tor
twentv-six years. and has been County
| Commissioner for eleven years, and is now
| chairman of the commission. He was
! Colonel of the FIRST Regiment Of Georgia
Militia i'm ante belmm days. To repre-
sentative of the MORNING NEWS. to
| whom he was talking yesterday, (who
quietly iOtted down these notes concern
/ ing the life of one of Sayannah's most es-
! teemed citizens without his knowing that
they would be printed, the Colonel, in
reply to the question as to how be man
! aged to retain his youthful spirits and
| good health. said he always "liyed for the
! dav. and neither borrowed joys nor trou-
| bles from tomorrow The many friends
| of Col. Walker will wish him a pleasant
| trip to Sparta and a safe return.