Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-07-29
The Stonewan Brigade.
A FAMOUS ORGANIZATION AND ITS COM
HANDKERCHIEF. JAMES A. WALKER.

A FAMOUS ORGANIZATION AMI iAS
HANDKERCHIEF. JAMES A. WALKER.
The appearance of the veterans of the ia
mons Stonewall Brigade, with Gen. James |
A. Walker, the sole surviving commander
of this organization, as the chief marshal OF
the procession at the unwilling OF jackson
statue, revived "reminiscences repiete witn
thrilling events. This command was COM
posed of the Second, Fourth, Fifth, I~en,
ty.seventh and Thirty-third Regiments OF
VIRGINIA Infantry, and was mainly made up
from the counties of the Valley and South
west Virginia, extending from Berkeley
county. on the northernborder to Washing
ton county, in the extreme Southwest, with
several com panies from the western coun-
ties of the State The brigade was com.
mauded successfully by Tn omas ]. jack
son. afterward lieutenant general; X. b.
Garnett. who was afterward transferred to
Pickett's Division and was killed in the
celebrated charge at Gettysburg; Charles
S. Winder, Marylander, killed at Slaugh-
ter mountain in 1862, when Jackson de-
feated Banks; Frank Paxton, killed in one
of the battles in Eastern Virginia, and last
| Iy by Gen. James A. Walker.
| After the battles of May, 1864, the Stone
wall Brigake ceased to exist as the origi-.
nal organization. 1t had been SO decimated
|
dated with number of regiments from
other brigades and placed under the COM
mand of Gen. William Terry, of Wytheville,
who was drowned few years ago while at
tempting to ford swollen stream. 1t is
needless to rehearse the story Of the Stone
wall Brigade. Its history is closely inter-
woven with that of the great Army OF
Northern Virginia, and it bore conspi Gu
GUS part in almost every engagement OF that
army from the first rude shook of war, at
the first battle of Manassas, until the final
surrender at Appomattox. It was oompos-
ed of the flower of the young men OF the
magnificent Valley and the Southwest. who
proved themselves worthy descendants OF a
race of patriots.
Gen. James A. Walker, the surviving
commander of the Stonewal, and whose ap.
pearsnce evoked intense enthusiasm, is a
man of splendid physique. and looks as il
born to command men. Nearly sixty years
of age, he is still actively engaged in pro
fessional life, and looks as if good for m any
years vet of usefulness. He was born il
Augusta county. and was educated at the
Virginia Military Institute. where he wal
graduated with credit in 1851. After two
years service on an engineering corps en-
gagged ON railroad surveys he read law il
: Stanton for while, and then entered the
! Law School of the University of Virginia
: and settled in Pulaski county, in South
! western Virginia, where he entered on thu
successful practice of the profession of hi
choice. The public soon recognized hin
as a man Of worth, and he was elected
Commonwealth attorney Of his county, il
which capacity he was serving when Vir
!, ginia seeded and called on her sons t,
4 come to her defense.
Gouorrl VTo1kpr ontprQI tho cnrv;oa o.
captain of the Pulaski Guards, Forth Vir
u ginia Regiment, which was assigned t,
General Jackson's brigade at Harper
Ferry in the spring of 1861. He command
ed his company in first battle of Manassas
where he had an opportunity to show hi
g soldierly qualities In July 1861, he wa
= made lieutenant colonel and assigned to tn
! Thirteenth Virginia Infantry, then com
y manded by Colonel (and afterward Lieuten
+ ant-GeneraD A.P. Hill. Hewas later place,
. in charge of Smiths Brigade, which he com
= manded at the second battle of Manassa
i aud at Sharpsburg. Then he returne,
to the Thirteenth Regiment. which h
> commanded until May, 1853, when b
y was promoted 10 brigadier-general an,
2 assigned to the Stonewall Brigade
e He commanded the Stonewsll Brigade q
. the battle of Gettysburg, aud remainet
!
was wounded in command Of division OF
I the ''Bloody Angie" at Spottsylvsnia Cour
u House. When able TO take the field agail
ne was assigned to the command of tn
troops along the Richmond and Danyill
70 and Southside Railroads, until shortly be
fore the evacuation he took command O.
;. Early's old division and surrendered viii
IL Lee at AppomattoX.
At the close OF the war Gen. Walker re
turned to Pulaski and resumed the practic
of his profession. In 1869 he was tn
If democratic nominee for Lieutenapt-G Gov
n ernor on the ticket with Hon. Robert e
= Withers for Governor, but the ticket wa
h withdrawn and one headed by Gilbert G
l. Walker for Governor substituted. HI
T. served in the Virginia Legislature in 1871
/. n and occupied Leading position. Ell
|. was nominated and elected Lieutenant
y Governor on the ticket with Hon. F. W
v III. Holiday, since which time he has NO
J. engaged actively ia politics, confined him
i self TO his profession and attention TO hi
: large busiuess interests in the Southwest
j He hHs resided in WythevilIe since 1889
0 and is highly respected by his fellow. citiz
ems, regardless Of politics.