William H . T . Walker William Henry Talbot Walker ( November 26 , 1816 – July 22 , 1864 ) was an American soldier . He was a career United States Army officer who fought with distinction during the Mexican - American War , and also served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War . Walker was severely wounded many times in combat , and was killed in action during the 1864 Atlanta Campaign . Early life and career . William Henry Talbot Walker ( often styled as William H . T . or W . H . T . Walker to distinguish him from the other two William Walkers in the Confederate Army ) was born in Augusta , Georgia in 1816 . He was a son of Freeman Walker ( a U . S . Senator and Augusta mayor ) and his wife Mary Garlington Creswell ; however his father died in 1827 when he was eleven years old . Walker then received his early education at Augusta ' s Richmond Academy . He would have four children with his wife Mary Townsend , two sons and two daughters . Walker entered the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1832 , and graduated four years later , standing 46th out of 59 cadets . Walker was appointed a brevet second lieutenant on July 1 , 1837 , and assigned to the 6th U . S . Infantry . On July 31 he was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant . That winter he was serving in Lake Okeechobee , Florida , where he was seriously wounded on December 25 in the neck , shoulder , chest , left arm , and also his leg . Walker was appointed a brevet first lieutenant to rank from that day as well . He was promoted to first lieutenant on February 1 , 1838 , and would resign his commission on October 31 of that year . Walker was reinstated in the U . S . Army as a first lieutenant on November 18 , 1840 , to rank from his last promotion in early 1838 . He was again assigned to the 6th U . S . Infantry , and was promoted to captain on November 7 , 1845 . During the Mexican - American War , he fought at the Battle of Contreras and the Battle of Churubusco , both in August 1847 . While engaged at Churubusco he was again wounded , and his performance there combined with his actions at Contreras won him brevet to the rank of major on August 20 . Walker then participated in the Battle of Molino del Rey in early September and was once more wounded , this time in the back . For his actions there he was made a brevet lieutenant colonel on September 8 . After the war with Mexico concluded , Walker was on recruiting duty for the U . S . Army from 1849 to 1852 . Walker served as commandant of the cadets at West Point from July 31 , 1854 , to May 22 , 1856 . Also during his time at West Point he taught military tactics and was promoted to major in the 10th U . S . Infantry on March 3 , 1855 . His nickname of " Shot Pouch " was due to his multiple woundings . Civil War service . With the outbreak of the American Civil War , Walker chose to follow his home state of Georgia and the Confederate cause . He resigned his commission on December 20 , 1860 , and was appointed a colonel in the Georgia State Militia on February 1 , 1861 . He would hold this position until March 13 , when he was appointed a major general in the 1st Division , Georgia Militia , until May . Walker transferred to the Confederate Army infantry as a colonel on April 25 . He was promoted to brigadier general on May 25 and assigned the 1st brigade , 4th Division of the Potomac District of the Department of Northern Virginia on October 22 . Seven days later he resigned his commission , either due to his health or from being dissatisfied with his assignments for the Confederacy . Almost immediately after resigning , Walker served in the Georgia militia again as a brigadier general from November 1861 to January 1863 , when he resigned to re - enter the Confederate States Army . Walker resumed his brigadier general rank in the Confederate Army on February 9 , 1863 , and in May was assigned to brigade command to the Confederate Department of the West . On May 21 he was given divisional command in the same department , and he was promoted to major general on May 23 . This promotion was strongly endorsed by the department ' s commander , Gen . Joseph E . Johnston , who considered Walker " the only officer in his command competent to lead a division . " Walker then participated in the Vicksburg Campaign that summer in Johnston ' s command . Walker and his division were transferred to the Department of Mississippi & Eastern Louisiana in July and served there until August 23 , when his command was added to the Reserve Corps of the Army of Tennessee until November 4 . During this time Walker fought in the Confederate victory at the Battle of Chickamauga in Georgia that September as commander of that corps . In December 1863 , Walker and his division were made part of Lt . Gen . William J . Hardee ' s First Corps of the Army of Tennessee . He would command it up to his death in combat on July 22 , 1864 at the Battle of Atlanta , when he was shot from his horse by a Federal picket , killing him instantly , and Brig . Gen . Hugh W . Mercer took over the division . Walker is buried in the Walker Cemetery , located at Augusta College in Georgia . In memory . An upturned cannon waymark in the Glenwood Triangle of Atlanta currently marks the place where Walker was killed . Its front description plate reads : " In memory of Maj . Gen . William H . T . Walker , C . S . A . " and the rear plate reads : " Born November 26 , 1816 ; killed on this spot July 22 , 1864 . " A bronze bust of Walker was dedicated in 1916 , made by American sculptor Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson , and is located at Vicksburg National Military Park . Fort Walker , also in Atlanta , is named in his honor .