Confederate General William H. T. Walker (1816-1864) is best known as an archetypal Southern firebrand, one who gave no ground in matters of honor and who recklessly sought glory in battle. To be sure, that image is true; however, argues Russell K. Brown, there is more to the soldier and the man.
This first complete biography of Walker considers not only his upbringing and other early influences but also his personality, family life, goals and ambitions, and military career, which spanned the Seminole, Mexican, and Civil wars and included service as commandant of cadets at West Point.
Drawing on personal papers, official documents, and eyewitness accounts, Brown portrays a man driven by pride and financial ambition, but nearly incapacitated by persistent ill health complicated by war wounds. Walker is seen squabbling with his peers and superiors; chafing at the dullness of the peacetime military; grieving over the deaths of his children; and advising his wife and oldest daughter on proper decorum.
Lesser-known aspects of Walker's life that Brown discusses include his court-martial for insubordination while a young lieutenant in Florida during the Seminole campaigns, his life as a planter, and his venture in the Georgia pulp wood industry. Previously undisclosed or long neglected documents used by the author throw new light on Walker's resignation from Confederate service in 1861 and his return to active duty in 1863.
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A detailed account of the role of Walker's division in the Atlanta campaign in 1864, in which Walker was killed, concludes the book. In his discussion of the battle of Lay's Ferry, Brown raises questions about the general's state of mind and consequent ability to lead. In addition, Brown accords the engagement more influence on the entire campaign than has previously been granted.
Two appendices provide the most accurate information available on members of General Walker's staff and the units under his command.
Although Walker's contentious personality and poor political instincts hindered his rise through the Confederate command, Brown shows that Walker had few rivals in the areas of training, disciplining, and organizing raw recruits. This biography adds considerably to our understanding of issues related to rank and promotion in the Confederate army, including the internal factionalism that at times robbed it of the best possible leadership.
