John George Walker
John George Walker | |
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Early life and career
John George Walker was born in
Walker joined the
American Civil War
Service in the East
Walker was promoted to
Trans-Mississippi
In November 1862, Walker was promoted to major general and transferred to the Trans-Mississippi Department, where he was given command of 12 Texas regiments, numbering 12,000 men, training at Camp Nelson in Arkansas. Walker formed the regiments into a Division, which earned the nickname "Walker's Greyhounds" for their ability to move quickly over many miles on foot. From November 1862 until the end of the war, the Greyhounds were formed exclusively of soldiers from Texas, and did not leave the Trans-Mississippi Department.
In March 1863, the new commander of the Trans-Mississippi Department,
Grant, having recently moved his supply lines to the eastern banks of the Mississippi, was not harmed by the attack of Walker's Greyhounds. Hawes's Brigade was engaged in combat against the Federals at the
Taylor, who commanded Walker in this campaign, had argued against the venture to his superior Smith. He argued that Walker's troops would be better used helping his Army of 4,000 attack New Orleans, whose defense had been severely weakened by the movement of Banks' Army of the Gulf upriver to Port Hudson.
After Milliken's Bend, Taylor again requested Walker's troops to aid in his attack on New Orleans, but Smith again denied the request. Walker spent the balance of the summer fruitlessly patrolling the northeastern area of Louisiana, unable to cross the Mississippi and support the besieged Vicksburg.
Walker headed back to Arkansas in late 1863, but in March 1864, joined Taylor once again in Alexandria to help Taylor defend against the advances of
As Steele fled northward after the battle, clearly not intending to join Banks in his attempt to capture Shreveport, Louisiana, Walker reversed course and headed back south to join Taylor's pursuit of Banks. He arrived in Alexandria on May 23, 1864, the same day that Banks's retreating Army was being picked up by Federal troop transports at Simmesport.
Western Louisiana
When Taylor was given command of the Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and Eastern Louisiana in August 1864, Walker was given command of his former superior's District of Western Louisiana. By the end of the war, he had been transferred further west, and commanded the District of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.
Later life
At the close of the American Civil War, Walker fled to Mexico, where he remained for several months. In August 1865, Walker travelled to
Walker died in Washington, D.C. He is buried in the
See also
References
- ^ Eicher, p. 549. Birth and death dates are taken from Walker's tombstone. Alternative dates for birth and death are July 22, 1822, and July 21, 1893.
- ^ Eicher, p. 549.
- ISBN 0-8071-0834-0, pp. 340-347
- ^ J. G. Walker to Robert E. Lee, 12/9/1865. Washington and Lee University Special Collections
Sources
- Eicher, John H., and ISBN 978-0-8047-3641-1.
- Lowe, Richard G.,Walker's Texas Division, C.S.A: Greyhounds of the Trans-Mississippi, Louisiana State University Press, 2004, ISBN 0-8071-2933-X.
- Sifakis, Stewart. Who Was Who in the Civil War. New York: Facts On File, 1988. ISBN 978-0-8160-1055-4.
- ISBN 978-0-8071-0823-9.
External links
Media related to John George Walker at Wikimedia Commons