Who Killed Capt Walker?
Few incidents of the campaign in Mexico seem so mixed up and indefinite
as that relative to the taking of Huamantla, and the death of that noble
and chivalric officer, Capt. Walker. In glancing over the papers of
Major Mammond, of Georgia, which he designates the "Secondary Combats of
the Mexican War," we observe that he has given an account of the
engagement at Huamantla, and the fall of Walker. We believe the Major's
account, compiled as it is from "the documents," to be in the main
correct, but lacking incidental pith, and slightly erroneous in the
grand denouement, in which our gallant friend--whose manly countenance
even now stares us in the face, as if in life he "yet lived"--yielded up
the balance of power on earth.
We have taken some pains, and a great deal of interest surely, in coming
at the facts; and no time seems so proper as the present--several of the
chivalric gentlemen of that day and occasion, being now around us--to
give the story its veritable exhibition of true interest.
Capt. S. H. Walker was a Marylander, a young man of the truest possible
heroism and gallantry. He entered upon the campaign with all the ardor
and enterprise of a soldier devoted to the best interests of his
country. He commanded a company of mounted men, whose bravery was only
equalled by his own, and whose discipline and hardiness has been
unsurpassed, if equalled, by any troops of the world. We shall skip over
the thousand and one incidents of the line of action in which Walker,
Lewis, and their brave companions in arms did gallant service, to come
at the sanguinary and truly thrilling denouement.
Gen. Lane, after the landing and organization of his troops at Vera
Cruz, with some 2500 men, started for Puebla, where it was understood
that Col. Childs required reinforcement. Lane left Jalapa on the 1st of
October, and hurried forward with Lally's command. At Perote, Lane
learned that Santa Anna would throw himself upon his muscle, and give
the advancing columns jessy at the pass of Pinal, and there was every
prospect of a very tight time. Col. Wynkoop was in command at Perote;
the men were anxious to be "in" at the fight in prospective, and Wynkoop
obtained permission to join the General with four companies of the
Pennsylvania Regiment; a small battery of the 3d Artillery, under
command of Capt. Taylor, with Capts. Walker, of the Texan Rangers, and
Lewis, of the Louisiana Cavalry. The column was now swelled to some
2800. They moved rapidly forward, and upon reaching Tamaris, Lane heard
that the old fox was off--Santa Anna had gone to Huamantla. Lane
determined to hunt him up with haste. The main force was left at
Tamaris. Troops were forwarded--advanced by Walker's Rangers and Lewis's
Cavalry--who approached to within sight, or nearly so, of Huamantla. The
orders to Walker were to advance to the town, and if the Mexicans were
in force, to wait for the Infantry to come up. Walker's command rated
about 200 men. Upon reaching the outskirts of Huamantla, the Mexican
Cavalry were seen dashing forward into the town, and the brave Walker
ordered a pursuit.
Santa Anna was evidently in the town. Capt. Walker, says his gallant
comrade Lewis, made up his mind to be the captor of the wily old chief.
The fair prospect of accomplishing the deed so excited Walker, that
danger and death were alike secondary considerations, and so the command
charged into the town. Some 500 lancers met the charge, but with
terrific impetuosity the Rangers and Cavalry dashed in among them,
cutting them down right and left, and soon sent them flying in all
directions! It was at this moment, says Capt. Lewis, that one of the
most heroic acts of bravery was performed, unsurpassed, perhaps, by any
act of personal daring during the whole war! A tremendous negro, a fine,
manly fellow, named Dave, belonging to Capt. Walker, with whom he was
brought up--boys together--being mounted, and armed with a heavy sabre,
dashed forward down a narrow street, (up which, a detached body of
lancers were striving to escape,) and throwing himself between three
poised lances and the person of Dr. Lamar, one of the surgeons, who
would have been most inevitably torn to atoms, Dave raised himself in
his saddle, and with a yell, and one fell swoop, the heroic fellow
"chopped down" a lancer, clean and clear to his saddle! Two lancers
pierced Dave's body, and he fell from his horse, dead!
Charging up to the Plaza--the Mexicans flying--Capt. Walker dismounted,
with some thirty of his men, and advanced up a flight of steps to force
an entrance into a church or convent, where he supposed Santa Anna was
hid away. The flying lancers were pursued by the Rangers, who, very
injudiciously, of course, scattered themselves over the town.
Capt. Lewis, in the mean time, had found a large yard attached to a
temporary garrison, in which were some sixty horses, equipped ready for
immediate use, and which the Mexicans had, in their hurry to escape,
left behind them! The irregular firing of the Rangers, in pursuit of the
Mexicans, being deemed useless and unnecessary, Capt. Lewis left several
of his men, among whom was "Country McCluskey," the noted pugilist, a
volunteer in Capt. Lewis's company, to guard the horses, while he rode
forward to the convent.
"Capt. Walker," said Lewis, "I deem it, sir, not only useless, but bad
policy, to allow that firing by the men, around the town."
Capt. Walker immediately ordered the firing to cease, and being apprized
of Capt. Lewis's discovery of the horses, &c., ordered him to bring up
his command. Capt. Lewis wheeled his horse; some one fired close by, and
Capt. Walker cried out--
"Who was that? I'll shoot down the next man who fires against my
orders!"
At that moment three guns were fired from the convent--and
simultaneously a cannon was fired down the street, from a party of
Mexicans in the distance. Capt. Lewis faced about just in time to see
Capt. Walker drop down upon the steps of the convent, as he emphatically
expresses it,--
"Like a lump of lead, sir!"
The piece up the street was fired again. Capt. Lewis ordered the fallen,
gallant Walker, to be placed upon the steps close to the wall. A shot
from the piece alluded to striking off the stone and mortar, he ordered
the doors to be forced, and Capt. Walker to be taken in, which was done.
The bugle sounded, and in an instant a horde of lancers poured into the
town, rushing down upon the Americans from every avenue! Capt. Lewis had
wheeled about to collect his men, when he found McCluskey and others
leading out "the pick" of the captured horses.
"Drop--drop the horses, you fool, and mount! Mount, sir, mount!"
They mounted fast enough; Lewis formed, and met the enemy in gallant
style; and though there were ten, aye, twenty to one, possibly, he drove
them back! To quote our friend, Major Hammond's words, "Lewis, of the
Louisiana Cavalry, assumed command, struggled ably to preserve the guns
(captured), and held his position fairly, until assistance arrived."
One hundred and fifty of the enemy fell, while of the Rangers and
Cavalry some twenty-five were killed and wounded. They were engaged
nearly an hour, and the bravery displayed by Walker, Lewis, and their
men, was worthy of general admiration, and all honor.
Poor Walker! a ball struck him in the left shoulder, passed over his
heart, and came out in his right vest pocket!
Thus fell the gallant leader of one of the most formidable war parties,
of its numbers, known to history. Walker was a humane, impulsive man; a
warm friend, a brave, gallant soldier. His dying words were directed to
Capt. Lewis--to keep the town, and drive back the enemy; and that the
chivalrous Captain did so, was well proven. Capt. Walker, and his heroic
"boy" Dave, who fell unknown to his master, were buried together in the
earth they so lately stood upon, in all the glory and heroism of men
that were men!