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!