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.
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.[2]
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,[2] either due to his health or from dissatisfaction with his military assignments.[4] 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.[2]
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.[2] 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.[5] 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.[2] During this time Walker fought in the Confederate victory at the Battle of Chickamauga in Georgia that September as commander of that corps.[5]
Death
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,[2] when he was shot from his horse by a Federal picket, killing him instantly,[6] and Brig. Gen. Hugh W. Mercer took over the division.[7] Walker is buried in the Walker Cemetery, located at Augusta University in Georgia.[2]
In memory
An upturned cannon waymark in the Glenwood Avenue 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.”[7]
Content retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_H._T._Walker.