Most often referred to as Major General W.H.T. Walker, he was a decorated Confederate War soldier that was wounded in battle 8 times, the 8th wound was mortal. He was killed during the Battle of Atlanta on July 22, 1864. Interestingly, he and Major General James McPherson died on the same day within a mile of one another and it has been said they they died within an hour of one another.
The photos below seemingly indicate the spot where General Walker died during the Battle of Atlanta. This monument is located at the present day intersection of Glenwood Road and Interstate 20 in Atlanta, GA (near East Lake). However, this may not be the exact spot where he died - this monument appears to have been moved to this location in the 1930s. It may have been originally located on a nearby hill.
As with many Confederate places, names and markers, this marker may be removed or relocated in the future. Many members of the public, the City of Atlanta and the surrounding neighborhoods find these historic markers offensive. In 2017, the City of Atlanta was actively reviewing all street names and markers associated with the Confederacy. [1]
(Photos by the author, 2016)
Death of General James McPherson
(Author photo)
Nearby Grant Park occupies the grounds of the old Fort Walker which was named for General Walker. Interestingly for my family, Fort Walker was only steps away from the 1840s era house that was built by my paternal ancestor James Davis [2].
(Internet sourced photo and postcard - unknown origination, not copyrighted)
(Undated photo of General Walker)
The city of Augusta's Confederate Monument also has a full size statue of General Walker along with statues of General Robert E. Lee, General "Stonewall" Jackson, and General Thomas Cobb. The monument is located on Broad Street (700 block).
(Courtesy Google)
In the later part of the 19th century and into the early part of the twentieth century, the confederate veterans had a camp named W.H.T. Walker (W.H.T.=William Henry Talbot) and one the camp's most famous members was the African-American Confederate soldier Amos Rucker.
AMOS RUCKER, THE NEGRO VETERAN.There is an underlying note of tenderness in every heart, and it vibrates to the touch of real pathos, as a violin does to its bow. The story of Amos Rucker, the old Negro veteran of Atlanta, carries its own moral. Amos belonged to the Rucker family, of Colbert County, Ga., belonged in a wider sense than as a mere human chattel that the slaves were said to be, for every joy or sorrow in “ole Marster’s” family touched its sympathetic chord in his heart. The children he touched its sympathetic chord in his heart. The children he watched grow up were as dear to him as his own, and “ole Miss” was always the pinnacle of all that was good in his eyes.Amos was a young man at the time of the war; and when “Marse Sandy Rucker” went to the front, Amos went too, just as proud as was that young soldier of his “Marster’s” gray uniform and brass buttons.In all those long, hard years the 33d Georgia Regiment bore its part in the bloody struggle, and there no braver member than Sandy Rucker, and shoulder to shoulder with him fought Amos, as though he too was an enlisted man. He took part in every engagement, and, gun or bayonet in hand, stood ready to “close up” whenever there a vacancy in the line. The cause of the Confederacy was his, because his master had espoused first; then it was his from the love he came to bear the flag, and no truer, more loyal heart beat under the gray than that of Amos Rucker.He joined the Camp of W. H. T. Walker, and there was no more loved nor respected member than the black, whose bowed form and snow-white hair showed the passing of the years so plainly. He attended every meeting till the one before his death, when he sent word to the Camp that he was too ill to attend, and added: “Give my love to the boys.”He went to all the Reunions whenever possible, and here he attracted much attention. He was very proud to show off a wonderful feat of memory, for he could call the role of his old company from A to Z, and he would add in solemn tones “here” or “dead” as the names left his lips.The people who had had his lifetime devotion took care of both the old man and his wife. As he say: “My folks give me everything I want.” At his death in Atlanta in August, 1909, there was universal sorrow. His body lay in state, and hundreds of both white and black stood with bared head to do him honor. Camp Walker defrayed all burial expenses, buying a lot in the cemetery especially for him, so that the old man and his wife could lie side by side. The funeral services were conducted Gen. Clement A. Evans, the Commander in Chief of the Veterans, and his volunteer pall bearers were ex-Gov. Allen D. Candler, Gen. A. J. West, ex-Postmaster Amos Fox, F. A. Hilduran, Commander of Camp Walker, J. Sid Holland, and R. S. Osborne. Very tenderly they carried the old veteran to his grave, clothed in his uniform of gray and wrapped in a Confederate flag, a grave made beautiful by flowers from comrades and friends, among which a large design from the Daughters of the Confederacy was conspicuous in red and white.A simple monument will be erected to the faithful soldier by the white comrades of his Camp and from contributions from his many friends in Atlanta.Confederate Veteran October 1909
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[1] Atlanta City Council Resolution 17-R-4255.
[2] "Decatur and Atlanta First: They Were Presbyterians", page 133. Note that the Davis home was located on Confederate Avenue which was recently renamed to United Avenue in 2019 as a direct result of the modern day campaign to remove Confederate history from publicly owned landmarks and other properties. The street was named Confederate Avenue because of an old Confederate Soldiers home that was once located in the area.
References:
1. University of Georgia website This link contains excellent information regarding the General. Update 7/2022 - Unfortunately. UGA has opted to remove the information about the General from the website. I am leaving the link here for now in case they decide to make the info available again.
4. "The Battle of Atlanta and the Georgia Campaign", William Key
5. "Confederate Generals of Georgia and Their Burial Sites", Robert Kerlin
Also, a Google search for William Henry Talbot Walker yields numerous "hits".
(This page was updated on 8/31/2024)