CAPTAIN WALKER. SAMUEL HAMILTON WALKER was born about the year 1815, in Prince George county, Maryland. His brothers and other relatives now reside in Washington city. During the Seminole Indian war he enlisted in the United States' service as a private, and was one of Colonel Harney's picked men to penetrate the everglades of Florida, where foot-prints of the white man were never before seen. In that hazardous expedition, which effectually put an end to the Florida war, by conquering the Indians around their own council fires, young Walker greatly distinguished himself. He was a favourite of the daring Harney, whose quick perception never failed to select the most energetic and bold. At the close of the Seminole war, Walker went to Texas and joined Colonel Hays' company of rangers. In the summer of 1844 he was one of the fifteen of Hays' men, armed with revolving pistols, who attacked eighty Camanche Indians, and defeated them, leaving thirty-three dead Indians upon the field; and, from the number of dead and dying carried off, it was believed that more than half of the Camanche force was slain by these fifteen rangers. In this fierce battle Walker was pierced through the body by the spear of an Indian, the spear pinning him to the ground! He was left in that condition by his companions, who supposed he was dead. After the battle, he was found with the spear still sticking through him, though he had succeeded in getting it out of the ground. His companions relieved him from it, and found it had not touched a vital part. He recovered. Walker was also one of Colonel Fisher's three hundred men who marched against two thousand Mexicans stationed at Mier, and was captured by the Mexicans previous to that battle, as he was making an excursion among them. After the defeat of the Mier expedition, he was marched, with other prisoners, to the castle of Perote. These prisoners received the inhuman treatment which no other people on earth, save Mexicans and cannibals, inflict upon those within their power. At Salado, the Texans resolved to make their escape. Walker was foremost. It was arranged that he should seize and disarm one of the guard, and that Cameron, a Scotchman, should serve the other in the same way. At the signal, the guards were disarmed in a moment, and the Texans, two hundred and fourteen in number, rushed into the outer court, where one hundred and fifty Mexican infantry were guarding a quantity of arms and ammunition. The Texans soon had command of this point, and armed themselves. Whilst doing so, three hundred Mexicans, cavalry and infantry, formed outside of the gates. The Texans rushed upon these, and defeated them, killing ten of their number, and losing five. The company then escaped, but finally became lost in the inountains, and suffered greatly from hunger. As Walker expressed it to a friend, after his return, their eyes became so sunken, from hunger and fatigue, that they appeared like augur-holes in the head. In this condition they were re-captured by the Mexicans and taken back to Salado. Here the blood-thirsty Santa Anna demanded the life of every tenth man, and the company was marched out to draw the black beans one black bean for every tenth man being placed in the bowl, and all who drew them were shot. Young Torrey was one of these unfortunates, and was killed on the spot. Those who drew the white beans were subjected to intense sufferings. Walker, with eight others, however, finally escaped from Mexico, and returned to Texas. He then joined the Texas revenue service, where he exhibited his usual efficiency. When General Taylor marched into Texas with his army of observation, and matters were wearing a hostile appearance, Walker, at the head of a company of Texas rangers, armed with Colt's patent repeaters, offered his services to the United States, was accepted, and aided in defending Point Isabel. He was stationed between that place and General Taylor's advance camp, with instructions to keep the communication open, if possible. This service was perilous but Walker's bravery and rapid movements overcame all obstacles. On the 28th of April, 1846, he ascertained that quite a large body of Mexicans intended to surround General Taylor's camp, and he at once set out with seventy-five men, to commu : HIS DARING JOURNEYS. 181 nicate with the general. After proceeding twelve miles, he encountered fifteen hundred Mexicans, and most of his men being inexperienced, fell back at the appearance of such an overwhelming opposition. The few that remained around their bold commander firmly received the attack of the Mexicans, and gave them battle for about fifteen minutes, killing about thirty of them. They then retreated, and were pursued to within half a mile of Point Isabel. It was reported that Walker was slain, but at night he came into the fort, and with that indomitable spirit for which he was distinguished, at once offered to communicate with General Taylor, provided he could have four men as companions. This proposition, under such circumstances, with the enemy in force, and lurking in every path and thicket, was considered rash. But six Texans volunteered, and after several bold adventures, in one of which they charged through a large body of Mexican lancers, whilst they were preparing to forage their horses, they reached the camp of General Taylor in safety on the 30th. In consequence of the information thus received, General Taylor marched from camp on the 1st of May, and reached Point Isabel the day after. On the 3d, the Mexicans commenced their bombardment of the river fort. Anxious to know how Major Brown sustained this attack, the general despatched Captain May, with one hundred men, assisted by Walker and six rangers, for the purpose of opening a communication. At two o'clock, P. M. of the 3d, May started, and in the evening came in sight of Arista's camp fires. Though the whole Mexican army was before him, he manœuvred so skilfully as to escape observation, pass round its front, and find ambush in some thick chapparal a few miles from the fort. Walker was then sent forward to the fort, with instruction to note particularly any force he might observe along the road. He reached his destination without accident, while May and his troops remained waiting in their saddles. Owing to several unforeseen causes, Captain Walker was unable to rejoin May that night, and daylight approaching, the latter returned to Point Isabel. Here the keenest anxiety was felt for the gallant ranger, as it seemed almost certain that he had been intercepted by the enemy. On the night of the 4th, however, to the great joy of the whole army, he reached General Taylor's station in safety, having performed in the face of a hostile army one of the most daring journeys on record. Walker and his little band performed arduous and trying duty in the battles of the 8th and 9th of May. He was by turns in every part of the field, and followed May in the headlong charge upon the batteries at Resaca de la Palma. The best evidence of his efficiency is given by General Taylor himself. "I would mention the services of Captain Walker, of the Texas rangers, who was in both affairs, with his company, and who has performed very meritorious services as a spy and partisan." It is rarely that a young man of so short a term of service is mentioned in so flattering a manner. Without solicitation, government rewarded his services and signal bravery by a captain's commission in the new regiment of United States' mounted rifles. Thus promoted, he repaired to Maryland, and soon rallied around him, principally from Maryland and Kentucky, two hundred and fifty volunteer rangers, whose services were accepted by the government. With this company he went to Vera Cruz, and was employed to keep the guerillas at bay, and open communication. The bold feats of himself and his confident followers struck terror into the prowling guerillas, and this class of highway robbers, always well armed and well mounted, were sure to leave a clear path when "Walker and his rangers" were on the track. One of the most brilliant actions of Captain Walker was his battle at the pass of La Hoya on the 20th of September, 1847. A full description of it is given in his official report to Colonel Wynkoop, dated from the castle of Perote. "When ordered forward by you at 3 o'clock, on the morning of the 20th, I understood from you that you had an advance picket about two hundred yards. In this I was disappointed; I had not advanced more than one hundred yards before I was hailed by the enemy, who appeared about forty in number. I could not return or delay a moment to reconnoitre, as I intended, without subjecting my command and yours also to a raking fire; and I immediately ordered the charge. "The enemy were completely routed, and fired in such confusion and haste that no man was wounded; but, unfortunately, we found a curve in the road, which we supposed to be straight, and a number of us were unhorsed by the falling of our horses over a fence, which was not seen until we were upon it. In this affair I lost seven public horses, which probably fell into the hands of the ACTION AT LA HOYA. 183 enemy, one of them badly wounded, so as to render him valueless. I also lost my private horse. Richardson (musician), and Raborg (interpreter), were slightly injured by the fall of their horses. On the same day, about 9 o'clock, A. M., after leaving you for the purpose of watering my horses, I resolved to drive off the party of lancers who had appeared on the hill on our right early in the morning. I dismounted one-half of the men, and threw them out on my right and left. Several of their stragglers were killed, and the balance made a rapid retreat before we approached near enough to engage them. I then returned to the village of Las Vegas, having also taken two prisoners, whom I released, both being elderly men. "At about 11 o'clock, A. M., while advancing upon La Hoya, with your permission to feel the enemy and ascertain their position, and so forth, I heard the firing of artillery at the Pass. I dismounted some of my men and threw them out on each side of the road to avoid an ambuscade. When about two miles from the Pass, we saw about fifty of the enemy on our left. I sent forward a few men on foot, for the purpose of bringing on an engagement. It soon became apparent that the enemy had either a very considerable force, or that they had feared the consequence of allowing us the opportunity of attacking them in the rear, and they had almost entirely withdrawn from the Pass. In a very few minutes after the first shot was fired, my skirmishers were pressed by such overwhelming numbers, as to force them to retire within distance of support, and to give them a more defensible position. "I then ordered my horses all to be tied under cover of an old frame house. I then put my men under cover of a stone fence, and extended them sufficiently to the left to prevent the enemy from flanking, being emboldened by their success in driving in our skirmishers. They rushed towards us in considerable numbers, confident of victory, with shouts of triumph, which were returned by shouts of defiance from my men. The moment was most criticalmany of my men had never been under fire of an enemy before, and nothing but my confidence in their heroic valour and coolness would have induced me to remain in my position. "At this moment I ordered my men to take their sabres from the fronts of their saddles, (which were secured in that way for the purpose of more secret movements by night,) and prepare to use them when it came to close quarters. The coolness and gallantry of my |