Biography of William W. W. Walker :Pittsfield, Merrimack County, New Hampshire **************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogical information on the Internet, data may be freely used for personal research and by non-commercial entities as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format or presentation by other organizations or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for profit or any form of presentation, must obtain the written consent of the file submitter, or his legal representative and then contact the listed USGENWEB archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net. Submitted by: Jody Goodson kestrell@prodigy.net Date: May 14, 2001 **************************************************************************** From the Book 'History of Pittsfield, N. H. in the Rebellion' by H. L. Robinson, published 1893 Note: Aphotograph of William is in the book. Page 157 to 161 WILLIAM W. W. WALKER was born October 17, 1838, in Barnstead, a son of Andrew C. and Sarah T. (Willey) Walker. He came to Pittsfield when a very small boy, some five or six years of age. He was educated in our public schools and academy. He worked on his father's farm until about twenty years of age, when he opened a clothing store on Main street, where he remained about a year and then sold out and went West. He returned to Pittsfield in 1860, and married Miss Lizzie Norris. They had one child, who died before the father returned from the war. On the breaking out of the war he enlisted as a private, and was soon made a sergeant of Company G, Seventh New Hampshire volunteers, and then first sergeant. On January 1, 1864, he was promoted to be first lieutenant of the same company, and a few weeks later for meritorious service was again promoted to be captain of Company I. He was discharged December 22, 1864, by reason of expiration of term of service. He was with his regiment at Manchester, N. H., New York city, and Fort Jefferson, on Dry Tortugas island, and Beaufort, S. C., and was encamped on the "Shell Road." This he describes as a most beautiful place. A large mansion standing back from the road with ample grounds, surrounded with live oak trees, from which the beautiful Spanish moss hung in graceful festoons. These residences were the homes of some of the prominent men of South Carolina. Seabrook island, on which Beaufort stands, is one of the noted Sea Islands, whose cotton for a century has been famous the world over. It is separated from the mainland by Broad river. On each side of this river were picket posts, and the men on duty often exchanged shots across the stream. He was then sent home on recruiting service, being at that time unfit for active duty by reason of malaria. On reaching New York he was seriously ill with this complaint, but soon after reaching New Hampshire he rallied, and was very active in enlisting men, securing several in Pittsfield for the Fifteenth regiment, but his regular station was at Ossipee. While on his way south, after this recruiting service, he was detailed by special order from the war department to take charge of the recruits at Fort Hamilton in New York harbor. This was during the draft riots in the city. He had charge of some 2,000 or 3,000 men. Here he had a controversy with an officer of a little higher rank in the regular army, who thought a graduate of West Point was a little better than a volunteer from the Granite state. From this dispute Walker came out with flying colors, and the military snob learned to mind his own business. Upon his return to his regiment he took part in the investment of Fort Wagner on Morris Island, and after the reduction of that stronghold his regiment went to Florida, where they remained some time, taking part in the Battle of Olustee or Island Pond. The night before the battle was bitter cold. It was the 19th oT February, 1864. He and a comrade slept on a rubber blanket. In the morning it was found frozen to the ground, so when they were ordered to march they were obliged to leave it behind. This was at Barber's Station. The infantry of this little army took the railroad to march on, while the cavalry and artillery marched by the highway. After a long and weary march they found the enemy, under the command of General Colquitt, posted across the railroad and road behind strong fortifications shaped like a horseshoe. The Seventh regiment was in the van, and Company G was the front company. Walker looked around as soon as the battle had fairly begun, but could not see one of his men. Going back a short distance he found some of the officers trying to re-form the regiment on the colors. While doing so a man on each side of Walker was hit,--one of them severely wounded, the other killed. A battery of the Fifth United States artillery that went into the fight in the road beside the Seventh New Hampshire, had every horse killed at the first discharge. After a hard fought battle the army began to retreat. Some of the men were so exhausted that they fell out and were captured by the rebels, and when Company G reached their campground for the night they had marched that day forty miles and fought a hard battle. Afterwards the regiment went to Hilton Head, and remained a short time, and was then transported to Virginia, and in November, 1864, it was sent to New York city to quell the election riots, in which duty Walker performed conspicuous service. They soon returned to Virginia. During all his service in that state he says it was almost one continued march. It was Bermuda Hundred, Yorktown, Petersburg, around the James river, up the Appomattox, south of Manchester, and back again,--then over another route. One time they got so near Richmond that they could hear the church bells ring. At Fort Darling, the regiments were ordered to charge up the hill. As they did so the enemy opened upon them, but did not depress their guns enough, and as Walker looked back he could see the grape and canister pass over their heads. The rebels kept depressing their guns, but the Yankees ran so fast until they got to the abattis that little damage was done. One day they started out from Deep Bottom. Colonel Abbott called on Walker, and told him, as he expected a long march, he had better go to the commissary and fill his canteen. The march was long, and towards night the rain came down in torrents. Still the army pushed on; they entered a wood and marched as long as they could see, then dropped down where they were. Walker was sitting beside a tree, trying to protect himself from the pelting rain, when in the darkness he heard some one talking to the men and trying to find his way along the line. Soon he came to Walker, and told him that Colonel Abbott wanted to see him. It was so dark that Walker could not see anything, but starting out he at last found the colonel, who said that if Walker had any whiskey he wanted some. So many of the men were worn out he had used all he had, and more was wanted. Walker gave him what he had. As soon as morning broke they found where they were. In the darkness and rain they had come within a very short distance of a rebel fortification --so strong that ten times the number of men that they had could not have taken it. At one time while out reconnoitering, as they were working their way towards the enemy, a sharpshooter fired at Walker, striking a small tree just above his hand. This sharpshooter was concealed in a house with several of his comrades. A battery of the Fifth United States artillery was brought up, and that house was soon knocked in pieces. As the Seventh advanced they ran into Longstreet's entire corps, and of course had to retreat. At one of the fights near Petersburg, the ammunition gave out and a lot of railroad iron was fired by our artillery. A prisoner whom Walker had captured, said, "We uns could fight as long as you uns fight fair, but when you went to shooting blacksmith shops at us we uns had to run." At Deep Bottom, Colonel Abbott's horse was shot under him. Walker was acting adjutant. The regiment was armed with Spencer repeating rifles, an arm but a short time invented. It would fire eight times without reloading. The regiment had worked itself nearly through a piece of wood. Beyond the clearing in their front was another piece of woods. They could hear the enemy moving around over there, and word was passed along the line not to fire until the command was given, which would be when the rebels were about half way across the clearing. Every man in that small regiment clung to his rifle closer as he watched for the expected foe. Not a man, moved. Not a word was uttered. Everything was as quiet as though every soldier were asleep or dead. The minutes seemed hours. It is such a time as this that counts on the soldier's nervous system, the draft of which must be paid, with interest, at some time in the future. Soon the enemy burst from their cover, a whole brigade of Texas troops, shouting their peculiar yell. When they were about midway across the field, came the order to fire. What a murderous fire that was! Not a man of those rebel soldiers returned, --every one was either killed or captured. Walker speaks in the highest terms of Colonel Abbott. When Walker's time had expired, and he was about to return home, the colonel sent for him and begged him to stay, saying that if he would, he would secure for him a commission in the regular army as soon as the war closed, which he thought would soon be. He still resides in Pittsfield.