MAJOR WALTON, A TEXAN ACCOUNT OF THE CIVIL WAR ERA
Introduction by John Bitsche
In November of 1996, I spent a day at the Austin History and Records Center
happily poring through random boxes of documents. By good fortune, I requested
the Walton Family Papers, and spent most of the day digesting William Walton's
lengthy account of his life in the Civil War era. Walton had great talent
at spinning a yarn, and the minutes ticked away unnoticed as I read about
and imagined
-
the unmasking of a "beautiful she devil" spy,
-
the battle of the bugs (making the best of lice),
-
the chaos of combat, and Walton's escape from ambush,
-
the ills endured by the soldiers--ills which at that
time were so little-understood. (Note: not for the squeamish),
-
and much much more.
In September of 1997, I asked the Austin History Center for permission
to publish some of Walton's story on my web site. The archivist was very
kind in researching the Walton Papers further, and determined that Walton's
accounts had been published (1000 copies) in 1965 in a book
called
MAJOR BUCK WALTON
An Epitome of my Life
Civil War Reminiscences .
The book (available for review at the History Center), was published
by the "Friends of the Austin Public Library" but they no longer have a
publishing arm. Furthermore, the archivist had trouble tracking down the
family of the original donor (of the papers). Under these circumstances,
I am going to boldly publish parts of Walton's accounts, and will honor
any subsequent requests to remove the material from the web. Few people
will ever have the good fortune to sit down and browse Walton's papers
in person, and I think the world will enjoy his account of years
not so very far in the past.
I do want to note that I have included some material to provide historical context, and that it should not be misconstrued as ideas that I approve of. For example, the letter regarding "accursed fanaticism of the North" and the abolitionists. I condemn such thinking. However I do think it is educational to read this example of how rhetoricians of the time stirred emotions into war fever. Most of the Southern speeches back then were probably about the "oppressive North", and the encroachment upon "states' rights". It's a lesson worth remembering--that a persuasive speaker was able to spin the war as "the Ship of State is drifting, at the mercy of the waves of fanaticism, towards the breakers, of dissolution. When that day comes, well may we say, farewell, liberty, forever farewell."
I'm sure this type of call-to-arms was much more effective than if someone had said "the plantation owners don't want to give up their slaves."
In hindsight we are able to recognize the great disparity between the rousing words about "liberty" and the reality of a war fought by the Confederacy, in part, to preserve a system that deprived some people of liberty. We should never forget the meaning of liberty, and even today we should always be wary lest someone erode or destroy the liberty that was attained at the cost of many lives.
Disclaimer complete, let's get back to the story...
The following account was written between 1914 and 1915 (the year in
which Walton died).
A few observations: the original account is handwritten, and someone at the
Austin History Center did their best to read the handwriting and type up
a copy of the account (I would guess this happened in the 60's). I am working
off the typed account, and thus may fall victim to someone else's misreads
or typographic mistakes (and I can only hope I do not introduce typos myself).
The original handwritten copy of this lengthy account is not in the box
at the History Center, so I assume it is still in possession of the family
(and thus I cannot try to re-check the transcription). Lastly, though the
entire account is quite enjoyable, I had only the time to type some of
my favorite excerpts. There is a WHOLE lot more which I did not include
here.
Without further ado I present to you excerpts from the accounts of Major
William Martin Walton:
PAGE 1 (of the typed pages)
I write an epitome of my life as my wife
and descendants have time and time again requested - but it shames me to
do so - for the reason that as I look back in retrospection I see where
and how my career might have been so much better - and to a degree grander,
that it causes me humiliation and grief -- But what has been may not be
changed -- No word uttered can ever be recalled -- no act done can be undone
-- as the tree falleth, there it must lie -- I would not live my life again
-- although as lives are lived, mine has been more happy - than the majority.
I have been on the brink of ruin and death many times -- From the ruin
my beloved wife has saved me - from death it has alone been from the goodness
of God - that I live.
I am the son of Samuel Walther Walton
& Mary Wilkerson Loe - born of the 17th day of Jany. 1832. I had brothers
- George Loe older than I by two years. Philip Loe -- Jesse Newton and
a sister Mary. They are all dead. Mary died in 1843. Jesse Newton in 1849.
Philip Loe in 1852. George Loe in 1910. My father died in 1839 & my
mother in 1849. Mother married B.C. Strange in 1842 and had children Susan,
Emily & Robert. They are all dead. Mr. Strange died in 1848.
...
PAGE 13
I was elected atty Genl of Texas in 1866
- but did not serve the term out being removed by the military authority
of the United States as an obstruction to reconstruction a very arbitrary
exercise of power - destructive of states rights and local self government
- but we were then under the heel of despotism -- helpless and we had to
submit to innumerable outrages -- It was a good thing for me however --
It forced me back to my profession of the law which I followed with diligence
and profit for many years afterwards --
This epitome of my life is given as
an interlude to my career as a soldier - the principal thing that my family
have desired me to write about --
I enlisted in the army of the Confederate
states on the 2nd of March 1862 -- Mostly the army was filled with unmarried
men up to that time - but the reverses we met with at Fort Donelson and
other points in the latter part of the Winter of 1861 & early in 1862
and the pressure upon Genl Lee's army in Va. necessitated that older men
should report for duty -- At this time I was private secretary to Gov Frank
Lubbock -- The courts were closed under the effect of the Stay laws and
the exigencies of war times -- I was a married man with wife & three
young children - but on consultation with my wife, she concurred in my
enlistment - I had been an ardent secessionist - though not believing that
war would follow the action of the Southern States in seceding - but war
did succeed - I resigned the position of private secretary & enlisted
as a private soldier at Austin - At the election for the officers of the
company, I was selected 1st Lieutenant, W. Rust being elected captain.
Thus organised we left home, at once - and joined the 21st Cavalry Regiment
of which G.W. Carter was Colonel which was then rendevousing
...
PAGE 28
I met Maj. Walker, under a flag of truce. At this time I had an all night
with Maj. Walker. Two hundred men prisoners had been sent down to me for
exchange--& Maj. Walker was detailed to receive them. Yes, we made
a night of it--and what time we slept, we slept under the same blanket.
He had brought out various things, such as whiskey, cards, sardines, and
other goodies. We had a royal time. He gambled green backs, against Confederate
money. He gave me a pair of cavalry boots, at this time, and other things.
Did I take them, Yes--for I was nearly naked. Afterwards we met several
times, and if we could make a night of it, we did so. Personally we became
great friends, though we fought fiercely against one another in the field.
...
PAGE 32
...
About this time, another line of prisoners,
some seven or eight hundred, were brought down for exchange and no less
a person than Col. Carter (Col. of my regiment) in charge, with about one
hundred men for an escort. I was soon on hand to give him any assistance
that he might need. One of his prisoners was a woman,
the most beautiful I had seen except for my wife--but in her deportment,
appearance, in her
PAGE 33
looks, her blushes, - the glance of her eye - her smile - her little frown
- its banishment even before it was seen - her every movement - gave evidence
of a devil of a beautiful she devil - that was queen among men --. I got
with Col Carter about ten miles out from Helena --. This prisoner was a
member of the Colonels mess - & was treated with the utmost courtecy
- I asked, why he had her as a prisoner - He said she was deporting her
- that is carrying her from our lines into those of the enemy -"That Headquarters
at Little Rock thought she was a spy - but that they had found nothing
against her" -- It was nearly night & he was about camping - I had
a good long talk with the Colonel, and among other things we canvassed
the woman again.-- I asked him if we had the woman searched to find any
information she might have concealed about her -- so he had not - he did
not think she was a spy - & had nothing to find - The woman kept a
keen observation upon us - but not seeming to do so -- I was introduced
to her, and soon became very friendly -- and after night fall a little,
the moon was nearly full, and shining brightly - she edged me off to one
side to a log, - and we sat there and talked a long time -- She made herself
very interesting -- She was a remarkable woman - Sense - she had sense,
- the sense of a smart man - She seemed to have taken up the idea that
I was inimical to her, there is an inner sense that discovers the truth,
that is hidden to the eye -- I was inimical to her - something very rare
with me - for as a rule a beautiful woman, with pleasing and modest deportment,
is to me an angel, in human form - Her talk with me, - and her demeanor
convinced me, that if she did not have dangerous papers on her, she had
had them.-- I was very pleasant to her, taking in all she intended me to
swallow, - and after awhile returned to where the others were -- The evening
was pleasantly spent & we all retired to rest - when I again went to
Col Carter, and convinced him, that he ought to have the woman examined
for papers - and he concluded to have it done - We took breakfast at a
house in the vicinity - where the wife of the house was a frontiers woman
of a declared type - sensible - straiforward and afraid of nothing - Col
Carter asked me to see this woman & tell her what was desired should
be done to the little woman - I did so - and requested her to take her
to a room and make the search very complete --. I was told afterwards,
that the woman begged and pleaded not to be thus humiliated - and failing
in that, she offered to bribe the searcher, with quite a large sum of money
- but failed there also - She was searched and there was found sewed in
her corset quite a batch of papers, giving full information of military
affairs, west of the Miss River, as could be found in the records at Little
Rock - It was not of much value, but it nevertheless was an exposure as
complete as if a military expert, had had access, to our military archives
-- It exposed this fact also, that there was a traitor in Headquarters,
that had permitted this little woman to squeeze out of him, everything
she wished to know -- I never saw the woman, but once after this and that
was an hour after she was turned loose by the frontier woman. She gave
me a look that I tried to dodge - but she shot it to me - with the remark
that she would get even with me if she had to die to do it -- I lifted
my cap to her and said everything is fair in love and war - and it was
her time next - Our paths crossed no more - Col Carter, was as simple hearted,
and credulous as a child - yet as brave, and fearless as a lion - He was
a college professor and a Methodist preacher - Sincere and honest, but
with little aptitude, for the practical affairs of a rough, and tumble
life --
** We were now about ready
to make the raid into Missouri, with the thousand cavalry under Genl Marmaduke,
of the results of which we were on the penacle of hope -- We thought we
would free Missouri, and have untold numbers of recruits - from all parts
of the State visited --, and put that state on her feet as a whole hearted
constituent of the Confederacy - That state was the theatre of a bloody
internecine war - and we expected our intervention would be of a great
help to our partisans - at least that is what I heard in rumor. I was not
in the counsel of those, who planned the expedition - I was down near Helena,
catching what prisoners I could, and taking care of the scalps of my men
& myself -- I was ordered to cease operations, and come in, to march
with the regiment and brigade on Missouri --
After a council of war with my men then
only nineteen of us - the others being sent off with prisoners - we concluded,
that we could make one more venture, and arrive in time to start with the
command --
...
PAGE 43
...
when all at once, the rear guard came to and through us, crying the
enemy--the enemy--and sure enough there was the enemy right upon us. They
mixed with us quite freely. Such a scrambling to get on our horses--while
some were fighting on foot--and others running to get out of the way--was
never seen. But the enemy was soon repulsed--but they moved back slowly.
I had got on my horse--there was no time to fight organizedly--it was every
man for himself. I was among many others [who] were following the enemy--when
one of them standing behind a tree selected me as his victim--presented
his gun, not five feet away--and was just in the act of firing when Geo.
Cleveland came down on him with his double barreled shot gun--and killed
him "too dead to skin." His gun went off, as he fell--but jarred by the
shot of Cleveland, his shot went into the air instead of into my body.
I lost my diary and cob pipe in the scrimmage--but I did not regret them
as I came out with an unperforated body.
...
PAGE 69
For two weeks I lay around the army "playing
poker" for Confederate money - which was like "playing for chips and whetstones"
- A pair of duces was worth a hundred dollars. But there was a good deal
of fun in it, when you find none better -. John Pitts brother of Billy
Pitts, I remember was the champion player. He won so much Confederate (old
issue) money, that he had it to burn - I did not have time to enjoy the
game long - for as soon as I was good and well again, I was ordered to
the vicinity of Pine Bluff, to scout, around, and see the situation there
-- It was held by the Federals - and was about sixty miles away - I was
glad to have my old men with me - I was given two hundred men with whom
I went down - made a camp about five miles out from the town and at first
took a few men and scouted in close - Found out we had an enemy to deal
with who were very careless - but somehow I could not get hold of them
easily - I sent in two of my men, that were willing to go - as countrymen
hauling wood. They went, acted well their part, got what information I
wanted and reported to me - which consisted of the number of cannon - where
planted - the number of troops and where camped - where headquarters were
- etc. This information was at once sent by courier to Genl Marmaduke -,
but somehow he was not ready to move - to take advantage of the information
- but I was to hover in the vicinity of the town, so I could inform him,
whether it received reinforcements or was decreased in force - We had to
live off the country, and it was no easy matter to feed two hundred men
- by voluntary contribution - & I would not seize the peoples stuff,
by violence - So I stations on the route between me and the army, and there
we drew our supplies - viz - sour flour - and blue beef, from Headquarters
or Brigade Headquarters -. and then were in prime condition - we could
swap of our sour flour, for good corn bread - and our blue beef, for good
fat bacon. The enemy did not move out only semi occasionally - and were
not strong enough to attack, so most of the time we kept "our distance".
- Here in the fall of 1863, I made my first acquaintance with "the ever
to be remembered & never to be
PAGE 70
forgotten" gray backs, or body lice - In moving
around about the country, we camped at old camp of the Federals - and two
days afterwards, I felt like something was moving off with me - and subsisting
on me, while I was being transported. I put my hand to the back of my neck
- and hauled two of the "gray fellows" down. I looked at them - studied
them - and it flashed over me, that I had body lice on me -- I felt ashamed,
I "flushed and blushed" as if I had been caught in some deliberate crime
-- I told nobody of it, but the first opportunity, I went off in the woods
by myself and examined my clothing - yes there they were - in every seam
of my flannel shirt, they were embedded -. In all my underclothing they
had hidden themselves - They made me shudder - but shuddering did no good
- They had come to stay - and stay they did - eating me night and day -
until they made great wounds on me - but a man can get used to anything
- I found that many of the men had been familiar with these varments a
long time - and become accustomed, to their presence - So much so, that
it was part of their amusement to catch the big ones and bet on their fighting
qualities -. It is true that the grown bug, when taken from the bodies
of different men - and placed close together, will rush at one another
like bull dogs, and fight to the death - or until one, being whipped and
wounded, will scramble out of reach of his adversary - This I saw tested
one day when a number of my men, was gathered together, watching very intently
such a fight - They had two "big fellows" on the top of a hat, smoothed
out - There was considerable excitement, and the men had their confederate
money - and was flourishing it, as I have seen men do at a horse race.
I walked up to see what was the matter, and saw the whole fight - The bugs
were just coming together - and they certainly were mad - The gladiators
unarmed save with their natural weapons, joined in conflict - It was a
battle royal - They stood up on their hind feet - They closed in grapple
and would roll over & over -- They seemed never to weary - The battle
lasted five or six minutes - the blood was very perceptible on each one
- Their legs were broken and wounds on their bodies - to such an extent
that they were maimed - and neither could run from the other - The two
warriors could do nothing, but lay on the field of battle and lingering
die -. Actually some of the men would not molest a very fine specimen -
but let him grow and fatten on his own blood until he thought he had the
most robust "gladiator" in camp, - and then would draw him forth privately
and try his powers on a smaller specimen - that he would borrow or steal.
From another man - when he had tested him and made him bold by whipping
smaller fellows - his owner, would challenge the field - having the champion
- & offer to bet on him, like he owned a press that threw off Confederate
money as wanted -- sometimes they made a run with their pampered louse,
and become very flush - and then some man would find a still pampered one,
& win all his money - Many are the ways that idle soldiers find to
amuse themselves - but really I think this was one of most unique ways
that I saw in the army --- I called on two boys for two of their champion
"gladiators" - for a special purpose - they cheerfully gave them, and I
took them & in a letter to my captains wife Mrs. Wm Rust, at Burnet
Texas, enclosed them to her - to see what we could do in the army - They
were received - and proved of the right gender -. & before she was
aware of it. she was in possession, of a large & flourishing colony,
which caused much washing and desenfectants before she could get rid of
it -
Soon after this I was requested to renew
my scouting, and send up information to headquarters as to the situation
at Pine Bluff - not knowing what they wanted with it nevertheless, bussied
myself in obtaining it. The enemy had become in a measure careless - indifferent,
thinking, we were whipped - and was hunting our holes - That was nearly
the truth of the matter - It was little fighting - nothing on a big scale,
was taking place.
...
PAGE 76
...
When the negroes were freed, Denmark wanted to stay with me without
wages or price - but I told him that was not right - that he was a free
man, & I was too poor to make that arrangement with him. He went to
himself - but with regrets - After I got up a little up in the world, I
gave him a mule, and forty acres of good land which he lived on and cultivated
- making a living and living an upright, and honorable life, until he died
in 1907. I attended his funeral, and when he was laid away - I felt as
though I had laid a brother in the grave - During all the time he cultivated
his little farm he came to see me every week & would always bring me
some little thing from the farm - a pig - a chicken - sweet potatoes -
roasting ears -. or one thing or another to show that he remembered me,
& loved me. Ah Denmark - Denmark we will meet on the other shore -
under the shade of the trees - before long where there will be rest - rest
- rest -.
I enjoyed myself with my wife and children,
three boys to my hearts content - grudging every day when the sun went
down - because it brought one day my separation from them - but a furlough
soon ends - The people of Austin bought for me a splendid black horse -
a real war horse - that I was very proud of - and which I shall always
remember as a compliment from my own people. At last the time had come
to go - Banks was moving up the Red River - with a tremendous army, and
all our forces were gathering to meet him - I rode my new horse, almost
to death to get to the battle of Mansfield, but I only got in hearing of
the guns - The battle was over - & finished - as I came poking up -
The enemy was whipped and in full retreat - going at double quick in utter
confusion. I soon found my regiment, and fell into harness. We pushed the
enemy down Red River, and I doing nothing, but sharing the risks and dangers
of my regiment - fighting - fightin all the time - no resting or sleeping.
At length just below Alexandria, I was in charge of the skirmish line -
and driving the enemy as rapidly as was any need for -. Houses were burning,
fences disappearing - dead men on every hand. The Federals was mighty careless
with fire, & the guns went off mighty suddenly, in the presence of
cattle hogs & other stock - We were driving them - with all this desolation,
and destruction around us - We were just going through a large plantation
- and was in
PAGE 77
the lower part of it - where we would enter the forest - All at once, for
some reason, the brigade which was supporting the skirmishers broke through
my lines, and charged the enemy - They made them get up & dust a good
deal faster than I was driving them - I was in a useless position with
my lines broken - so I caused the bugler to sound the call that assembled
the skirmishers in a body - and we commenced falling into the rear of the
Brigade, that had passed through us - My horse was a very fiery one, and
restless - he did not like to be anywhere except one of the head horses
- in the front - As soon as I saw my men begin to assemble I gave my horse
the rein and he just flew to the head of the column - Just as I got to
the front the men officers were entering the forest I have spoken of. When
a tremendous fire was turned on us by the Federals in ambush
- which at once checked our headway compelling a retreat - killing and
wounding quite a number of our men - I was then pulling in my horse with
all my might trying to get him out of the fire i.e. putting him in a retreating
position - when somehow or another I never knew how one rein of my bridle
broke or was shot in two & my horse turned very quickly while I went
over his shoulder - and was there on the ground among dead and wounded
men - frantic horses - but only for a few seconds. I was in thirty feet
of the Federals standing so far as I knew alone - and they shooting as
though a regiment confronted them - The instant I stood there, it seemed
if I had held my cap out, I could have caught it full of bullets - I pulled
out a linnen handkerchief from a Mexican jacket I was wearing - & waved
in token of surrender - but the shooting did not cease - and I thought
it was useless to stand there - that some bullet would take me off - So
I ran the best gait, I could muster - I did not know where I was running
- I was just running. In a short distance I found myself on the bank of
the Red River - They were still shooting at me - I fell down as if I was
shot and struggled as if shot to death - but I struggled with a purpose
- for it was to get over the
PAGE 78
bank -. I succeeded & fell over. It happened to be a preciptous bank
about fifteen feet, down to a sloping sand bank. I fell and a mighty fall
it was - I was pretty fat - and it seemed to me that I busted wide open
- but after falling, I rolled down the sand bank into the river - but luckily
I grabbed a willow root, which anchored me - and kept me from drowning.
There I lay for half an hour with the men fighting - Our men had fallen
back, about three hundred yards, and were fighting the Federals who occupied
their original ambush grounds. I was in the bend of the river in plain
view of the men on the bank, our men as well as the enemy - I had to lay
as if I were dead - One has to strain the mind to conceive the feelings
I endured - I felt that some mischivous fellow, would shoot into me - just
for devilment - I squirmed and twisted and shrunk - all inside, nothing
showing outside - but at last the enemy gave way to continue his retreat.
- You do not know the relief it was to me to hear their fire getting further
& further away - Our men were soon on the ground - and talking about
the boys that were killed, or desperately wounded. I heard my name called
by men, who said they could go to the very spot, where I received my death
wound - They could tell how I was shot - how I acted - that they had seen
the blood spout from my breast, and had seen me throw my hand up to the
wound - They were all mistaken. I had on a red pistol belt which in my
hurried movements to get away from them would slip up and down and I caught
it with my hand to still it and it was the belt they saw, and not my blood
- & they saw my hand go to the belt, instead of to a wound. You never
saw men more surprised and gladder, than my men were, when they saw me
crawl up the River Bank - whole, untouched by wounds, and laughing - There
in the presence of the dead and wounded they took me in their arms &
upon their shoulders, and paraded with me, for ten minutes or more - up
& down, and round and about - So glad were they to find me with them
again and sound & well.
...
PAGE 86
...
We did not resume our place on the Atchafalaya
- there was no use to do so - for we had nothing to do down there except
to fight chills & fever & musketeers, &
that too, without quinine -. The men suffered terribly, as did the officers
- with these little ills - which in the absence of greater ones, to make
the little ones unfelt, can pile themselves, one on another, till death
is preferable itself than to bear them. We once had an epidemic of boils
- I fought it off along time but at last it downed me - One boil came at
a nameless place and one on the forearm - The one was as large, and red,
as a big red apple - the other was among the muscles - I was hors du
combat - completely and had to lie down in the form of a half circle
- I called in the regimental surgion - and told him to lancet the big boil.
Oh major it is not ripe, & it will hurt you very badly - I told him
to lancet it - it could not hurt any worse than it - to lancet it deep
and get down to where it was ripe - He demurred and hesitated - I got mad
- and was on the edge of cursing him - Oh! well, if you will have it so,
here goes - He pulled off his courta [?] and took
a horse lancet - and came at me - I did not flinch - but when he cocked
that lancet into me about two inches I roared and yelled, until you would
have thought, he had cut my head off - but the way the blood and puss,
came away was a caution but surgeonly speaking it was cut too soon - The
wound was there in the quivering flesh - and was nearly as much inflamed
as ever - that was about ten oclock in the day - that night, about 2 oclock
the pickets were driven in - or they came in saying the enemy were upon
us - I had my horse saddled - and made my boy Bill help me up - thinking
I could ride on one side - and protect the boil - and rode off - but old
Jack (my horse) was always a fool, when any excitement was up when he would
come to a stick in the road he would have to jump - he would scare at a
frog, or a flea by the side of him - The first time he jumped he jarred
my boil - the next - he made it touch the saddle. Then he gave a big jump,
and I came co whallop -- square down on the boil. Before my God, I thought
I should die--it hurt so bad. ...
...
...
When I came home from the army, I had
no money--no clothes--but one pair of gray pants and two flannel shirts--and
my celebrated black buck skin suit--that was full of holes. Before I went
to the army I had bought a house for 3000$ -- paid 1500 -- and owed the
balance -- so when I was done soldiering -- I had nothing but a wife and
four children and a house with something like about $2200 due on it. ...
...
...
What did I do, just after the war--when
I was so poorly off. I did anything that I could lay my hands to. I hunted--killed
geese--ducks & squirrels & sold them. I fished, & brought the
fish to market--was employed by Sampson & Henricks to go to Brenham--on
some business--and walked back to save the stage charge (15$). I wrote
for Frank Brown, District Clerk--bringing up old records. I copied the
opinions of the Supreme Court for publication in the Houston Telegraph.
I did this--that--and everything there was a dollar for me in. You must
know I was disfranchised, and could not vote. I was disbarred as a lawyer,
and could not practice my profession. The Federal authorities took my vote
and license away, I was in a very bad row of stumps. But I anticipate things
as they happened. In August 1866, I was elected Atty. General of the State--and
my affairs grew a little more agreeable. We had reorganised the State Government
when Gov. Throckmorton was elected the Governor, Geo. W. Jones, Lt. Governor--Col.
Robards, Comptroller, and as I have said, I as Attorney General. The government
worked smoothly, and all was beginning to be prosperous and to have a peaceful
outlook--when in 1867--the military of the United States took possession
of everything--which was the beginning of the direct confusion to last
seven years. We were all turned out of office, to the last man, State--District,
and County--and the State put under military rule.
Additional Pieces From Walton's Letters (Providing More Insights Into the
Times)
Note: the following was written when Walton was 24 years old.
09/08/1856 Letter to Lettie (wife):
...
I recieved a circular from Kansas this evening - they are in open,
declared war there now - The abolitionists have whipped out the Southerners,
as well as the United States Army -. The Southern men have fallen back
into Missouri, and are rallying themselves - and calling upon all southern
men, to come to the rescue. They have taken up arms now in real down good
earnest & we may soon hear of the most desperate and bloody work going
on there -. If I were a single man I should be in the thickest of the difficulty
at the earliest moment I could go there - And it may be, that married men
in a few weeks will have to shoulder thier rifles and fly to the rescue
-. I believe myself, now, from all the indications, that the great battle
between the North & the South, is now being commenced in Kansas, &
that gradually the excitement will like an immense malstroom, draw the
two sections into deadly combat. I believe the hours of the Union are numberd
-. The American flag - that Star Spangled Banner, which so long has waved
over the home of the free, & the land of the brave, will now be rent
in twain by the accursed fanaticism of the North -. I have hoped, which
even yet, lingeringly remains, that, that old glorious flag, would float
over me & mine, for generations to come; but if this proves, so, a
great and radical change must take place, very suddenly -. There is not
a doubt but what the Ship of State is drifting, at the mercy of the waves
of fanaticism, towards the breakers, of dissolution. When that day comes,
well may we say, farewell, liberty, forever farewell - Ye, take your flight
from earth - thou art too pure and exalted to dwell upon the earth, among
depraved men. This is a awful state of circumstances to behold, but we
must meet the issue, boldly like men - it would be cowardice to distrust
our powers now -. The war is upon us, we must fight it out.
...
08/27/1856 excerpt from a Letter to Lettie (wife),
found in file marked "deleted from letters" :
...
Miss Joe Bremond was detected yesterday morning having intercourse
with a member of the Legislature. Bremond took his pistol and made him
marry Joe -. It has created a good deal of remark and scandal over town
-. You know she stood as fair as any lady in Town -: but she gave way to
temptation & is now ruined - lost to all claim to decent standing in
society - How utterly mortified & humiliated she must feel now - Not
for thousands would she have been caught -. She has been carrying it on
now for five or six weeks -. when they were detected her legs were wrapt
round or rather across the mans back -. Now wasn't this a nice fix for
an unmarried female to be in -. I will tell you more about it in my next
-.
NOTES (by John Bitsche)
Per the book, the above reminiscences were passed
from Major Walton to his only daughter, Mrs. Sarah Walton Parmele, who
gave it to her daughter, Mrs. Louise Parmele Johnson, at the time of Mrs.
Johnson's marriage in 1925. Mrs. Johnson gave the manuscript to the Austin-Travis
County Collection of the Austin Public Library in 1965.
Back to my home page.
Page Last Updated: Sept. 24, 1997