Existing comment:
General John Walker
CSA
1822-1893
From his position high atop Loudoun Heights on September 14, 1862, Confederate General John G. Walker heard the sound of battle on nearby South Mountain. Convinced that the Northern army was coming to liberate the Union soldiers trapped in Harpers Ferry, Walker recognized the need to begin and end the battle for the town before the enemy reinforcements arrived. However, two miles west on School House Ridge, "Stonewall" Jackson was carefully planning the artillery bombardment of the Northerners trapped in Harpers Ferry. Jackson's lengthy orders, signal-flagged from ridge to mountaintop and back, delayed any artillery fire until all was ready. Walker could not convince Jackson that an opposing force was rapidly approaching, so he decided to bait the enemy artillery at Harpers Ferry. Walker dared the Union gunners to fire at him by momentarily exposing his infantry. Walker then fired back in self-defense without disobeying Jackson's orders and the battle for Harpers Ferry began. |