Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/735

Rh brigade, which, by the death of the gallant Pegram, was left without a brigadier, and in which was his old regiment, the Thirteenth Virginia, a body of troops than whom, he has often been heard to say, no braver ever fought in all the famous armies of the world. His request was granted. Being the senior brigadier, during Early's absence in the valley of Virginia, with an independent command, he led two brigades of the division in a successful attack on Hare's hill. Still at the head of this division General Walker retreated, with General Lee, fighting by the way at Sailor's creek, High Bridge and Farmville, to Appomattox, where he surrendered himself and about 1,500 officers and men to Grant. The war over, General Walker returned to his home in Pulaski county, and immediately went to work putting out a crop of corn, with the two mules he had brought home from the army with him. As soon as possible he began to practice law, and gave his entire time to his profession until the summer of 1868. In that year, without any solicitations on his part, he was nominated as the conservative candidate for lieutenant-governor, and had canvassed several counties before the election was postponed by order of the military authorities, and Congress commenced reconstructing the State. When later it was found expedient to nominate a Northern Democrat and Gilbert C. Walker's name was mentioned, General Walker withdrew his name and canvassed the State for Walker against Wells. In 1871 he was elected to the house of delegates. In 1876 he was made lieutenant-governor on the ticket with Governor Holliday. During the debt controversy in Virginia, General Walker sided actively with the debt-paying element. After his term as lieutenant-governor expired, he took, for several years, little part in State politics, being kept busy by the demands of a large law practice. He was also much interested and very active in the development of the mineral resources of Virginia. While studying the interests of his section of the State, he became an enthusiastic "Protectionist" in politics, and, at that time, indeed, the Democratic party in southwestern Virginia was pronounced in its advocacy of protection principles. When, a year or two later, Mr. Cleveland avowed his free trade policy and became the Democratic leader and their candidate for President, General Walker severed his