Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/926

866 During the years that have since intervened, Mr. Falger has been successfully engaged in business in southwest Virginia and Wytheville.

Walter W. Faulkner, a prosperous citizen of Newport News, enjoys the distinction of having been the youngest member of Colonel Mosby's cavalry and one of the youngest soldiers of the Confederacy. He was born at Winchester, Va., October 16, 1849, and was educated at the Virginia college, a military school at that place. His father was Isaac H. Faulkner, a native of Maryland, who was in successful business as a merchant at Winchester, and died in 1894, at the age of seventy-eight years. His grandfather Faulkner came to America, about the time of the Revolution, as sailing master of a British man-of-war, and, being in sympathy with the colonists, espoused their cause and was in the Continental service until the close of the war, when he settled in Maryland. The mother of Walter W. was Julia A., daughter of John Frederick, of Virginia, but a German by nativity, who was trained as a soldier in the German army, and, serving under Gen. Sam Houston in the Texan war for independence, received a wound at San Jacinto which caused his death. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Faulkner was Conrad Kremer, a soldier of the Revolution, who marched with Morgan to Quebec and was captured in the battle before that city. Walter Faulkner, studying quietly in the institute at his native town, had no idea of being called upon to emulate the warlike valor of his ancestors until the country was aroused by the demonstration made against Harper's Ferry by John Brown in 1859. He then, though only eleven years of age, accompanied the cadets to the threatened point and shared their service. At the outbreak of more serious troubles in 1861 he was too young to be admitted to the ranks, but was compelled to remain in school through 1861, 1862 and 1863. Finally, about July 1, 1864. he became enrolled in the command of Colonel Mosby, at Upperville, and participated in the daring and romantic operations of that body of troopers until in February, 1865, he was captured at Hillsboro, Va., while acting as a scout on detached duty. After this misfortune he was carried to Fort McHenry, Md., and there confined as a prisoner of war, with many other gallant sons of the South for several long and weary months. It was not until July 4, 1865, that he was paroled and permitted to return to his home. He soon afterward went from Winchester to Lynchburg and found employment with his brother as clerk in a drug store, and, deciding to embrace the profession of medicine, studied in that line, besides acquiring a practical knowledge of pharmacy. In the fall of 1867 he entered the medical school of the university of Maryland, but, after taking one course of lectures, was compelled to abandon his professional ambition on account of a total loss of the powers of the olfactory nerve. For several years subsequently he was engaged in business with his father at Winchester, and during this period he served with the rank of captain upon the regimental staff of Col. William L. Bumgartner, of the State militia. In 1884 he embarked in the lumber and fruit business in Florida, and in 1887 entered the lumber trade at Baltimore as the partner of H. Clay Tunis, under the firm name of Tunis & Faulkner. His residence at Newport News began