Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 3.djvu/230

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

12. 1861, he was ordered to relieve John Rodgers, in command of the little flotilla on the Mississippi river, and with a detail of officers he reconnoitered down the Missis- sippi to Columbus. In November he con- veyed Gen. Grant's transports to Belmont, and led in the attack on that place, pre- vented the landing of a Confederate force, and protected Grant's army as it re-em- barked on the transports. Commander Walke was transferred to the Carondclct and on February 6, 1862, took part in the assault upon Fort Henry under Flag-Officer Foote, and during the interval after the surrender of the fort and before the arrival of Grant, he was in command of the fort. Under orders from Grant, Walke proceeded to Fort Donelson and engaged the enemy on February 13, 1862. Foote arrived in the evening and on the afternoon of February 14, the entire fleet renewed the attack, the Car- ondclct suffering severely. After undergoing some repairs, the Carondclct joined Foote's fleet above Island No. 10 and on March 30, 1862, Walke volunteered to run the gauntlet of the forts and support Pope at New Madrid. This he accomplished on the night of April 4, 1862. and on April 7, silenced the batteries at Watson's Landing and covered the landing of Pope's army and the capture of the Island. When, on May 10, 1862, eight Confederate rams, steamed up the river at full speed to attack mortar boat No. 16 and her consort the Cincinnati, the CarondcU't was practically the only boat ready for an encounter. She attacked the boats and drove them all under the protection of Fort Pillow before the other Union boats arrived. Vurt Pillow was abandoned, June 4. and on June 6, Walke, with the Carondclct, engaged in the battle ot Memphis. I^'arragut moved up to \ icks-

burg, passed the fleets and was joined by Capt. Davis, who had succeeded Foote. In making a reconnoisance of the Yazoo river, Walke, meeting with the ram Arkansas, retreated and was pursued until, with his steering gear disabled, he ran close into the bank, and the ram in passing discharged repeated broadsides into the Carondclct, and kept on her way to Vicksburg. He was pro- moted captain, July 16, 1862, was given command of the gun-boats patrolling the river below Helena, and in December made an excursion up the Yazoo. He led the sec- ond division of Porter's fleet at Grand Gulf, April 29, 1863, and remained in the Missis- sippi squadron until September 24, 1863, when he was assigned to the Sacramento and sent in search of the Alabama. \\ hen he arrived at Lisbon he learned of her de- struction by the Kcarsargc, but he blockaded the Rappahnnnock at Calais for fifteen months, and after her escape, pursued her to Liverpool, where he held her until the end of the war. He was promoted commo- dore, July 25. 1866; rear-admiral, July 13. 1 870, and was retired at his own request. April 26, 1871. He is the author of: "Naval Scenes and Reminiscences of the Civil \\ ar" (1S77). He died in Brooklyn. New York, March 8, 1896.

Brice, Benjamin W., was born in \'ir- ginia, 1809. He was graduated from West Point in 1829, and served on frontier duty at Jefiferson barracks. Missouri, in 1829-30, at Fort Armstrong. Illinois. 1830-31. and on the expedition against the Sac Indians in i8y. He resigned February 13, 1832, and from 1S35 to 1S39 was brigade major of the ( ihio militia. In 1845 he was counsellor-at- l.-.w and associate judge of common pleas.