He was court-martialed for this disobedience of orders, and reprimanded by the secretary of the navy; but as this reprimand was published by Sec. Gideon Welles, it was more of a compliment to him for his good judgment than a censure for the disobedience of orders. He com manded the steamer "Mount Vernon " from May till September, 1861, after which he was assigned to duty in the Mississippi river flotilla, where he served with ability until September, 1863. He commanded the gunboat "Taylor" and the squadron of gun-boats at the battle of Belmont in co-operation with Gen. Grant, by whom he was complimented for his services in protecting the retreat. He had the gunboat "Carondelet" in the engagement and capture of Fort Henry, 6 Feb., 1862, for which he, with other officers of Flag-Officer Foote's squadron, received a vote of thanks from congress and the state of Ohio. With the same vessel he was in the capture of Fort Donelson, 13-16 Feb., 1862, during which he bore the brunt of the engagement. In this ship he ran the batteries of Island No. 10, 17 March, 1862, a feat that had never been performed before by the Mississippi river flotilla. It was done at night during a violent storm with only the lightning and the flashes of the enemy's guns to indicate the course down the river. After this he led in the "Carondelet" at the battle at Fort Pillow, 11 May, 1862, and at Memphis, 6 June, 1862, when the.Confederate gun-boats were captured and sunk, during which contest he chiefly engaged the ram "Arkansas." He was commissioned a captain, 16 July, 1862, and took command of the iron-clad ram "Lafayette," in which he ran the batteries at Vicksburg, and served in the battle of Grand Gulf, Miss., 29 April, 1863. He dispersed Gen. Richard Taylor's army at Simmsport, La., and blockaded the mouth of Red river, 4 June, 1863. He was transferred to the steamer "Fort Jackson," 24 July, 1863. and continued to render valuable services on the Mississippi river until 24 Sept., 1863, when he was detached and placed in command of the steamer "Sacramento" to chase the "Alabama." He was promoted to commodore, 25 July, 1866, and to rear-admiral, 13 July, 1870, and voluntarily went on the retired list, 26 April, 1871. He is the author of " Naval Scenes in the Civil War " (New York, 1877). He is a good artist, and his sketches of the scenes in the civil war are valuable additions to the above-mentioned work.
WALKEM, George Anthony, Canadian jurist, b. in Newry, Ireland, 14 Nov., 1834, and came to Canada with his father, Charles, who was on the
Royal engineer staff in Canada. He was educated at McGill college, studied law, and was admitted to the bar of Lower Canada in 1855. He settled
in British Columbia in 1862, was a member of the legislature for several years preceding the union in 1867, appointed a member of the executive council, 12 Jan., 1872, and was chief commissioner of lands and works from that date till 23 Dec, of the same year, when he became attorney-general. He
held this portfolio till 11 Feb., 1874, when he became premier. He occupied the latter office again in 1878, was appointed puisne judge of the supreme
court of British Columbia in 1882, and became revising-officer in 1885. In June, 1874, he was a delegate from British Columbia to England to present the case of that province on the subject of the differences between it and the Dominion government relative to the construction of the Canadian Pacific railway, which differences were amicably settled by the friendly intervention of Lord Carnarvon. Mr. Walkem is president of the Law society of British Columbia, a fellow of the Royal geographical society, and a member of the British association for the advancement of science. — His brother, Richard Thomas, lawyer, b. in Waterford, Ireland, 30 Sept., 1840, was educated at McGill college, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1865, and began practice in Kingston. He became queen's counsel in 1880, the same year was appointed professor of equity in Queen's university, Kingston, which chair he still fills, and since 1884 has been vice-president of the art-school. He has been a delegate to the synod of the diocese of Ontario for twenty years, and for fifteen years to the provincial synod. He published a work on "Wills" (Toronto, 1874), and " The Married Women's Property Acts " (1875).
WALKER, Abraham Joseph, jurist, b. near Nashville, Tenn., in 1818 ; d. in Montgomery, Ala., 25 April, 1872. He was graduated at Nashville
university in 1838, admitted to the bar in 1841, and began practice at Jacksonville, Ala., in 1842. He became a successful lawyer and Democratic
legislator, and in 1852 removed to Talladega. He was appointed one of the state chancellors in 1854, was judge of the state supreme court in 1856-'9,
and its chief justice in 1859-'-68.
WALKER, Alexander, journalist, b. in Fred-
ericksburg, Va., 13 Oct., 1819. He received a good
education, taught while pursuing legal studies, was
graduated at the law department of the University
of Virginia, and removed to New Orleans, La.,
where he practised law and became a journalist at
the same time. He was the editor of the "Jeffersonian," which was established as the organ of the Louisiana Democracy, and afterward of the
"Delta," the "Times," the "Herald," the "Picayune," and for some time of the Cincinnati "Enquirer." He was appointed judge of the city
court of New Orleans by the governor, and in
January, 1861, was a member of the secession con-
vention of Louisiana. He has published " Jackson
and New Orleans" (New York, 1856); "Life of
Andrew Jackson"; and, during the civil war, "History of the Battle of Shiloh" (New Orleans) and "Butler at New Orleans."
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WALKER, Amasa, political economist, b. in Woodstock, Conn., 4 May, 1799; d. in Brookfield, Mass., 29 Oct., 1875. He received a district-school education in North Brookfield, where among his fellow-students was William C. Bryant. In 1814 he entered commercial life, and in 1820 formed a partnership with Allen Newell in North Brookfield, but three years later withdrew to become the agent of the Methuen manufacturing company. In 1825 he formed with Charles G. Carleton the firm of Carleton and Walker, of Boston, Mass., but in 1827 he went into business independently. In 1840 he withdrew permanently from commercial affairs, and in 1842 he went to Oberlin, Ohio, on account of his great interest in the college
