• Preface
  
• Introduction
  
• Yosemite
  
• Grand Canyon
  
• Chief Walker
  
• Walker Pass
  
• Rutherford
  
• Topogs
  
• 1776
  
• Timeline
  
• Family Pictures
  

Joseph R. Walker

by

REBrammer

Myth and Reality:

Joe Walker was actually born in Virginia and moved to Tennessee at a young age.

Joe Walker did “Not” have any brothers or cousins die at the Alamo.

Joe Walker was neither "Scot" or "Irish"

Joe Walker did “Not” see Yosemite Valley.

Joe Walker was 6'1" "Not" 6'4"

Walker Pass on SR 178 by Lake Isabella in the southern Sierra Nevada is “Not” Joe Walker’s Pass of 1834.

 

The Travels of Capt. Joseph R. Walker

Joseph Rutherford Walker, fur trapper, hunter, trail blazer, explorer, military guide, cattleman, miner, and sheriff. Capt. Joe Walker was one of the most interesting men that lived during the 1800s. Hubert Howe Bancroft was quoted as saying . . ."Captain Joe Walker was one of the bravest and most skilled of the mountain men; none was better acquainted than he with the geography or the native tribes of the Great Basin; and he was withal less boastful and pretentious than most of his class."

"I was strongly impressed by the simple and upright character of Capt. Walker, and his mountain comrades spoke in the highest praise of his ability. Fremont, Kit Carson, Bill Williams, Alex Godey, Vincenthaler, Ferguson, and others, all agreed in saying that as a mountain man, Captain Walker had no superior." These were the words of Lafayette Bunnell, the man that named Yosemite Valley. Bunnell met with Captain Walker on numerous occasions in the 1850s to discuss Walker's route over the Sierra Nevada Mountains into the San Joaquin Valley.

Daniel Conner was a member of the Walker party during the Arizona adventure and wrote down all his experiences. Conner's later writing's were responsible for shedding light on the Mangas Coloradas affair at Fort McLean. Conner's also had very strong feeling about Joseph R. Walker and shared them:

"I was with him [Walker] two years of his last explorations of our mountain country under the most desperate hardships and still I could never see any change in him. Always cool, firm, and dignified. "I never heard him tell any wonderful story. He was too reticent about his certainly bleak and wild experiences and he was never given to saying foolish things under any circumstance. Brave, truthful, he was as kindly as a child, yet occasionally he was ever austere. I was but a boy and he kept me out of dangerous places without letting me know it or even know how it was done. ". . . my greatest concern is the fear that his character will never be known as well as it ought to be. His services have been great and unostentatious, unremunerated and but little understood. Modesty was his greatest fault."

"Uncle Joe," as Walker was sometimes called, started his adventurous career at fifteen when he and his brother Joel Walker joined Colonel John Brown's mounted riflemen to serve under Andrew Jackson in the Indians Wars of 1812-15. Walker was present when his kinsman Sam Houston climbed the log fortification to breech the Red Sticks stronghold. By the age of twenty Walker was already roaming the country side hunting and trapping. In 1819, Joe and his family moved to the farthest corner of the frontier to take up land at what was known as Fort Osage. By 1820 Walker was again off to the Rocky Mountains.

Walker played an increasing roll in developing the Santa Fe Trail, and possibly was with Becknell's party when they took wagons to Santa Fe. Walker was with Stephen Cooper and his brother Joel Walker when they arrived at Santa Fe. In 1825 President James Monroe signed a bill providing $30,000 to survey a wagon road to Santa Fe, and Joseph Walker was hired as a guide and hunter for the party. In June 1827, Walker was appointed as the first sheriff of Jackson County. Joe Walker served two terms as sheriff and would have seen the reward notice for young Kit Carson when he ran away from home. Walker's kinsman Ewing Young took Kit under his wing and Kit developed into a first rate mountain man. In 1830 Walker met Captain Benjamin Bonneville and was hired as the chief guide for the largest beaver hunting party to leave for the Rockies. In 1833, Walker guided the famous Bonneville expedition into California.

In California Walker was offered seven square miles of land by the Governor José Figueroa. Walker, however, refused the offer and left California in the spring, crossing the Sierra Nevada Mountain by what was called Walker Pass. Many assumed it was the pass Walker had led Edward Kern through during frémont's 1845-46 Expedition. Kern however mentions Walker's northern pass in his notes, and years later Walker confirmed he used the northern pass in 1834. During the 1840s Walker was all over the Rocky Mountains leading hunting parties.

Walker also made a number of return trips to California and established a good business in buying horses and trading them in the mountains. In 1843 Walker guided the Chiles party into California and safety to Gilroy's rancho. Walker then made his way to pueblo de Los Angeles and purchased horses to sell in the Rookies. At Mountain Meadows, Walker came upon fremont and guided him back to Bent's Fort. frémont convinced Walker to be his chief guide for his up coming expedition and Walker agreed to meet frémont the next year near Bear River. Walker was with frémont, Kern and the others at the Hawks Peak affair and soon after asked for his leave. Again Walker went to Los Angeles to purchase horses and mules, and this time he delivered the herd to the Army at Bents Fort in present day Colorado.

With all the excitement during the gold rush in California in 1849-50, Walker, together with a couple of nephews, traded supplies and animals with the miners in the hills. In the early part of the 1850s, Walker again was moved to explore unknown regions. He set out with a few men and explored the southwest corner of what became Utah. Not liking the country with its twisting steep canyons, Walker doubled back to the Virgin River and crossed the Colorado into what later became known as Arizona territory. Moving east along the great canyon, Walker finally reached an area with a number of ruins, possibly those near Sunset Crater [Flagstaff area]. Leaving the ruins Walker visited the Moquis Indians [Hopi] on their mesa and then continued on to Santa Fe where he offered his services to the Army as Guide. The Army refused on the grounds that they had already hired three men as guides. Walker apparently give the survey party landmarks to look for, because in reading the reports they traveled back over some of the same ground and discovered the petrified forest and ruins.

Walker left New Mexico and traveled by the southern route and arrived in Los Angeles to purchase cattle and horses. With William Garman, Walker discovered Priest Valley and named it. The Valley however was known as Walker Valley until the early 1870s. In 1853 Walker had a cattle rancho near his friend Julius Martin's in the Gilroy area. At this time Walker was asked to testify before the Senate Committee on Public Lands as to the best route for a railroad to the east. Returning to Gilroy, Walker moved his rancho to an area near Walker Peak, approximately 25 miles nearly due east of Mission Soledad. In 1858 Walker was again on the trail, looking for gold with George Lount, and was attacked by Indians near the head waters of the Mojave River. The party returned to Los Angeles for medical attention, Walker was then hired by the Army as a guide for the Mojave expedition along with William Goodyear. Col. Hoffman expedition, upon reaching the Colorado River, is attacked by the Mojave and retreats back to Los Angeles. Col. Hoffman reported to General Clarke, and a second expedition was formed and Walker was again chosen as the chief guide to lead the Expedition against the Mohave Indians up the Colorado River from Fort Yuma.

After returning to California Walker put together a group of miners to go to the new mines at Mono Lake. The following year Walker formed the famous Arizona Expedition. During this period the civil war broke out in New Mexico as Walker and his men reached Santa Fe. During the Confederate invasion of New Mexico, Walker remained in the mountains near Fort Union awaiting the return of his men that had volunteered to fight for the Union. When the Confederates were driven out of New Mexico, Walker took his men to Colorado, and formed what became known as the Walker Prospecting and Mining Company. The Walker Party then left Pueblo Colorado and moved back into New Mexico and eventually we’re involved in the capture of Mangas Coloradas. From the Pinos Altos area, Walker guided his men to Tucson, and then to the area that became known as Prescott, where they found rich mines. Walker and his men held the county until the Governor's party arrived and claimed the area as the Territory of Arizona. In 1867 Walker retired to his nephew's "Manzanita" ranch at Walnut Creek to live out his life.

Captain Joe Walker is buried in the Alhambra Pioneer Cemetery near Martinez, CA. The peaceful, oak-studded, cemetery overlooks the Bay of Suisun just inside the Straight of Carquinez, near the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. [G. Andrew Miller]

Comments by REBrammer

On May 13^th 1846, the U.S. government declared War on Mexico.

Apparently unaware, Captain Walker with 7 hands that included, Frank McClellan, Solomon Sublette, William Garman, Walter Reddick, & Charles Taplin, were busy driving nearly 500 horses & mules south past Willow Springs to the Cajon Pass bound for the States. Willow Springs was visited by Padre Garcés in 1776 while following the old Horse Thief Trace later known as Joe Walker Trail. From here they followed the Old Spanish Trail to Utah Lake up the Provo and thence over a range of the Bears Mountains and ultimately arrived in safety at Fort Bridger, on the Black's fork of Green River.

Joe Walker was still smoldering over Lt John Charles Fremont's abandonment and desertion at Gavilan Peak on March the 9^th, where the party Walker had led to California were having a "face down" with General Jose Castro over a disagreement about the ownership of one of the American party's horses. Joe Walker was one never to walk away from a fight, knew the nature of Spanish and their inherent weaknesses. Old friend and U.S. Consol in Monterey, Thomas O. Larkin wrote to the Secretary of State James Buchanan that the Mexican authorities had not intended to attack fremont on Gavilan Peak, but instead were posturing for the benefit of Mexico City. Indeed, said Larkin, he was very confident that with all California he (Castro) would not have attached him (fremont). It seems that most of those summoned by General Castro had no intention of actually appearing. They had made a show of responding wrote Larkin, to give substance to the report that had been sent to the supreme government of Mexico. Larkin's surmise was correct, General Castro later said that while he had ample authority to attack fremont...he had no intention of doing so. He admitted that he had exploited the affair to advance his reputation in Mexico.

In fact, Castro had sent Joe Walker's old friend John Gilroy to fremont's camp on March the 11^th, carrying a message from Castro offering a satisfactory arrangement to end the controversy, only to find the camp deserted and the fires still burning, as fremont had apparently retreated north towards Oregon. fremonts party included Miles Goodyear who had joined the group when they passed thru Utah. It was at this point Captain Walker unhindered by Mexicans...sold his pelts at Gilroy’s ranch who lived adjacent to Julius Martin where he was joined by Frank McClellan. Together they started buying the horses that he would take in late March to Isaac William’s Chino Rancho near Pueblo de Los Angeles for staging.  

As an added attraction Secretary Buchanan had written Larkin a letter dated October 17, 1845:

...the President (Polk) has thought proper to appoint you a "Confidential Agent" in California; and you may consider the present Despatch as your authority for acting in this character. This confidence which he reposes in your patriotism and discretion is evinced by conferring upon you this delicate and important trust.

Buchanan's letter reached Larkin on April 17, 1846 and was delivered by the President's "Secret Agent", USMC Lt Archibald H. Gillespie. In comparison, Captain Joseph R. Walker was a government "Special Agent" and had a deeper insight on the situation that directed his need to acquire horses & mules for the US Army back in the States.

Family always being on his mind, Captain Walker steered towards Fort Bridger where his wife and children were located and arrived around July 4th. Everyone here was well acquainted with Captain Jo and here the party remained for some time. Taking care of business at hand, by early August Walker with wife in tow took the remainder of his horses and mules toward Bents Fort. Because of hostilities with marauding Indians his party decided to pursue a more southerly course after Fort Laramie and ran along the Rockies arriving at Bent's Fort on August 26th. Due to this ironical distraction they just missing General Stephen Watts Kearny and his Army of the West that had passed by on August 2^nd. (The Sangamo Journal recorded in September of 1846 that Solomon Sublette had arrived at Bent's Fort on August 17th with 80 mules) After setting up camp eight miles upstream from the fort, Captain Walker gave Frank McClellan funding and instructions to travel to Missouri and return next spring with trade supplies. (See index reports)

At some point Joe Walker had discharged Garman & Sublette, who we later find in St Louis in September along with nephew Frank McClellan. Frank was the son of Abraham McClellan, former Missouri State Treasurer, who had married Joe's sister back in Tennessee. Walker intending to spend the winter with his Snake Indians, made business arrangement with Frank for the following Spring, the two had planned to meet back at Bent's Fort.

While in St Louis, Garman & Sublette gained government jobs and in January of 1847 we find them leaving Fort Leavenworth headed to Santa Fe as military couriers. Now what exactly Captain Walker was doing from September to March we are totally clueless. My best guess is that Miles Goodyear had taken a pack train of hides from northern Utah south by the Old Spanish Trail and then on to California. in late 1846 or early 1847 and that Goodyear learned about the trail from fellow mountain man Joseph Walker. On March 27th, 1847 Captain Walker and two others did reappear when they intercept Solomon Sublette and two of his men near Serafina, New Mexico, who were returning to Missouri carrying military messages on the accounts of the Battle of Chihuahua. Perhaps Garman, Reddick, or Charles Taplin were in this group!

In record time, this small group reached Fort Leavenworth on April 21^st. Sublette continued on to St Louis while Captain Walker went to Independence. Coincident or not, as Solomon was entering St Louis, Frank McClellan was leaving St Louis with trade supplies headed for Independence.

St. Louis, in late spring 1847, the talk was about the war in Mexico. 

Doniphan led Missouri troops in 1846, during the Mexican War. His volunteers, rough-hewn Missouri frontiersmen, were unaccustomed to military discipline, but Doniphan won their loyalty and turned them into an effective fighting force. In 1847 he led his outnumbered troops into battle against better-equipped Mexican forces at the Battle of Brazito and Sacramento. Doniphan's strategic skill and the fighting spirit of Missouri's volunteers led to decisive American victories in both engagements. Doniphan also played a key role in restoring law and order to the Mexican region. As military governor of Santa Fe, he revised the region's civil and criminal codes and established a bill of rights for New Mexico citizens. (See Index report)

Upon his arrival in Independence, Captain Walker reported the success of Col. Doniphan's Regiment, mostly men from Missouri, to the local newspaper. 

March 13, 1847 Report of Colonel Alexander Doniphan's taking of El Paso

ARMY OF THE NORTH

The St. Louis Republican has accounts from Santa Fe to the 14th of January. At that time but little further was known of the movements of Colonel Doniphan. Some Mexicans, who were in the battle of Brazito, reported that Colonel Doniphan entered El Paso on the 28th of December, and took possession without resistance—the military force which he met on the 25th and defeated having scattered to the mountains. The attempt to produce a revolution in Santa Fe was to have been made on Christmas night. It was a time when great numbers of Mexicans were expected to congregate in Santa Fe for the purpose of attending the ceremonies of the Catholic Church. A very large number were in attendance from all sections of the country; and no doubt by preconcert. A priest from El Paso, habited as greaser, was present and took an active part in all the preliminary arrangements. But the whole plot was disclosed to the Americans by Mexican women, and the authorities were able to secure a good many of the leaders.

After finishing his business in St. Louis, Frank McClellan traveled to Independents to see relatives before heading into the mountains to meet his uncle Joe. Arriving at Samuel Walkers ranch, McClellan said it "was no little surprise" to find his Uncle there. 

What had caused Capt. Walker to change his plans?  Walker after visiting with old friends around Independent settled in at his brother Samuel's place.  It was here that Frank McClellan found him.

In reality, Frank (David) McClellan, his sister Lucy McClellan and a young 7 year girl named Mary Gipson lived next door to Samuel Walker. Samuel was 47y at the time and the rest in the family were Barbara at 41y, Jane at 17y, John at 10y, Barbara Ann at 7y, James T. at 21y and Joseph R. at 14y. In addition there would have been Captain Walker's 77 year old mother Susan Willis Walker, a additional female between 30 & 40y and a boy between 10-15 y. Five years later in 1852 when Samuel moved to California these last three people were not with him.

Note: It is only my speculation but it appears that Joe Walker's mother may have died around this time, causing his change of plans. 

During the summer of 1847, at a family gathering in Independence, Joe Walker remarked that white people were "too damn mean" and was going back to live with the Indians. For all we know, he went back to protect them.

 Note: Miles & Andrew Goodyear were cousins to Charles Goodyear creator of vulcanized rubber from India rubber. All together here were four brothers = William B. Goodyear-1807, Andrew Goodyear-1810, Titus Goodyear-1812, Miles Goodyear-1817.

 In fact...Bill Williams led this battalion against his own Ute Indian tribe. Joe Walker had first hand information that something was about to happen. . In 1848 Williams and James Kirker would served as guide, interpreter, and spy for the campaign of Maj. William W. Reynolds and the Third Regiment of Missouri Mounted Volunteers against the Utah Indians.

In late August of 1847, Uncle Joe told nephew Frank McClellan he was ready to go; with Frank being under the understanding that they would be going straight through to California.

Leaving on September 2^nd, the pair was joined by Joe's brother Samuel's son, James T. Walker. Joe Walker would never return to Missouri again.

Traveling at a jolly good pace the trio, over took Andrew Goodyear on September 15^th by the Little Vermilion River. Andrew and four others had left Independence on the 1st and were headed to Ogden, Utah to find his brother Miles "Red Deer" Goodyear, who owned a small trading post just east of Salt Lake known as Fort Buenaventura. Earlier that summer in July, Miles had driven a herd of California horses to Missouri.

Soon after joining Goodyear, the combined party, on the 18th fell in with Pierre D. Papin and six men at Ketchum's Creek who were headed to Fort Laramie. Papin was a noted fur trader and the bourgeois of Fort Laramie and agent at Fort Pierre.

By September 26^th Walker reached the Platte River and on October 6^th he encountered Brigham Young at Cedar Bluffs, who was on his return East from Salt Lake. They informed Walker that Commodore Stockton and 40 men were a few miles away and had saw Miles on the 25th of August. Young ask Captain Walker to deliver a message for him to Parley Pratt.

To Parley P. Pratt, John Taylor, Presidency of the Stake of Zion, and the High Council of the City of the Great Salt Lake City, Great Basin, North America.

Dearly beloved brethren:

After a communication to you of 7th October, 1847, which we sent by the hands of Captain Walker, who was on his way to California, we continued our journey without any thing of note taking place until the 18th of October, when our eyes were gladdened by meeting 16 of the brethren who had started from Winter Quarters…

Brigham Young, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Finally on October 16^th Walker reaches Fort Laramie where Papin and his men depart.

On the 2nd of November the Court-martial of fremont at Fort Monroe, Virginia began. In January he was found guilty of mutiny, disobedience & conduct prejudicial to good order & military discipline.

On the 8^th of November, the Goodyear/Walker party reach the Henry's fork of the Green river not far from Fort Bridger and attempt to cross thru a southern pass but were prevented due to heavy snows about 100 miles east of Salt Lake, therefore Andrew and Tom Sprague decided to move ahead leaving the wagons and supplies with their remaining three colleagues. Andrew arrived at Fort Buenaventura on November 13, 1847. He was carrying the letters sent by Brigham Young's party, which was returning to Winter Quarters, and so felt obliged to visit Salt Lake City as soon as possible. He and Miles rode into Salt Lake on the same day that Captain Brown returned from California with the back pay of the Mormon Battalion.

Taking Goodyear's three men and his two nephews, Captain Walker back track to Brown's Hole. Fort Bridger and the Henry’s Fork River goes up the northern slope of the Uintah range assessing Utah’s highest peak; Kings Peak 13,528 feet.  Brown's Hole was a favorite wintering ground for both the mountainmen and Indians alike. James would later consider the event as unpleasant stating that they "passed a forlorn and desolate winter". One wonders why such a gloomy picture was painted. Did something happen to Joe Walker's Green River Snake tribe? Where was his Indian family...weren't they with him? One clue comes from James as in his statement he indicated that he and three others spent the winter together which would total only 4 men and not the original 6 men. Apparently, Joe Walker and one other man did not remain in camp.

Records of the Wind River Shoshone show no indication of problems. There was the normal going "back and forth" with the Ute tribes and it is still possible that Green River Chief "Cut Nose" was butting heads with Wind River Chief "Washakie" over supreme power, with Cut Nose joining up with a Ute tribe near the White River off the Green.

 By 25th November 1847, Miles Goodyear sold his Fort Buenaventura to Mormon Captain James Brown for $1950 in gold. Had Brigham Young whispered some information into Walker's ear. For Goodyear, the Great Basin was getting too crowded as there were over 3000 Mormons only 40 miles away. Miles retained 40 horses and peltry but sold his stock of 80 cattle and 90 goats. We know that on 18th November Miles gave Porter Rockwell and Jefferson Hunt directions to California to purchase cattle and that in December Miles and Andrew  returned to Walker's camp at Henry's Fork to recover his luggage. After a two week turn about on 22nd December the Goodyear party started to Los Angles California to trade for horses. Spending Christmas at the Mormon camp they added 4 more men for a total party of 10.

On January 12, 1848, Captain James Brown sent his sons, Alexander and Jessee along with several other settlers to take care of the remaining livestock and the cabin left by Miles at the Fort.

By 9th day of February Miles and Andrew arrived in California and encountered a party of US dragoons and learned from them that "Old Fuss and Feathers" Winfield Scott had taken the City of Mexico and other news of the war.

On the 10th they camped at William's Rancho where they found a party of Mormons who had lost nearly all their animals.

Sometime early in March 1848 Miles Goodyear spent a month in Monterey and the upper country to purchase some town lots and 30 acres near San Jose.

 Henry G. Boyle, captain of the Mormon volunteers, indicated that there were 35 men in the Rockwell company that left San Bernardino on April 12, 1848. The party of 25 Battalion members and 10 men from the Hunt-Rockwell group, arrived in Great Salt Lake City on June 6,1848. Perhaps the most significant thing about the journey was that they brought the first wagon, loaded with seeds, fruit tree cuttings and other materials over the southern route.

 Records indicate that Miles Goodyear had left California with horses and was inspected at Cajon Pass on April 23, 1848. He had 231 animals and four men. Who were the four men? Doing the math, you had Miles, Andrew and Tom therefore the other two men must have been Captain Walker and his companion. "They followed the Old Spanish Trail from Williams Ranch (San Bernardino), through Cajon Pass, across the Mohave Desert to Las Vegas, up the Muddy Valley and across the Escalante Desert to Beaver Creek and onward to Chalk Creek (Fillmore, Utah); thence to Salt Creek (Nephi) to Spanish Fork River and Timpanogas River (Provo), thence via American Fork to Great Salt Lake City."

About the same time on the 4th of May, young army officer Lt. George Brewerton, who was on the trail with Lt. Kit Carson on a dispatch-bearing mission from Los Angeles to Washington writes the following report while camped somewhere near Archilette, Nevada:

"We were just arranging ourselves on the ground in a circle for the purpose of smoking and having a talk, "a la Indian" when a new party, with a large drove of horses and mules, made their appearance. These new-comers proved to be a small band of Americans, who were driving their cattle into the Eutaw country with the view of trading with that tribe of Indians. The owner of the animals and leader of the party was a Mr. Walker, an old acquaintance of Carson. After securing his caballada and making camp in our vicinity, Mr. Walker joined our party and the interrupted council was resumed".

Carson had received his lieutenant's commission from President Polk on June 9, 1847. This their first meeting with Paiutes passed off peacefully with pipe smoking and talk. When preparing for the road one young Indian violating the laws of hospitality grabbed and flung a mountaineer's tin cup into the rushes of a nearby creek. Joe Walker or one of his men grasped the dishonest warrior by the hair and one leg plunging him into the creek ordering him to recover the cup under threat of death. Carson and Brewerton then pushed on and would later have a friendly meeting with Chief Walker and his Utes.

It wasn't until July that Uncle Joe, Tom Sprague, James T. Walker & Frank McClellan travel back to Fort Laramie making one wonder what else Joe Walker had been up to from May to July of 1848. The San Francisco Daily Herald on NOV. 28, 1853 tells us that "Capt. Walker, in one of his tramps (1848), passed over from the head-waters of the Sevier to those of the Virgen" and discovered what amounted to Zion National Park and the surrounding area.

It may be unrelated but in July of 1848 Bill Williams, Jim Kirker (scalp hunter), Bill Mitchell, and a fellow named Fisher guided Major William W. Reynolds to Cumbres Pass to attack and kill Utes and Apache Indians.

By July 26th  Tom, Frank and James leave Fort Laramie where they joined a California bound wagon caravan as hands and hunters. Around the same time, Uncle Joe made his way back to Fort Nonsense to meet up with Frank's older brother Mike McClellan, who was traveling with his wife and children in a company under the direction of Joseph Chiles on his 5^th crossing in eight years.

Chiles arranged for Walker to guide the wagons across the new cutoff (Sublette's Cutoff) to Fort Hall which eliminated the southern dog-leg to Fort Bridger. On July 26^th company member, Richard May recorded:

Left camp earlier than common and traveled 18 miles. At our noon halt Joseph Walker, the noted mountaineer met us. He is a very fine looking man, the very picture of health and discourses well on most topics. He conducted us through a pass in these mountains by which means we avoided a very steep hill both up and down. Mr. Walker appears to be about 45 years of age and steps off with the alacrity of a youth but this much may be said of any one that has lived in these mountains a few years. To see the life the buoyancy of a mountaineer would astonish the most of men. They tell me there is more real pleasure in one year in the mountains than a whole lifetime in a dense settled country.

By August 1848 Chiles led one of the first wagon trains to cross Carson Pass, which was slightly less difficult. The Carson Trail soon became the preferred route.

In light of the gold rush, by the fall of 1848 Captain Walker set about organizing a family business with his nephews James T. Walker and Frank & Mike McClellan, to haul freight to mining camps and deliver beef, riding horses and mules to miners. The younger men would represent the firm at the diggings while the Uncle would act as buyer and trader. He purchased one ranch next his old friend Julius Martin in old Gilroy to be used as a holding place and a feed lot. He also purchased a ranch north of Sacramento (possibly in partnership with his brother Joel) to act as a distribution point.

Basically Joe walker would go on buying trips to Los Angeles and buy livestock from local ranchers in southern California, then stage that livestock at Isaac William's Chino Rancho located some fifty miles northwest of Temecula. As demand required, this livestock would be transferred to Gilroy for fattening and finally to Sacramento for final distribution.

Joe Walker was never inclined to mining, though he had the ability to locate gold and same in kind, as a successful rancher, he never took to ranching and left regular management to others. His major pursuit was being on the move and his major delight was exploring the unknown.

 Shortly after settling down at Goodyear's Bar, Miles took ill, and after lingering on for a few months, died on November 12 of 1849 at the age of 32y. Andrew wrapped his brother in the India rubber coverings (a real Goodyear Rubber...that Joe Walker had laughed at) and a Mackinaw blanket and buried him in parts removed from two gold rocker boxes, and placed him on a point opposite the bar, where he remained until his brother took his bones to Benicia, his final resting place.

Gold Rocker box Mackinaw blanket Raincoat

As a special note: Walker Meadow is near Meadow Creek, Millard County, Utah and was not only a favored camp ground of Chief Walker but also the place where Chief Walker died in 1855. (Indian Depredations, page 84, 1919) When Miles Goodyear died in 1849 the care of his Indian wife Pomona and two children, William "Billy" Miles (1846) and Mary Eliza (1848) are left to Chief Walker. Goodyear's wife, the daughter of Ute Chief "Pah-tete-nete" would later marry Chief Walker's brother Sampitch, a sub-chief of Walker's tribe. Chief Walker was sometimes called "Walkara", a Shoshoni word meaning "Hawk". What is really interesting is that Brigham Young always called Chief Walker...Captain Walker.

 Index reports:

Colonel Alexander W. Doniphan, at Chihuahua, Mexico, to Roger Jones, Adjutant-General of the Army, at Washington, D.C. Dispatch communicating Doniphan's official report of the Battle of Sacramento.

Headquarters of the Army in Chihuahua,

City of Chihuahua, March 4, 1847.

Sir: - I have the honor to report to you the movements of the army under my command since my last official report.

On the evening of the 8th of February 1847, we left the town of El Paso del Norte, escorting the merchant train or caravan or about 315 wagons for the city of Chihuahua. Our force consisted of 924 effective men, 117 officers and privates of the artillery, 93 of Lieut. Colonel Mitchell's escort, and the remainder the 1st Missouri mounted volunteers. We progressed in the direction of this place until the 25th, when we were informed by our spies that the enemy, to the number of 1,500 men, were at Inseneas, the country seat of Gov. Trias, about 25 miles in advance.

When we arrived, on the evening of the 26th, near that point, we found that the force had retreated in the direction of this city. On the evening of the 27th we arrived at Sans, and learned from our spies that then enemy, in great force, had fortified the pass of the Sacramento river, about fifteen miles in advance, and about the same distance from this city. We were also informed that there was no water between the point we were at and that occupied by the enemy; we therefore determined to halt until morning. At sunrise on the 28th, the last day of February, we took up the line of march and formed the whole train, consisting of 315 heavy traders' wagons and our commissary and company wagons, into four columns, thus shortening our line so as to make it more easily protected. We placed the artillery and all the command, except 200 cavalry proper, in the intervals between the columns of wagons. We thus fully concealed our force and its position, by masking our force with the cavalry. When we arrived within three miles of the enemy, we made a reconnoissance of his position and the arrangement of his forces. This we could easily do - the road leading through an open prairie valley between the sterile mountains. The pass of the Sacramento is formed by a point of the mountains on our right, their left extending into the valley or plain, so as to narrow the valley to about one and a half miles. On our left was a deep, dry, sandy channel of a creek, and between these points the plain rises to sixty feet abruptly. This rise is in the form of a crescent, the convex part being to the north of our forces. On the right, from the point of the mountains, a narrow part of the plain extends north one and a half miles further than on the left. The main road passes down the centre of the valley and across the crescent, near the left or dry branch. The Sacramento rises in the mountains on the right, and the road falls on to it about one mile below the battle-field or entrenchment of the enemy. We ascertained that the enemy had one battery of four guns, two nine and 6-pounders, on the point of the mountain on our right, (their left,) at a good elevation to sweep the plain, and at the point where the mountains extended furthest into the plain. On our left (their right) they had another battery on an elevation commanding the road, and three entrenchments of two six-pounders, and on the brow of the crescent, near the centre, another of two 6 and two 4 and 6 culverins, or rampart pieces, mounted on carriages; and on the crest of the hill or ascent between the batteries and the right and left they had 27 redoubts dug and thrown up, extending at short intervals across the whole ground. In these their infantry were placed and were entirely protected. Their cavalry was drawn up in front of the redoubts in the intervals four deep, and in front of the redoubts two deep, so as to mask them as far as practicable. When we had arrived within one and a half miles of the entrenchments along the main road, we advanced the cavalry still further, and suddenly diverged with the columns to the right, so as to gain the narrow part of the ascent on our right, which the enemy discovering, endeavored to prevent, by moving forward with 1,000 cavalry and four pieces of cannon in their rear masked by them. Our movements were so rapid that we gained the elevation with our forces and the advance of our wagons in time to form before they arrived within reach of our guns. The enemy halted, and we advanced the head of our column within twelve hundred yards of them, so as to let our wagons attain the highlands and form as before.

We now commenced the action by a brisk fire from our battery, and the enemy unmasked and commenced also. Our fires proved effective at this distance, killing fifteen men, wounding and disabling one of the enemy's guns. We had two men slightly wounded, and several horses and mules killed. The enemy then slowly retreated behind their works in some confusion, and we resumed our march in our former order, still diverging more to the right to avoid their battery on our left, (their right,) and their strongest redoubts, which were on the left near where the road passes. After marching as far as we safely could without coming within range of their heavy battery on our right, Captain Weightman, of the artillery, was ordered to charge with two 12-pound howitzers, to be supported by the cavalry, under Captains Reid, Parsons, and Hudson. The howitzers charged at speed, and were gallantly sustained by Capt. Reid; but, by some misunderstanding, my order was not given to the other two companies. - Captain Hudson, anticipating my order, charged in time to give ample support to the howitzers. Capt. Parsons at the same moment came to me and asked permission for his company to charge the redoubts immediately to the left of Capt. Weightman, which he did very gallantly. The remainder of the two battalions of the first regiment were dismounted during the cavalry charge, and, following rapidly on foot, and Major Clarke advancing as fast as practicable with the remainder of the battery, we charged their redoubts from right to left with a brisk and deadly fire of riflemen, while Major Clarke opened a rapid and well-directed fire on a column of cavalry attempting to pass to our left so as to attack the wagons and our rear. The fire was so well directed as to force them to fall back; and our riflemen, with the cavalry and howitzers, cleared after an obstinate resistance. Our forces advanced to the very brink of their redoubts and attacked them with their sabres. When the redoubts were cleared, and the batteries in the centre and our left were silenced, the main battery on our right still continued to pour in a constant and heavy fire, as it had done during the heat of the engagement; but as the whole fate of the battle depended upon carrying the redoubts and centre battery, this one on the right remained unattacked, and the enemy had rallied there five hundred strong.

Major Clark was directed to commence a heavy fire upon it, while Lieut. Cols. Mitchell and Jackson, commanding the 1st battalion, were ordered to remount and charge the battery on the left, while Major Gilpin was directed to pass the 2d battalion on foot up the rough ascent of the mountain on the opposite side. The fire of our battery was so effective as to completely silence theirs, and the rapid advance of our column put them to flight over the mountains in great confusion.

Captain Thompson, of the 1st dragoons, acted as my aid and adviser on the field during the whole engagement, and was of the most essential service to me. - Also, Lieut. Wooster, of the United States army who acted very coolly and gallantly. Major Campbell, of Springfield, Missouri, also acted as a volunteer aid during part of the time, but left me and joined Captain Reid in his gallant charge. Thus ended the battle of Sacramento.

The force of the enemy was 1,200 cavalry from Durango and Chihuahua, with the Vera Cruz dragoons, 1,200 infantry from Chihuahua, 300 artillerists, and 1,420 rancheros, badly armed with lassos, lances, and machetoes or corn knives, ten pieces of artillery, two nine, two eight, four six, and two four pounders, and six culverins or rampart pieces. - Their forces were commanded by Major General Heredia, General of Durango, Chihuahua, Sonora, and New Mexico; Brigadier General Garcia Conde, formerly minister of War for the Republic of Mexico, who is a scientific man, and planned this whole field of defence; General Uguerte, and Governor Trias, who acted as brigadier general on the field, and colonels and other officers without number.

Our force was nine hundred and twenty-four effective men, at least one hundred and twenty-four effective men, at least one hundred of whom were engaged in holding horses and driving teams.

The loss of the enemy was his entire artillery, ten wagons, masses of beans and pinola, and other Mexican provisions, about three hundred killed and about the same number wounded, many of whom have since died, and forty prisoners.

The field was literally covered with the dead and wounded from our artillery and the unerring fire of our riflemen. Night put a stop to the carnage, the battle having commenced about three o'clock. Our loss was one killed, one mortally wounded, and seven so wounded as to recover without any loss of limbs. I cannot speak too highly of the coolness, gallantry, and bravery of the officers and men under my command.

I was ably sustained by the field officers, Lieut. Colonels Mitchell and Jackson, of the first battalion, and Major Gilpin, of the second battalion; and Major Clarke and his artillery acted nobly, and did the most effective service in every part of the field. It is abundantly shown, in the charge made by Captain Weightman with the section of howitzers, that they can be used in any charge of cavalry with great effect. Much has been said, and justly said, of the gallantry of our artillery, unlimbering within two hundred and fifty yards of the enemy at Palo Alto; but how much more daring was the charge of Capt. Weightman, when he unlimbered within fifty yards of the redoubts of the enemy! On the 1st day of March we took formal possession of the capital of Chihuahua in the name of our government.

We were ordered by General Kearny to report to General Wool at this place. Since our arrival, we hear he is at Saltillo, surrounded by the enemy. Our present purpose is either to force our way to him, or return by Bexar, as our term of service expires on the last day of May next.

I have the honor to be your obedient servant,

A. W. DONIPHAN,

Colonel 1st regiment Missouri Volunteers.

NNR 72.370 August 14, 1847 Lt. Col. John Charles Fremont Arrested for Disobedience of Orders, Dispute between General Stephen Watts Kearny and Commodore Robert Field Stockton.

Lieut. Fremont had been arrested for disobedience of orders by Gen. Kearny, and had been ordered home to the United States to take his trial before a court martial. This difficulty grew out of the feeling and contradictory movements of General Kearny and Commodore Stockton, and the question of authority which existed between them. It was announced some days ago by Colonel Russell, who came with dispatches that General Kearny was about to arrest Colonel Fremont, and have him hung as a rebel. No body, of course, believed the latter part of the statement; but the arrest of Fremont proves that quarrel between Gen. Kearny and Com. Stockton was more serious than was at first apprehended.

Commodore Stockton had left, and was on his way home.

Vol. XV.                         Springfield, Illinois, September 17, 1846.                         No. 52.

FROM CALIFORNIA -- THE EMIGRANTS,

Solomon Sublette, with a very small party, recently arrived at St. Louis from California. He left "Pueblo de los Angels," about the last of May, -- driving 80 mules. He met a company of emigrants on the 8th July, 20 miles beyond Green River, numbering 18 waggons, who were progressing without difficulty. Col. Russell had given up his command on the Platte, beyond the reach of danger or trouble. It appears that nearly all his company, including Gov. Boggs, had changed their course for Oregon. Col. Russell, with 11 men, procured mules at Fort Laramie, and were proceeding for California. Mr. Sublet met other companies of emigrants. The Indians had attempted to rob him of his mules, but failed. Mr. Sublet was nearly out of provisions at Fort Laramie, and proceeded from thence to Bent’s Fort, where he arrived on the 17th August. With the exception of the sick, the troops had left for Santa Fe. He met the Mormons and some companies of Col. Price’s regiment on the way to Fort Leavenworth. Mr. Sublette says that the Governor of California seemed disposed to encourage American emigrants; but Gen. Castro was very hostile to them. He also states that the usual quantity of rain had fallen in California the past season -- contradicting, in this respect, the reports of other travelers.