John Hobart Walker

He enlisted in Company D, 13th New York State Militia on 23 April 1861 and was discharged 20 June. He was commissioned First Lieutenant, 14th US Infantry, to date from 14 May 1861.

He commanded Company B, 1st Battalion of the 14th at Antietam.

He was promoted to Captain on 6 May 1865. He was honored by brevets, to Captain (27 Jun 62) for Gaines Mill and Major (17 Sep 62) for Antietam.

He continued in Regular Army service, and transferred to the 23rd US Infantry on 21 September 1866. He was partially blinded in a blizzard in early 1869, and retired for disability at San Francisco, CA on 27 March 1869. He then lived in Brooklyn and was active in the GAR. He died a few days after being assaulted by a neighbor at his uncle's home in Brooklyn, at about age 48.

[Walker] was in the habit of calling frequently at 73 Utica Avenue to attend the wants of an aged and infirm uncle, H. J. C. Walker. Mrs. Alfred Hull and her two children live in a part of the same house. The major was fond of children and often brought them toys and sweetmeats. Hull and his wife had some trouble which caused them to live apart most of the time. On the day of the assault Major Walker took Mrs. Hull and the children to Coney Island for an outing. They returned at 10 o'clock and, after a lunch, the Major went into the side of the house occupied by his uncle. As nearly as can be ascertained, some one had informed Hull that his wife was at Coney Island in the afternoon with Major Walker. He came to the home in Utica Avenue about midnight and broke in the door of the room where Major Walker was sleeping. He then committed the assault which, it is said, caused the major's death. Hull hailed at the hospital after his victim had been taken there by an old comrade who found him wandering in the streets and said he was sorry for what had happened. He said he was under the influence of liquor at the time of the assault. Hull is now held on a charge of homicide.

Service information from Heitman1 and Reese2. Further details from a biographical sketch on the Green-Wood Cemetery site. The quote here about his death from the Brooklyn Eagle of 14 June 1891. The photograph above is from a group photo of officers of the 14th US Infantry in camp near Alexandria, VA in March 1862 (USAMHI and Library of Congress). His gravesite is on Findagrave.

03/13/1843; Saratoga Springs, NY

06/11/1891; burial in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY