Restrictions to Access

No restrictions. Open for research.

Restrictions to Use

No usage restrictions.

Copyright Notice

Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], in the Samuel Hamilton Walker Diary, #3652-z, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Alternate Form of Material

Microfilm copy available.

Acquisitions Information

Transferred from the Thomas Jefferson Green Papers (#289).

Additional Descriptive Resources

A copy of the original finding aid for this collection is filed in folder 1.

Sensitive Materials Statement

Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. § 132 1 et seq.), and Article 7 of the North Carolina State Personnel Act (Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records, N.C.G.S. § 126-22 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assumes no responsibility.

The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.

Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.

• Escapes--Mexico--History--19th century.
• Fisher, William S., fl. 1842-1843.
• Soldiers--Texas--Diaries.
• Spies--Texas--History--19th century.
• Texan Mier Expedition (1842-1844)
• Texas Rangers--History.
• Texas--History--Republic, 1836-1846.
• Walker, Samuel Hamilton, 1817-1847.

Samuel Hamilton Walker (1817-1847) a native of Maryland, was a Texas Ranger and military officer of the Republic of Texas and the United States armies. He participated in the Indian War in Florida and the Mexican War. As a Texas Ranger, Walker was sent to New York to purchase arms for the Texas Republic. While in New York, Walker met firearms inventor Samuel Colt (1814-1862) as is credited as the co-inventor and namesake of the Walker Colt revolver. Walker was killed in battle at Huamantla, Mexico.

The collection includes the diary, 6 March 1842-9 August 1843, of Samuel Hamilton Walker, while a Texas Ranger serving under the command of Colonel William S. Fisher. Included are accounts of the Battle of Mier, 25-26 December 1842; his capture; the forced march of the prisoners; escape and recapture; the death sentence for escapees issued by Mexican president Santa Anna; and Walker's final escape from Mexico City.