By Jonathan Hawthorne
William Walker was a famous adventurer who had an ambition to spread slavery throughout the Western Hemisphere through attempts to create a colony in Baja California. He basically wanted to maintain the egg-shell-like balance in America with regards to the free states and the slave states.
Early Life
In many ways, Walker was unlike anybody else who lived in the same time period as him. He grew up in Tennessee and attended the University of Nashville. As a result, he became a large supporter of the southern states' ideas in the years leading up to the Civil War. Early on, he had an ambition to study medicine and law, and that lead him to Europe to study. After returning, he traveled throughout America, and ultimately decided that New Orleans would be the best location. He became a newspaper editor and fell in love. However, after a short time, his wife died and he moved to San Francisco. From here, he got in much more trouble (a couple of duels) and this is where he started "searching" for conflict.
Filibustering Began
The practice during the 1800s of invading small countries or states with the intention of independence was known simply as filibustering. Walker, who watched several missions in the early 1850s to grant independence to Cuba, decided that he wanted to conquer the Mexican states of Baja Calif and Sonora. Although the United States at the time followed the principle of Manifest Destiny, they were openly opposed to the practice of filibustering to expand their borders.
Walker, along with a crew of 45 of men, "actually reckless saloon loafers and the dregs of the California docks", marched from Southern California across the border to Baja California and captured the capitol of La Paz (Peace). At this point, he declared himself dictator and installed the laws of the American State of Louisiana (which included legalized slavery). The Mexican army arrested him, however, and then he was forced to move back to California and he was acquitted of the charges of starting an illegal war.
One might think that Walker had learned his lesson--he had already been arrested and defeated, then given a second chance because the majority of the American population was still on his side.
Nicaragua
After the excitement that Mexico brought, Walker still wasn't ready to quit. Walker eyed Nicaragua. With thousands of Americans moving west during the early 1850s, Nicaragua became important because it was the route that gold seekers used when moving by ship. When a civil war broke out in 1854, Walker was called in by one of the groups to help out.
Months after landing with his crew in Nicaragua, his army was ruling the small Latin America country. Walker then became a bit greedy. He declared English the official language, slavery legal and began to work on a plan of his to incorporate Nicaragua into the United States. Nevertheless, Walker's plans came to a halt in 1855. Walker made many enemies in Nicaragua and was forced to retreat when the Nicaraguan and other Central Americans began to worry that he would continue his conquests throughout Latin America. He also made enemies with Cornelius Vanderbuilt and he send soldiers to oust Walker. Walker was once again forced to retreat back to America.
Honduras
In America, he had become a hero. He wrote a book, and restarted his law practice in hopes of one day settling back in Latin America. He left America in 1860 and was captured upon his arrival by the British Royal Navy. They were worried that Walker would once again attempt to name himself dictator. So, they turned him over to Honduran authorities who executed him by firing squad on September 12, 1860. His grave can still be seen today.
Word Count: 626
William Walker was a famous adventurer who had an ambition to spread slavery throughout the Western Hemisphere through attempts to create a colony in Baja California. He basically wanted to maintain the egg-shell-like balance in America with regards to the free states and the slave states.
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| Portrait of William Walker |
Early Life
In many ways, Walker was unlike anybody else who lived in the same time period as him. He grew up in Tennessee and attended the University of Nashville. As a result, he became a large supporter of the southern states' ideas in the years leading up to the Civil War. Early on, he had an ambition to study medicine and law, and that lead him to Europe to study. After returning, he traveled throughout America, and ultimately decided that New Orleans would be the best location. He became a newspaper editor and fell in love. However, after a short time, his wife died and he moved to San Francisco. From here, he got in much more trouble (a couple of duels) and this is where he started "searching" for conflict.
Filibustering Began
The practice during the 1800s of invading small countries or states with the intention of independence was known simply as filibustering. Walker, who watched several missions in the early 1850s to grant independence to Cuba, decided that he wanted to conquer the Mexican states of Baja Calif and Sonora. Although the United States at the time followed the principle of Manifest Destiny, they were openly opposed to the practice of filibustering to expand their borders.
Walker, along with a crew of 45 of men, "actually reckless saloon loafers and the dregs of the California docks", marched from Southern California across the border to Baja California and captured the capitol of La Paz (Peace). At this point, he declared himself dictator and installed the laws of the American State of Louisiana (which included legalized slavery). The Mexican army arrested him, however, and then he was forced to move back to California and he was acquitted of the charges of starting an illegal war.
One might think that Walker had learned his lesson--he had already been arrested and defeated, then given a second chance because the majority of the American population was still on his side.
 |
| Map that shows the conquests of William Walker |
Nicaragua
After the excitement that Mexico brought, Walker still wasn't ready to quit. Walker eyed Nicaragua. With thousands of Americans moving west during the early 1850s, Nicaragua became important because it was the route that gold seekers used when moving by ship. When a civil war broke out in 1854, Walker was called in by one of the groups to help out.
Months after landing with his crew in Nicaragua, his army was ruling the small Latin America country. Walker then became a bit greedy. He declared English the official language, slavery legal and began to work on a plan of his to incorporate Nicaragua into the United States. Nevertheless, Walker's plans came to a halt in 1855. Walker made many enemies in Nicaragua and was forced to retreat when the Nicaraguan and other Central Americans began to worry that he would continue his conquests throughout Latin America. He also made enemies with Cornelius Vanderbuilt and he send soldiers to oust Walker. Walker was once again forced to retreat back to America.
Honduras
In America, he had become a hero. He wrote a book, and restarted his law practice in hopes of one day settling back in Latin America. He left America in 1860 and was captured upon his arrival by the British Royal Navy. They were worried that Walker would once again attempt to name himself dictator. So, they turned him over to Honduran authorities who executed him by firing squad on September 12, 1860. His grave can still be seen today.
Word Count: 626
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| Sign in Nashville that honors William Walker |
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| Walker's grave in Honduras |
Works Cited
Juda, Fanny. "Filibustering with William Walker." Museum of the City of San Francisco. Web. 09 Nov. 2011. <http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist1/walker.html>.
Minister, Chris. "The Biography of William Walker." Latin American History. Web. 09 Nov. 2011. <http://latinamericanhistory.about.com/od/historyofcentralamerica/a/wwalker_2.htm>.
"William Walker." Tennessee History for Kids. Web. 09 Nov. 2011. <http://www.tnhistoryforkids.org/places/william_walker>.
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