James B. Walton

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James Burdge Walton
1813 – 1885

Place of birth	New Jersey
Allegiance	USA Confederate States of America
Service/branch	Militia Confederate States Army
Years of service	1839 - 1861 (USA) 1861 - 1864 (CSA)
Unit	Washington Artillery
Battles/wars	Mexican American War American Civil War

James Burdge Walton (1813 - 1885) was a veteran of twenty years of service in the famed New Orleans militia unit the Washington Artillery^[1].

1 Early life
2 Military service
- 2.1 Mexican American War
- 2.2 Civil War
3 Family life
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Early life

Born in New Jersey, he attended college in Louisiana and owned a New Orleans grocery store.

[edit] Military service

[edit] Mexican American War

Walton joined the Washington Artillery as an adjutant when the unit was formed in 1839. In the Mexican War, Walton commanded the 1st Louisiana Artillery as a Major and by 1857 he was Colonel Commanding of the battalion.^[2]

[edit] Civil War

At the outbreak of the war Walton and four batteries went east to serve in Virginia. After fighting at the First Battle of Manassas, Walton and his command were assigned to James Longstreet's forces and served on the Peninsula, at Second Manassas, and Antietam. Walton earned much distinction for commanding the batteries on Marye's Heights during the Battle of Fredericksburg and the Chancellorsville Campaign. He had risen to command of the First Corps artillery and was humiliated at Gettysburg where he was superseded by subordinate Colonel E. Porter Alexander.

When the bulk of Longstreet's First Corps were sent to Georgia (United States), only a portion of the artillery was sent with it. Walton held several positions during the absence of his guns in southern Virginia. Though showing some bright spots, Walton's career was disgracefully lackluster and border-line incompetent. He refused to serve under the up-and-coming Alexander who had replaced him as commander of the First Corps artillery. He resigned on July 18, 1864 and returned to his merchant business.^[3]