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Walker (WILLIAM an American adventurer)

WILLIAM, an American adventurer; born in Nashville, Tenn., May 8, 1824, studied law in Nashville, and medicine in Germany. In July, 1853, he organized an expedition against Sonora, Mexico, but was compelled to surrender to the United States commander at San Diego, Cal. In 1855, at the instigation of American speculators, he went to Nicaragua with 62 followers, and in conjunction with a small native force defeated a Nicaraguan army of 540 men at Rivas. He then took the city of Grenada, and through a treaty with Gen. Ponciano Corral, his antagonist, he was made Secretary of War and Commander-in- Chief. He established a government, but was driven from power, and surrendered to the United States authorities in May, 1857. In June, 1860, he invested Honduras; was captured by the commander of the British man-of-war "Icarus"; and was delivered to the Honduras authorities. After being tried by courtmartial he was shot in Trujillo, Honduras Sept. 12, 1860. He was the author of "The War in Nicaragua" (1860).