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Civil War Soldiers - Whitaker

Whitaker, Walter C., brigadier-general, U.S. Army, was born in the state of Kentucky, and was one of the sons of the "dark and bloody ground" that served as a solier in the war with Mexico. On Oct. 1, 1847, he was commissioned second lieutenant in the 3d Ky. infantry and served as such until July 21, 1848, when he was honorably mustered out of the service. He then returned to Kentucky and followed civil pursuits until the outbreak of the Civil war. In Sept., 1861, he was commissioned to raise a regiment at Eminence, Ky., and the men he recruited were brought to Camp Sigel, Louisville, and there the 6th Ky. infantry was organized, of which Col. Whitaker became colonel on Dec. 24. The regiment was brigaded with the 41st Ohio, 9th Ind., and the 1st Ohio battery, under Col. William B. Hazen, and in Feb., 1862, the division to which the regiment belonged was ordered to the mouth of Salt river, whence it proceeded by transport to Paducah and up the Cumberland to Nashville. It accompanied Buell's army to Pittsburg landing and was heavily engaged in the second day's battle of Shiloh, being employed during the whole day, skirmishing, resisting and making charges, supporting batteries and making reconnoissances. From Shiloh Col. Whitaker with his regiment proceeded to Corinth, thence to Athens, Ala., and in the summer and fall of 1862 accompanied Buell in the march to Louisville. After the battle of Perryville he marched as far as Columbia, Ky., then to Nashville and Murfreesboro and in the battle of Stone's river his regiment lost 107 in killed and wounded. During the spring of 1863 his regiment was with the extreme left of Rosecrans' army in its organization and was twice engaged with the enemy — at Readyville and Woodbury, Tenn. On June 25, 1863, Col. Whitaker was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers and served in that capacity until Aug. 24, 1865, when he was honorably mustered out of the service, being given the brevet rank of major- general of volunteers March 13, 1865, for gallant and meritorious services in the campaign against Atlanta. Gen. Whitaker died July 9, 1887.

Source: The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States 1861-1865, Volume 8 Biographical, 1908
 


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