William Walker

William Walker

William Walker was an infamous nineteenth-century American soldier of fortune in addition to privateer (a “filibuster,” inward the jargon of the day), who led a conspiracy inward the 1850s in addition to 1860s to catch solid ground inward Mexico, Honduras, in addition to Nicaragua inward guild to assist the USA inward its perceived Manifest Destiny to dominate the Americas, in addition to to garner glory in addition to riches for himself.

Born inward Nashville, Tennessee, inward 1824, Walker was raised inward a religious household. His parents hoped that he would larn a minister, exactly Walker decided instead to report outset medicine in addition to and then law.

After becoming a doc in addition to a lawyer, in addition to beingness dissatisfied alongside both, Walker turned his attending toward journalism in addition to eventually found himself inward California every bit 1 of the founding editors of the San Francisco Herald, established inward 1850. Once over again unhappy alongside his profession, Walker returned to police for a brusk fourth dimension earlier succumbing to the clamor for glory in addition to riches promoted yesteryear the sentiment of the United States’ Manifest Destiny.


Enticed yesteryear the Western solid ground catch that followed the Mexican–American state of war in addition to refused a grant to found a short town yesteryear the Mexican government, Walker named himself a colonel in addition to attempted to found his ain province inward parts of Baja California in addition to Sonora.

Aided yesteryear a mere forty-five men, Walker landed inward La Paz on iii Nov 1853, where his troops imprisoned Governor Rafael Espinosa, replaced the Mexican flag alongside their ain in addition to declared a novel democracy alongside no allegiance to Mexico, alongside Walker every bit its president.

Walker was non the outset such individual to crusade to seize a territory in addition to declare it a sovereign nation, nor was his sovereign province inward United Mexican States his lastly crusade at filibustering. (The term filibuster was taken from the Portugese in addition to Castilian term for a pirate that held a send for ransom, in addition to was after used every bit a term inward the U.S. Senate for an activity taken inward preventing a vote. In the nineteenth century, it likewise became a term—for around of treason, for others of glory—applied to mercenaries or soldiers of fortune who attempted to seize a percentage of solid ground for their ain fame, fortune, or glory.)

Walker’s foray into nation-building inward United Mexican States failed when supplies in addition to troops ran low, in addition to he surrendered to the USA authorities inward May 1854. Revered every bit a hero yesteryear around inward the USA in addition to reviled yesteryear many inward Mexico, Walker was tried in addition to acquitted of violating the neutrality police gear upwardly forth inward the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

After his acquittal, Walker returned to journalism inward San Francisco for a brusk time, but, undaunted yesteryear his failure inward Mexico, returned to his filibustering pursuits, this fourth dimension alongside his sights assail Nicaragua.

Taking total advanatge of the civil state of war betwixt the conservative Legitimatists in addition to the Liberal Democrats in addition to then beingness waged inward Nicaragua, Walker’s novel partner, Byron Cole, was awarded a colonization grant yesteryear the president of the provisional government, Francisco Castellon. Hoping that Cole in addition to Walker would assistance them economically, the Democrats, led yesteryear Castellon, welcomed their plan.

But Walker had no intention of reestablishing a Nicaraguan government. When Castellon died Walker signed a treaty alongside the Legitimist General Ponciano Corral, and, after the solid ground was reunited alongside Patricio Rivas every bit president, Walker became Rivas’s commander-in-chief of the army.

Not content alongside beingness mere commander-in-chief of the army, Walker used his influence inside the Rivas cabinet to eventually oust Rivas in addition to telephone telephone for a novel election, alongside himself every bit a candidate.

Never forgetting the notion of Manifest Destiny, Walker was planning to unite all 5 Central American states into a confederacy in addition to to reintroduce slavery into the part inward guild to shore upwardly that institution’s strength when his ultimate finish was achieved: the annexation of Central America yesteryear the United States.

Walker succeeded inward becoming president inward July 1856, exactly his success was brusk lived. Recognizing that Walker’s plans were to conquer the entire region, the Costa Rican government, led yesteryear President Juan Rafael Mora, organized an the world forces to halt Walker’s band earlier it could invade Costa Rica. Nicaraguan patriots, likewise unhappy alongside the sentiment of becoming a purpose of the United States, rose upwardly against Walker in addition to joined the Costa Rican the world forces inward defeating him.

Walker surrendered to the U.S. Navy inward May 1857 in addition to was escorted dorsum to the United States, leaving behind 407 of his American soldiers, many sick in addition to wounded. Walker was in 1 trial over again acquitted for violating the neutrality laws.

Still assail conquering Central America in addition to forging a matrimony alongside the southern states of America, Walker spent nearly of 1859 in addition to purpose of 1860 writing The War inward Nicaragua, the sale of which helped to finance his concluding expedition inward 1860. Working from Honduras, Walker made his lastly crusade at conquering the part when he was captured yesteryear the British Navy in addition to turned over to the Honduran government.

Although Walker emerged from his American trials both victorious in addition to lauded yesteryear many every bit a hero, he was non hence fortunate inward his concluding trial inward Honduras. The Honduran government, unimpressed alongside Walker’s heroism in addition to the sentiment of the United States’ Manifest Destiny, sentenced him to death. Walker was killed yesteryear a firing team in addition to buried inward Trujillo.

Walker’s failure inward Nicaragua in addition to the Civil War at habitation prompted many filibusters in addition to potential filibusters to rethink their plans, in addition to filibustering every bit a heroic U.S. pursuit lost its appeal.

Though quite famous inward the nineteenth century for his exploits—Walker’s fame fifty-fifty inspired a musical comedy on Broadway called “Nicaragua”—William Walker is all exactly forgotten inward the USA today. In Nicaragua in addition to Costa Rica, however, Walker’s exploits in addition to subsequent defeat volition never live forgotten.