Vikki

I don’t consider myself a person with unique abilities concerning the supernatural, but I had a singular experience at the Chalmette National Military Cemetery when I visited my Great Great Grandfather, Drury Walters and his brother, Archy. They had enlisted in the Union Army in Federally occupied New Orleans even though they were natives of Jones County, Mississippi. I then lived in Chicago and was attending a conference in New Orleans. I sneaked away from the conference for a half-day and drove to Ft. Pike, where they were garrisoned, and then to the cemetery, an hour away. I had only one hour to spend at the cemetery. As luck would have it, the visitor’s center was closed and I had no grave numbers or locations for Drury or Archy. I was further dismayed to find there were over 14,000 graves in this cemetery. At first, I started walking row by row, eyes clicking camera-like on each grave as I passed by. As time rapidly ticked by, I started running, row by row by row. I actually got motion sickness from attempting to read the markers as I quickly ran past them. With only 15 minutes left, I had not even gone through half of the markers yet. I was resigned to the fact that I would not be visiting with Drury. THEN….. I spotted “DRURY WALTERS” on a marker!

Immediately, I collapsed from exhaustion and motion sickness onto the grass before his grave, and before I knew it, I breathlessly blurted out, “Drury, why in HELL did you join the Yankee Army”? (I’m a Southerner… so was Drury). I even asked Drury who his Grandpa was. I had been trying for 10 years to find out this info, with no success. I looked at my watch and saw I had only 5 minutes left. I used the remaining time to quietly reflect on what it must have been like to be a soldier during the War Between the States. I could not fathom how it must have been to have smallpox and to know you will die away from your home…far from loved ones. My time was up. After I said my good-byes, I asked, “Drury, where’s your brother, Archy?”. Trance-like, I stood up, and walked directly 30 paces and then looked down onto a marker bearing the inscription “ARCHY WALTERS”! I turned around with tears in my eyes and whispered in a ragged voice…. “thank you Drury”.

Brian Walters

As Ed Payne has requested, I have sent you his email address. If for some reason you do not receive it, let me know.

Vikki

First, I appreciate the clarification about Marada. After the article was posted I found he was listed on the database of Chalmette National Cemetery headstones as ‘Marada WATERS’ with a death date of 11/27/1864. The grave number is the same as you cited.

Second, my best guess is that Daniel may have participated in a home guard unit when ordered to do so. It was just such a group who assisted Confederate troops to thwart the plans of Capt Calvin A. Mann by ambushing his troops at Rocky Creek near Ellisville. If Daniel had been a part of this group, which consisted of those too young or old for conscription–or any other similar home guard unit–he would have been deemed a ‘Confederate soldier’ by the lenient standards in effect in 1908. As I noted in the article, despite his enlistment in the 1st New Orleans in 1864, Hanson Walter’s obituary cited his membership in the Ellisville Chapter of Confederate Veterans.

Third, Vikki should be providing you with my email shortly. I do have fresh digital copies of the complete pension files for all three sons.

In your article you mention all three dying within a short time of each other of disease while serving. You also state: “It is assumed that Marada Walters was buried in the Chalmette, Louisiana, national cemetery along with other Piney Woods men who died in the 1st and 2nd New Orleans Regiments—but no record of his gravesite has yet been found’.

I am proud to announce the location of Marada’s grave site. It’s just where you said it would be! ….. Chalmette National Cemetery. Grave number 5907. It is within 10 feet of the grave of Drury Walters, his brother.

Ed, in this story you mention that Daniel Walters, the above three’s father, applied for a pension from Archibald, and was denied. I will treasure the copy of his letter you included in your article.

I have a question about Daniel Walters that maybe you can answer. In Daniel’s obituary in the Laurel Chronicle, the obit says he “served as a Confederate soldier”. I have cut and pasted a copy of the obit transcript:

Death Notice appearing in The Laurel Chronicle Saturday April 18, 1908.

Mr. Daniel Walters, one of the pioneer citizens of Jones County, died at the home of his son, Mr. Calvin Walters, at 2 o’clock Tuesday, April 14, 1908. He was buried at Mt. Vernon Cemetery, two miles east of Laurel the following afternoon at 2 o’clock. Many of his Masonic brethren from Laurel and elsewhere, besides a large concourse of relatives and acquaintances attended the funeral. Mr. Walters was ninety years of age. He was brought to Jones County by his relatives when a babe, from South Carolina, and lived to rear a large and respectable family. Mr. Walter’s wife preceded him to the grave. He leaves to survive him six sons and one daughter, besides a large number of grandchildren. Mr. Walters served as a Confederate soldier. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity; which will hold formal ceremonies over his grave at an early date.

Ed, you mention Daniel Walters and his possible availability for the draft when the maximum draft age was raised to 45. In light of his 3 sons joining the Union Army and his age, it seems unlikely that the obituary was correct. On the other hand, the folks in Jones County reading this death notice would know that it was inaccurate. Over the years, I have not been able to find any documentation that he served the Confederacy. Ed, do you have any thoughts or documentation on this? Thanks, Brian Walters