In the South at that point and time in history, young boys grew up fast. Again, record keeping of births back then were not very accurate, and I can imagine in Mississippi that would be an understatement. I'm 61 and I do not believe I could still slaughter a cow, but I sure will eat them. You really cannot compare children born in the 1800's to children born in the mid 1900's thru the present.
We now have kids, as young as 10, who will not even think twice about killing someone, another act I could not conceivably engage in unless my life depended on it.
While the case has been made that he was a fraud, and convincingly so, there is still no definitive proof that he was a fraud. We know for a fact that both sides had no problem with taking in children as soldiers or some other duty within the military, and the South more readily accepted children than did the North. He even could have joined up with a company and never officially enlisted. That happened as well. I am not arguing with you or disputing you. I am just saying that no one knows for sure if Walter was for real or a fraud. As is so often true, reality is often stranger than fiction.
“Again, record keeping of births back then were not very accurate, and I can imagine in Mississippi that would be an understatement.
I’m just saying that the evidence we do have makes perfect sense. What evidence do we have that the man ever served with Hood’s Brigade? Aside from what the man himself said, we have none.
I see no evidence that prior to 1950, that the man ever claimed that he served. The only testimony to that effect comes from the man’s daughter - and only in the context of outliving the remaining vets. He’s a fraud.
“You really cannot compare children born in the 1800’s to children born in the mid 1900’s thru the present.”
I looked after my own two brothers at 11 - cooking, using a range. Overnight. Feeding cats dogs, and horses. Making sure they got the bales. Having to water the trough.
“there is still no definitive proof that he was a fraud.”
Yes, there is definitive proof. All the information that we do possess indicates that the man was born in 1854, which squares perfectly with the events in his life. His wife died after 67 years of marriage, and they were married in 1892. his would put him at 38 at the time, with a young family, and her at 18.
“We know for a fact that both sides had no problem with taking in children as soldiers”
One thing for those 16-18, quite another for those at 10. Surely you can see this.
“He even could have joined up with a company and never officially enlisted.”
Had he been born in 1842 - he would have been 22 at war’s end. There would have been no need for any subterfuge. He also would have enlisted from the start of conscription in 1862. Something we do not see.
“I am just saying that no one knows for sure if Walter was for real or a fraud. As is so often true, reality is often stranger than fiction.”
We have zero evidence corroborating and substantiating his birth in 1842. We have plenty of evidence substantiating his birth in 1854, putting him at 10 at Appottomattox. Now, maybe he earnestly desired to serve. But I see no evidence until the 50s that he did.
Last verifiable Confederate Soldier to die
John B. Salling also made a claim of being a Confederate soldier survivor. Both he and Williams were debunked based on documentation available. Documentation that was unreliable in reality. But the point is that no proof could be found to verify their claims, only refute it. So history has to accept what is available, even if the history may in fact be erroneous.