CLASSIC: William Walker: Filibuster and (Fantastically Bad) President

Summary

Ridiculous History: CLASSIC Episode Summary Episode Title: William Walker: Filibuster and (Fantastically Bad) President
Hosts: Ben Bowlin & Noel Brown
Release Date: May 17, 2025
Production: iHeartRadio

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Introduction

Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown kick off the episode by reflecting on the cultural penchant in the United States for lampooning figures of authority. This sets the stage for their deep dive into the life of one of America's most audacious, yet ultimately unsuccessful, historical figures: William Walker.

Ben Bowlin [00:00]: "Fellow ridiculous historians. One of the time honored aspects of US culture is to always make fun of people in power."

Early Life and Background

William Walker hailed from an affluent Nashville, Tennessee, family. A prodigious intellect, he graduated top of his class from the University of Nashville by age 14, later acquiring degrees in both medicine and law. Despite his prestigious upbringing, Walker's ambitions stretched far beyond conventional success.

Noel Brown [06:38]: "He grew up in a pretty affluent family in Nashville, Tennessee... and he was technically... both a lawyer and a doctor."

Walker’s Personality and Early Career

Walker was known for his fiery temperament and sharp wit, traits that both propelled and hindered his career. As the editor and co-owner of the New Orleans Crescent, he became notorious for his trash-talking columns, leading to multiple duels. Notably, his duel with William Hicks Graham in 1851 in San Francisco showcased his combative nature.

Ben Bowlin [08:29]: "He was quite a bantam figure because he was only 5ft 2 inches tall, but apparently he would fill a room."

The Baja California Expedition

Motivated by Manifest Destiny and inspired by fellow filibuster Narcisco López's attempts in Cuba, Walker embarked on his own expansionist ventures. In 1853, he led a posse of around 50 men into Baja California, declaring the establishment of the Republic of Lower California and appointing himself president. His flag, featuring three parallel stripes, symbolized this audacious claim.

Ben Bowlin [15:12]: "Filibustering at the time described this specific practice... taking over by force... declaring that land part of the United States."

Public Support and Challenges

Walker garnered significant support from pro-slavery advocates and expansionists in the U.S., earning the moniker "Gray Eyed Man of Destiny." However, his ambitions were soon met with logistical nightmares. The departure of his supply ship, the Caroline, exacerbated his lack of resources, leading to dwindling support and increasing desertions.

Noel Brown [16:27]: "He saw Nicaragua as a strategic stronghold... and decided to roll the dice."

Trial and Acquittal

Upon retreating from Baja California, Walker faced legal repercussions for violating U.S. neutrality laws. Surprisingly, he was acquitted, likely due to the overwhelming public support for his expansionist ideals.

Noel Brown [29:46]: "They let him go, right?"

Ben Bowlin [29:50]: "He's acquitted of all charges. He's a true American."

Second Nicaraguan Expedition

Undeterred by his initial failure, Walker initiated a second expedition to Nicaragua in 1857 amidst a civil war between the Leonese and Grenadines. This time, with slightly more support, he declared himself Generalissimo and continued his quest for power. However, internal strife, logistical issues, and external opposition from entities like Cornelius Vanderbilt and neighboring Costa Rica led to his eventual downfall.

Ben Bowlin [41:13]: "And here we have another enemy... Vanderbilt, the owner of the steamship company."

Downfall and Execution

Walker’s brutal tactics, including biological warfare by contaminating water sources, turned public opinion against him. After a failed attempt to seize control in Honduras, he was captured and met a gruesome end at the hands of a firing squad.

Noel Brown [48:31]: "Thus ends the life of the gray eyed man of destiny."

Conclusion and Insights

Ben and Noel conclude by reflecting on Walker’s insatiable thirst for power and conquest. Despite his brief moments of success, Walker's lack of sustainable governance and brutal methods ensured his legacy as a megalomaniac rather than a respected leader.

Noel Brown [37:18]: "I just think he was obsessed and driven and... just like to a completely self destructive level."

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Ben Bowlin [06:50]: "He did everything from like he studied fencing... he was technically... both a lawyer and a doctor."
• Noel Brown [08:29]: "He was quite a bantam figure because he was only 5ft 2 inches tall, but apparently he would fill a room."
• Ben Bowlin [15:12]: "Filibustering at the time described this specific practice... taking over by force... declaring that land part of the United States."
• Noel Brown [29:46]: "They let him go, right?"
• Ben Bowlin [29:50]: "He's acquitted of all charges. He's a true American."
• Noel Brown [48:31]: "Thus ends the life of the gray eyed man of destiny."

Final Thoughts

The episode meticulously unpacks the tumultuous life of William Walker, blending historical facts with engaging dialogue. Ben and Noel's chemistry brings to life the absurdity and audacity of Walker's actions, offering listeners both education and entertainment.

Ben Bowlin [50:03]: "Thank you so much for tuning in. We hope you enjoyed the tale of William Walker."

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For more intriguing historical tales and ridiculously fascinating stories, tune into Ridiculous History on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Transcript

[Ben Bowlin]

Fellow ridiculous historians. One of the time honored aspects of US culture is to always make fun of people in power.

[Noel Brown]

Yes, of course. Especially in podcasting.

[Ben Bowlin]

Especially in podcasting. Sketch comedy in cafes. The nation round. There is a guy named William Walker. We would love to introduce you to him. If you haven't heard our classic episode from 2018. In his Halcyon days, Noel, he was an American hero because he was seen like some kind of military version of Rocky or what's that, football film. Rudy. Rudy.

[Noel Brown]

Yes, of course. The underdog. Always root for the underdog.

[Ben Bowlin]

Yeah, William Walker keeps trying to invade different parts of Mexico and Nicaragua and he keeps failing.

[Noel Brown]

Oh, yeah, you gotta fail a bunch to become an underdog, I suppose. Did he ever rise above underdog status?

[Ben Bowlin]

Well, no, not really.

[Noel Brown]

Oh, okay. Well, why don't we hear more about that in this classic episode? You're listening to an I Heart podcast.

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A crime makes headlines. People talk about it for a few days, then it disappears. But for the people left behind, their story is just beginning.

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[Ben Bowlin]

Ridiculous History is a production of iHeartRadio. Welcome to the show, fellow ridiculous historians. We wanted to open today with a question, and I don't know the most diplomatic way to phrase this, but what's the ballsiest thing you ever did?

[Noel Brown]

Well, Ben, today's episode's all about diplomacy, so you really set the tone properly. Ballsyou asking the audience. You asking me?

[Ben Bowlin]

I'm asking the audience. And I'm asking you, Noel.

[Noel Brown]

Ballsiest thing I ever did.

[Ben Bowlin]

And super producer Casey Pegram, feel free to chime in again. For the three of us, it might be a little bit different because we have a caveat. We're saying the ballsiest thing we ever did that we're willing to admit on air.

[Noel Brown]

That narrows the pool a little bit, my friend. I don't know, I once. Gosh, when you put it like that, Ben, I just don't have a good answer. It really makes me feel like I've squandered my life.

[Ben Bowlin]

No way, Noel. We're living lives full of strange and ridiculous adventure. Although it always does feel weird to say ridiculous on this show, a little on the nose. But the reason that we were thinking about this off air is that today's episode is about a very, very, let's say, self confident guy full of chutzpah, who played an instrumental role in American history. And when we say America, we mean the continents. So South American, North American history. And it's a guy that a lot of people don't know about. I didn't know about him.

[Noel Brown]

I didn't know about him either. I know, I knew. I knew of his. His type.

[Ben Bowlin]

Oh, his type.

[Noel Brown]

Yeah, you know, imperialist swine, right?

[Ben Bowlin]

Yeah. Expansionist soldiers of fortune.

[Noel Brown]

Yeah. Cuz who knew There apparently was a time where you could just kind of take it upon yourself to, you know, go forth and conquer other countries.

[Ben Bowlin]

Yeah.

[Noel Brown]

With nothing but a, you know, a wish and a dream and a posse.

[Ben Bowlin]

Like minded reprobates.

[Noel Brown]

Exactly.

[Ben Bowlin]

Yeah, I was thinking about that too. So imagine if you would. Have you ever been on vacation somewhere and thought, you know what? I'm just going to take the flag of another country, post it in the ground here and declare myself in charge. Have you ever thought about that? I've never seriously thought about it.

[Noel Brown]

No. Doesn't seem like those rules apply anymore.

[Ben Bowlin]

I think there's a little more paperwork. Yeah.

[Noel Brown]

Yeah.

[Ben Bowlin]

But back in the time of William Walker, there wasn't really. That's the subject of today's show. William Walker. Could you give us a little introduction to this guy, Noel?

[Noel Brown]

Yeah, he grew up in a pretty affluent family in your neck of the woods, Ben, in Nashville, Tennessee. Or as they say around those ways. Nashville, was that right?

[Ben Bowlin]

Yeah, yeah.

[Noel Brown]

And he did everything from like he studied fencing, I want to say, and he went to the University of Nashville where he graduated at the top of his class by the age of 14, which is nuts. And then he earned a degree in medicine. And then he also, you know, had a. As if that wasn't enough, he got a law degree. And he was technically. No, not technically, in actual facts, both a lawyer and a doctor.

[Ben Bowlin]

A law doctor.

[Noel Brown]

Mom and dad were proud, let's just put it that way.

[Ben Bowlin]

Right. And he did, as I think we may have mentioned, come from a prestigious family. One of his uncles was John Norville, a senator from Michigan. Michigan, Founder of the Philadelphia Inquirer. He had sort of a silver spoon life, but he was also a very smart guy. And the thing was, he was very self assured. He practiced law, but not for a very long time because after he was practicing law in Philadelphia, he quit and he moved to New Orleans where he became the editor and co owner of an outfit called the New Orleans Crescent, a paper of note. And then that still wasn't enough, so he moved to San Francisco and in San Francisco he was a journalist and his fencing also came into play.

[Noel Brown]

Is that right?

[Ben Bowlin]

Well, sort of. I'm pretty sure he. He shot people, but he wasn't. Three duels.

[Noel Brown]

Oh, that's right. Oh, that's right. Because he. He was a bit of a notorious trash talker, wasn't he?

[Ben Bowlin]

Yes.

[Noel Brown]

He wrote these columns and there were a few notable figures who he got into some pretty serious beefs with. Isn't that right?

[Ben Bowlin]

Yeah, yeah. He was quite a bantam figure because he was only 5ft 2 inches tall, but apparently he would fill a room. One of his Duels that gained national attention. The first time he really broke out in the public sphere was when he had a duel with a guy named William hicks Graham on January 12, 1851 in San Fran.

[Noel Brown]

Yeah, I think Graham was known as something of a gunslinger.

[Ben Bowlin]

Yeah, yeah. So at the time, Walker was the editor of the San Francisco Herald. Graham was technically, for his day job, a clerk employed by Judge R.N. morrison. And the thing is, as you said, Noel Graham was also a notorious gunslinger, which you could do that back in these days. You could be in the 1850s, both a clerk for a judge and, and a well known gunsman. Gunsman is a word I just made up.

[Noel Brown]

I'm. I'm into it, Ben. I support that.

[Ben Bowlin]

So, so what happened with this?

[Noel Brown]

So Walker, as the editor of said newspaper of note, was talking some trash about this Judge R.N. morrison and dueling. This is, you gotta remember this is the time of like the California gold rush and like, you know, Deadwood and stuff like that. Right?

[Ben Bowlin]

Yeah. You know, this is also, I mean, it says it explicitly in books that we checked out for the show, like Age of the Gunfighter. At the time, dueling was a popular means of settling disputes in California.

[Noel Brown]

Though not technically legal. Right.

[Ben Bowlin]

I mean, we're pretty far out west at this time.

[Noel Brown]

That's true, that's true. But so this is the funny part. It was such a popular thing that the judge actually had his clerks draw straws to see who would duel on his behalf to, you know, defend his honor.

[Ben Bowlin]

They were beefed up. Yeah.

[Noel Brown]

That just seems really cowardly. But I guess, you know, I wouldn't do that for my boss.

[Ben Bowlin]

No, I don't. But I don't think we're in a very pro dueling environment.

[Noel Brown]

Well, and again, Hicks was a, you know, he was fond of this pastime. Right?

[Ben Bowlin]

Yeah. William Hicks Graham had already taken part in numerous duels in the time of the old and wild west. And Walker had had some duels before. But the kind of duels he had were duels where you use a single shot revolver. And so you can, if you just want to defend your honor but not hurt someone. Not going to say where this phrase is popular from. I don't want to spoil the musical for everyone, but you can just throw away your shot, shoot in the air with a single shot firearm. But this fight was a little bit different because it was waged with revolvers, Colts specifically.

[Noel Brown]

Yeah. And they had five shots and all of them were fired and Walker took a bullet through. I don't think it actually injured him, but it went through the leg, as this book describes, through the leg of his pantaloons. And then he also got one. Oh, he did get one in the thigh. And the funny thing is, is that Graham got charged with aggravated assault because this was, in fact, an illegal activity.

[Ben Bowlin]

Yeah. He was later found not guilty in no small part, I think, because while Walker was shot, he was not seriously injured. Right. That's what I found. Also, he, from what I understand, Graham walked away without a scratch. He got two shots off, and Walker didn't even manage to fire a shot at Graham. And so when he was wounded, Walker eventually conceded. And as you said, Noel Graham was arrested but found not guilty. And one of the strangest things about this, this research made me want to trace the life of William Hicks Graham, because in the books we were reading about this duel, Graham goes on to fight other duels pretty much like immediately after he gets the not guilty verdict.

[Noel Brown]

Oh, yeah. He's thirsty for these gunfights. And it sort of shows the kind of attitude this dude had about going out and conquering stuff, you know what I mean?

[Ben Bowlin]

Oh, and I want to correct myself there, because I said he wasn't seriously wounded, but I found conflicting reports. Reports of the time described it as a trifling wound, but later historical reports describe it as a very serious wound. Hmm. I've always assumed a gunshot is a serious wound.

[Noel Brown]

I would assume so.

[Ben Bowlin]

Well, assumptions aside, one thing that is great about this duel is despite the fact that he lost the duel, William Walker, as we said, becomes known in the public sphere. He's in the papers. You know what I mean? Lawyer duelist William Walker. Not walking for a while.

[Noel Brown]

That's cute, Ben.

[Ben Bowlin]

They were very cute papers at the time. So this is just some background about this guy. He's well off. He's a hothead. He's also not shy about his opinions. Both his opinions on slavery, he's very much in favor of it. His opinions on the expansion of the United States and his opinion on how to apply his patriotism.

[Noel Brown]

Yeah. And he got a little bit of inspiration from some stuff that was going on in Cuba. There was a dude named Narcisco Lopez who was born in Venezuela. And this was in 1850, by the way. And he gathered up a band of mercenaries to basically try to conquer part.

[Ben Bowlin]

Of Cuba and then make it part.

[Noel Brown]

Of the US make it part of the US like, is that annexing it? What is that?

[Ben Bowlin]

That would be annexing it if it were an authorized state action.

[Noel Brown]

That's the thing. This guy just kind of took it upon himself to do it. And Walker liked the cut of his particular jib and said, huh, interesting. I want to try something like that.

[Ben Bowlin]

And this was known as filibustering. For a lot of us listening in the US right now, today, 2018, as we record this, in case you happen to be listening through 3,000 years in the future. For a lot of us, filibustering today only describes the political practice wherein a congressperson will try to put off certain voting actions by just talking forever.

[Noel Brown]

Yeah, like we do on this podcast.

[Ben Bowlin]

We get to the point.

[Noel Brown]

Yeah, we do. But I feel like I could be accomplishing so much stuff if I wasn't always just talking into a microphone.

[Ben Bowlin]

I mean, you could say that about anything. That's true. Think how many hours a day we spend sleeping.

[Noel Brown]

That's fair.

[Ben Bowlin]

That's like a third of your life.

[Noel Brown]

Wow. When you put it like that.

[Ben Bowlin]

But these weird statistics aside and these strange definitions aside, filibustering at the time described this specific practice. Illegally going into a foreign country or land and taking it over by force, usually with a posse, mercenaries, or like minded people native to the region, and then declaring that land part of the United States. One of the big inspirations for this is the state of Texas. They had broken off from Mexico a few years before and they were held up as an example of the practice of Americans going out, taking over an area and then later making it a state. And filibustering, although illegal in the US had wide popular support because we have to remember this is full on expansionist mode. You know what I mean? Sea to shining sea.

[Noel Brown]

Oh, yeah. I mean, manifest that destiny. Right, young man?

[Ben Bowlin]

So where did Walker go?

[Noel Brown]

Yeah, so Walker set his sights down Mexico way, specifically a couple of states, one of which was Baja California, which was actually in Mexico, and Sonora. And there weren't a ton of folks living there at the time. So he gathered a posse of I think around 50 men, right?

[Ben Bowlin]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Noel Brown]

And just, you know, marched his way on in there and he was able to take La Paz, which is the capital of Baja, and he raised his own flag that he had designed himself, which I think had like three parallel stripes on it. And. Yeah, and you know, he is, like you said earlier, you sort of put down his, his, his flag and say, this is mine now.

[Ben Bowlin]

The chutzpah alone. Yeah, he named, he renamed the area the Republic of Lower California, declared himself president, and then said the new legal system will be. We're just going to use the laws of the state of Louisiana, unless you Think he is some sort of Indiana Jones type lovable rogue character. We should mention that there's a reason he wanted to use the laws of the state of Louisiana. He wanted to use those laws because they included legalized slavery. He was again, very pro slavery. And word spread in the U.S. just imagine people saying, you know, remember that editor, that hot headed editor from San Francisco who disappeared for a while? Well, it turns out he took over Baja California for the US and he had this massive wave of public support. People would read about this story and then go volunteer to join him as a member of his military force in the Republic of Lower California. And this is where he got a really weird nickname.

[Noel Brown]

You're talking about the Gray Eyed man of Destiny.

[Ben Bowlin]

Yeah, it doesn't quite roll off the tongue.

[Noel Brown]

I think it's great. I would, I would love if people called me that. The Gray Eyed man of Destiny.

[Ben Bowlin]

It's. It's a lot to say. It feels like it's good to read it in print.

[Noel Brown]

I just said it twice and I love the way it sounds. So I respectfully disagree with you, Ben.

[Ben Bowlin]

Of course, of course. To each their own. And noted. Now I don't think his vice president got a nickname. That was his former law partner, Henry P. Watkins. We should also mention that when he was filibustering in Mexico, he didn't just try to take over the Baja California territory, he took over another sparsely populated area, the Sonora state.

[Noel Brown]

Yeah, and I do want to say, speaking of diplomacy, he did start off this whole thing by asking the Mexican government to let him make a colony in these areas that were kind of sparsely populated. And he referred to it, according to this article from History is Now magazine, that he wanted to create a buffer zone between Native American and American American territories. So Mexico said no and he decided to go forth with his wild plan.

[Ben Bowlin]

And like Gregor McGregor from our earlier show, he funded his project by selling scrip that was redeemable in the state of Sonora.

[Daniel]

Oh wow.

[Ben Bowlin]

That he would create. So even more ballsy.

[Noel Brown]

Seriously? Seriously.

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Explore the winding halls of historical true crime with Holly Fry and Maria Tremarchi, hosts of Criminalia, as they uncover curious cases from the past. The legend of the Highwayman suggests men dominated the field, but tell that to Lady Catherine Ferrers, known as the wicked lady who terrorized England in the mid-1600s. Her legend persists nearly 4, 400 years after her death. Hear the story of the gentleman robber, the romantic darling of the ladies, and a tale about a wager over a sack of potatoes. But you'll have to tune in to learn who won that one. Some highwaymen were well mannered or faked it. People were concerned about the romanticism of robbers, but most were just thugs. Highwaymen are in the hot seat this season. Call them robbers or bandits, some are legendary figures. Listen to stories about historical crimes on Criminalia now, plus the cocktails and mocktails inspired by each. Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Dan Flores]

The American west with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network. Hosted by me, writer and historian Dan Flores and brought to you by Velvet Buck, this podcast looks at a West available nowhere else. Each episode I'll be diving into some of the lesser known histories of the West. I'll then be joined in conversation by guests such as Western historian Dr. Randall Williams and best selling author and Meat Eater founder Stephen Rinella.

[Daniel]

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Listen to the American west with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Hey everyone, we want to tell you about our podcast.

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Learn all about our amazing and beautiful universe on Daniel and Kelly's Extraordinary Universe every Tuesday and Thursday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you hit your podcasts.

[Noel Brown]

So, yeah, so he staked his claim in La Paz, in Baja and also in Sonora.

[Ben Bowlin]

And it didn't all go smoothly, obviously. He moved his headquarters twice over the next 90 days or something, once to Cabo San Lucas and then once a little further north to Ensenada because he knew that it would be a really close fight if the Mexican government was able to raise forces to attack. And he actually didn't get control of Sonora. He just sort of started saying that the Republic of Lower California was part of the larger Republic of Sonora, even though he didn't actually control it. It's kind of like, it's like imagine if we declared ourselves the emperors of Birmingham, Alabama, despite the fact that we're not in Birmingham, Alabama. That's kind of what happened.

[Noel Brown]

Yeah, that sounds about right.

[Ben Bowlin]

And there was a notable series of attacks that he lost, which further adds Noel to the one of the themes in this guy's life, which is talking a big game and then getting his keister handed to him. One of those relocations he took was a consequence of him losing a skirmish to General Manuel Marquez de Leon. And so he was eventually forced to retreat from Mexico entirely.

[Noel Brown]

So it's 1854 and the gray eyed man of destiny has sort of rallied some troops to support him. He actually was able to get around 200 Mexicans to back him up, along with another couple hundred folks from San Francisco who thought this scheme of his, you know, had had legs. But, you know, as megalomaniacs often do, he didn't really plan this thing out very well and they didn't have enough supplies. And, you know, the folks that were helping him started getting restless and the Mexican government wasn't having it and they were able to really make things pretty uncomfortable for the occupying forces there in la.

[Ben Bowlin]

Right. So at the same time this is getting domestic support in the US with hundreds of people wanting to join the expedition, raising the flag of the Republic of Sonora in different streets in the US Things are getting increasingly hairy for Walker and Co down there in Baja California. And Noel you mentioned earlier that the supplies were an issue. Right. There's a strange thing that happens. He has a ship named the Caroline that is supposed to wait on shore or bring him the ammo and the foodstuffs he needs to continue surviving the conflict. And this ship sails away with most of his supplies. And then when 200 more recruits arrive from San Francisco, his supplies are already so low, he can't feed them. He can't arm them.

[Noel Brown]

Wait, so they just bailed on him with his stuff.

[Ben Bowlin]

The ship just left.

[Noel Brown]

So it was like they were just deserting. Basically. They were like, this is it. We're done, and we're taking your ship and your supplies and, you know, go F yourself.

[Ben Bowlin]

So the most diplomatic way I found it was in an article from the Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco by Fanny Judah that says for some unknown reason, his vessel, the Caroline, sailed away with the greater part of his supplies. So when these people show up, he sends a group of them toward Todos Santos Bay on a foraging expedition, and he says, you know, find us some food to eat, find us some cattle, et cetera. They get in a fight with the natives, this band does, because those people don't want to give up their stuff in return for scrip again, the fake money that you can redeem in Sonora, which he does not control. And since they were running low on food, they couldn't get their plundering done successfully. The men began to desert. Walker starts arresting them. He shoots two of them. He has two others publicly flogged. And this makes him even less popular. So much so that he only had 100 men when he started walking for Sonora or moving on Sonora. And by the time they reached the Colorado river, there were only 35 people with him. He's hemorrhaging support staff.

[Noel Brown]

You're just dropping like flies, man. Not a good look. Not a good look for a leader and a conqueror. Right?

[Ben Bowlin]

Which is why, you know, I think Gray Eyed man of Destiny is a good nickname. I just don't think he deserves it.

[Noel Brown]

Here's the thing, though, Ben. I didn't realize this. I mean, we're talking about how the laws were different and how it was a little bit easier just to kind of like, you know, go forth and conquer. But it was, in fact, illegal. Just like dueling. It was widely done, and I guess, you know, it's just kind of like if you don't get caught. But filibustering was illegal. And after this debacle and he returned back to San Francisco, he and his remaining 10 dudes or whatever got arrested by the army, right?

[Ben Bowlin]

For violation of U.S. neutrality laws. Exactly. So how did this, how did this trial actually go?

[Noel Brown]

I wonder if he was able to represent himself. He was a lawyer, right?

[Ben Bowlin]

He was a doctor.

[Noel Brown]

Lawyer, lawyer, duelist, imperialist, conqueror.

[Ben Bowlin]

Man, his business card must have been extra long.

[Noel Brown]

Do you think it was bone?

[Ben Bowlin]

Oh, yeah. With a watermark. Yeah, yeah, bone white. So the thing is, yes, he is arrested, he's tried for these multiple violations of US Neutrality laws, but in the US the population is still supportive of him. The trial goes to a jury. They list all the charges. Prosecution makes their argument, defense makes their argument. To your point, Noel, I would be fascinated to know whether he represented himself. And the jury leaves to deliberate, they come back eight minutes later, and what do you think happened?

[Noel Brown]

They let him go, right?

[Ben Bowlin]

Yeah. He's acquitted of all charges. He's a true American.

[Noel Brown]

Do you think it's because of the chutzpah you keep talking about, Ben? Do you think these people were just like, you know, this guy is a real American and why would we put him away for just doing what Americans do, which is, you know, going out and conquering the wilds?

[Ben Bowlin]

I think it was, you know, I think there's something to it, honestly, because I believe that the public support for manifest destiny and expansionism was at such a fever pitch that people were maybe having conversations where they said, well, there's a difference between what's right and what's legal sometimes, right? And so after he gets away unscathed through this adventure, attempting to capture Baja California and Sonora, he says, you know what? I'm going to go back to practicing law a little bit. I've got a reputation. Maybe I'll just go be a lawyer. And that lasts a little less than a year.

[Noel Brown]

Oh, I'm sorry, I just want to interject really quick, Ben. I remembered something. The reason we don't hear about him practicing medicine is because as a right out of medical school, he saw his mother die.

[Ben Bowlin]

Oh, wow.

[Noel Brown]

Very horribly.

[Ben Bowlin]

So he's traumatized and he was traumatized.

[Noel Brown]

And turned away from ever practicing medicine. So that's why the whole doctor lawyer thing didn't. Didn't work out. He didn't really. Couldn't really do the combo there.

[Ben Bowlin]

That's a tragedy.

[Noel Brown]

Please go on.

[Ben Bowlin]

Well, I'm setting you up to tell one of the strangest turns in the story, right? He got away unscathed from his ill fated adventures in Baja California and Sonora. And he says, you know what? I'm gonna go practice Law again. And that lasts for about a year.

[Noel Brown]

And then he gets that itch. He gets that itch, that conquering itch.

[Ben Bowlin]

Yes, he gets that filibuster itch.

[Noel Brown]

Ooh. He needs to be filibustering everyday filibustering. And so he sets his sights on Nicaragua. Weird. It's really, really far, far, far, far away from San Francisco. You know, Mexico made sense, you know.

[Ben Bowlin]

On the border, and it's sparsely populated. He also, by the way, he gets a lot of public support because he's saying that he's setting up this buffer colony to protect people from the Apache.

[Noel Brown]

That's right. That's right. Because it was during the gold rush and there was a lot of, like, these little settlements there and Indian attacks and the like. But not the case with Nicaragua for this. This was purely exploitative on his part because Nicaragua was having some serious problems. They were, like, in the absolute throes of an. Of a horrible civil war. And there were these factions that were trying to control the government of the country, and they were the Leonese and the Grenadins. The Leonese were more liberal and the Grenadins were more conservative. And if I butcher that pronunciation, I don't know.

[Ben Bowlin]

You got it.

[Noel Brown]

I just don't even care anymore. Ben, you did a good job. I just don't care.

[Ben Bowlin]

Hey, chin up, man. You're doing it.

[Noel Brown]

No, no, I'm good. I just. I just really, you know, pronunciation's be damned.

[Ben Bowlin]

Well, also, English is a living language.

[Noel Brown]

Well, that's just a thing dumb people say that. Mispronounce words.

[Ben Bowlin]

Are you accusing me?

[Noel Brown]

No, no, I think you're just trying to make me feel better.

[Ben Bowlin]

No, no, it is. It is a living language. I mean, look, when's the last time you heard filibustering described in this way?

[Noel Brown]

That's a very good point.

[Ben Bowlin]

The word has changed over time.

[Noel Brown]

I have never heard it, actually, because we thought. I mean, it's not even in the Webster's definition.

[Ben Bowlin]

Yeah, we gotta bring it back. I'm gonna start filibustering places. Yeah, like our local bar across the street.

[Noel Brown]

Is that just where you hang out for a really long time and don't leave?

[Ben Bowlin]

I think the main thing is I need a flag. It seems like flags are really key here. I need a. So if you were a good vex ologist, which is the fancy word for flag lover, Is that right?

[Noel Brown]

Vexologist.

[Ben Bowlin]

That's right. No, vexillologist. If you are a vexillologist, one who is very familiar with the study of history, symbolism and usage of flags. Then hit us up and let us know what kind of flags we should have. I'm open to ideas. Are you on board with this? I don't want to pigeonhole you, Noel.

[Noel Brown]

No, man, pigeonhole away.

[Ben Bowlin]

Okay?

[Noel Brown]

I'm malleable. I will bend to your whims.

[Ben Bowlin]

You're a gray eyed man of destiny.

[Noel Brown]

No, that's you, buddy.

[Ben Bowlin]

I wouldn't.

[Noel Brown]

I will follow you till the ends of the earth.

[Ben Bowlin]

I would much prefer that you take the nickname Gray Eyed man of Destiny over this Walker character.

[Noel Brown]

Oh, that's very kind, man. But you can be the power behind the gray eyed throne, McMahon.

[Ben Bowlin]

I just want a filibuster, which sounds like we haven't learned our lesson. We're mostly joking except, you know, let us know if you have a good idea for a flag. So Walker is aware of this situation that Noel, you just described in Nicaragua. The Granada faction, the more conservative faction, is at the time winning. Winning so hard. Like winning to the nth degree. And the Leonese seems set for defeat. Walker sees an opportunity in this chaos. And this is again, we have to remember these are the days before the Panama Canal. So a lot of shipping went through Nicaragua. It was a tremendously important crossroads for trade.

[Noel Brown]

Wasn't this kind of masterminded by Cornelius Vanderbilt, who was like the railroad tycoon, that trade position? Well, he, I think he sort of had the idea of building this canal and he wanted to connect, you know, the Caribbean with the Pacific Ocean. And so Walker, knowing this, saw what a strategic stronghold economically the Nicaragua was and decided to roll the dice and offered his assistance to the Leonese. Right?

[Ben Bowlin]

Yes, he, he offered his assistance and he did it for. With very sketchy support from the US government. So he says, I'm going to get down there, I'm going to get with the Leonese, use them to augment my fighting forces. We're going to take over Nicaragua for America. Who's with me? Who's with me? Kind of like that scene in Half Baked.

[Noel Brown]

How many were with him, Ben?

[Ben Bowlin]

60. 60 people said, well, I'll do it.

[Noel Brown]

Is that enough?

[Ben Bowlin]

That's not enough.

[Noel Brown]

I'm no, you know, master of war, but that seems a little on the light side.

[Ben Bowlin]

We have never, in fact purposely Filip Bustard, but just ballparking, that seems. Yeah, that seems low. So here's the thing, though. Here's what the sketchy support was. He's got these 60 people and says, okay, we're going to set sail. It's 1855 by this time. And the United States Marshal tries to prevent Walker and his men from leaving. But the federal officials who earlier tacitly supported him in his quest to take over parts of Mexico, they're still on his side. In fact, before he sets sail, Walker meets with a guy named General Wool, who is the military commander of the Pacific coast. And Wool had special powers granted from the president to suppress all filibustering expeditions. But this guy, this guy meets with Walker. Walker says, yeah, I'm gonna go take over Nicaragua for America. I'm gonna make it like its own thing first, but then I'm gonna handed off to the US and the general hears this plan and he says, you know what? Not only am I not going to interfere, but break a leg, buddy. I wish you well.

[Noel Brown]

Yeah, totally. I got a question for you, man.

[Ben Bowlin]

Yeah.

[Noel Brown]

In all of this, how is he benefiting? Like, is he. Is he cashing in on all of these exploits like, or is he just totally power mad and just wants to like, be the king of a country?

[Ben Bowlin]

Yeah, it's. I. It's tough for us to ascribe motive. We know he didn't come from impoverished means or anything.

[Noel Brown]

I just think he was obsessed and driven and like, just like kind of to a completely self destructive level.

[Ben Bowlin]

Yeah, I think he just really dug power.

[Commercial Voiceover]

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[Holly Fry]

Explore the winding halls of historical true crime with Holly Fry and Maria Tremarky, hosts of Criminalia, as they uncover curious cases from the past. The legend of the highwayman suggests men dominated the field. But tell that to lady Catherine Ferrars, known as the wicked lady who terrorized England in the mid-1600s. Her legend persists nearly 400 years after her death. Hear the story of the gentleman robber, the romantic darling of the ladies, and a tale about a wager over a sack of potatoes. But you'll have to tune in to learn who won that one. Some highwaymen were well mannered or faked it. People were concerned about the romanticism of robbers, but most were just thugs. Highwaymen are in the hot seat this season. Call them robbers or bandits, some are legendary figures. Listen to stories about historical crimes on Criminalia now. Plus the cocktails and mocktails inspired by each. Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Dan Flores]

The American west with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network. Hosted by me, writer and historian Dan Flores and brought to you by Velvet Buck, this podcast looks at a West available nowhere else. Each episode I'll be diving into some of the lesser known histories of the West. I'll then be joined in conversation by guests such as Western historian Dr. Randall Williams and best selling author and Meat Eater founder Stephen Rinella.

[Daniel]

I'll correct my kids now and then we're they'll say when cave people were here and I'll say it seems like the Ice Age people that were here.

[Dan Flores]

Didn'T have a real affinity for caves. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th where we'll delve into stories of the west and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today.

[Noel Brown]

Listen to the American west with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Kelly Wienersmith]

Hey everyone, we want to tell you about our podcast.

[Daniel]

Hi, I'm Daniel. I'm a particle physicist and I think our universe is absolutely extraordinary.

[Kelly Wienersmith]

Hello, I'm Kelly Wienersmith. I study parasites along with nature's other creepy crawlies and there's just endless things about this universe that I find fascinating.

[Daniel]

All right, well basically we're both nerds. We love learning about this extraordinary universe and we love sharing what we've learned so that that's what we're gonna do.

[Kelly Wienersmith]

And on our podcast, Daniel and Kelly's Extraordinary Universe is all about the mind blowing discoveries we've made about this crazy beautiful cosmos.

[Daniel]

From the tiniest particles to the biggest blue whales.

[Kelly Wienersmith]

Each Tuesday and Thursday we take an hour long dive into some science topic, during which time I try to suppress my biologist training and keep the poop jokes to a minimum.

[Daniel]

Learn all about our amazing and beautiful universe on Daniel and Kelly's Extraordinary Universe. Every Tuesday and Thursday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ben Bowlin]

So I think you are right Noel. I think you're right. I think he it was about the power for him. It was about the drive to conquer and to rule. As soon as they land in San Juan del Sur, he starts to Flex his muscles. He's got his 60 people with him and he's got those Leonese troops. And he starts fighting the Granada faction at the Battle of Rivas. And because he wins the day for.

[Noel Brown]

The Leonese, he gets another title, doesn't he? He gets another. Yeah, not a nickname. This is almost an official title.

[Ben Bowlin]

Generalissimo.

[Noel Brown]

Generalissimo. And he's a white man from Nashville.

[Ben Bowlin]

Right, right.

[Noel Brown]

I imagine it's so crazy how he found himself in this situation. I just don't understand like the impulse to do that. Maybe I'm just. My brain doesn't work like this. But yeah. So he's Generalissimo now. And he declares himself to be the new president of Nicaragua.

[Ben Bowlin]

Chutzpah for days. Yeah. And the population of the US hears about this and they love it. And soon pro slavery advocates begin trying to recruit more people to help with this cause. In Nicaragua, large southern cities host public meetings and fundraisers. And Walker begins to really settle in and make himself comfortable. And this is where he makes a powerful enemy. And Noel, I'm so glad you mentioned this guy earlier. We had a little foreshadowing.

[Noel Brown]

Yeah. This Vanderbilt character does not play. Because I believe that Generalissimo El President Walker.

[Ben Bowlin]

Yeah.

[Noel Brown]

Did not allow his ships to travel through like we were saying before, he saw the strategic power of controlling Nicaragua. So I guess, yeah, there was money he was getting. He was. I mean, come on, he had to have been cashing in on this, no question about it. Because he had such power that he was actually able to revoke the deal with Vanderbilt's company.

[Ben Bowlin]

Yeah, the Vanderbilt Steamship Company.

[Noel Brown]

That's right. To allow them to travel through that very important region for getting from the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean. This is before the Panama Canal, right?

[Ben Bowlin]

Yes, yeah, this is before the Panama Canal. And to add insult to injury, Walker gives that right of transit to a guy named Edmund Randolph, the competitor of Vanderbilt's, for a term of 25 years. And then soon as he's consolidating his power, he reverses the anti slavery laws that Nicaragua had had for the last 32 years. And because this guy is essentially reinstituting slavery, revolts begin to break out. Also, there's a. There's a puppeteer helping strengthen and augment these acts of revolt. It's Vanderbilt, the owner of the steamship company. This has become a proxy war for him.

[Noel Brown]

Dang, this guy's making waves.

[Ben Bowlin]

He is, he is. And Costa Rica declares war against Walker as well. Things just go go to pot. They go pear shaped pretty quickly. And, you know, it's not hard to see why. If somebody came in and took over a US State and reinstituted slavery, right, and then angered the largest corporations in the area, of course, things would be incredibly unsustainable. And so after about two years, as a result of these various conflicts, In May of 1857, Walker has to surrender. He has to leave Nicaragua until, that is, he convinces people to join him on his second Nicaragua campaign. So he's in Mobile, Alabama, and he organizes the second Nicaragua campaign expedition.

[Noel Brown]

How do you get to Mobile? Where'd that come into play?

[Ben Bowlin]

It's when he left Nicaragua.

[Noel Brown]

He just beelined it for Mobile.

[Ben Bowlin]

He went back to the States. He was forced by Central American armies and the government of Costa Rica to surrender to US Navy Commander Charles Henry Davis. And so he was taken back to New York City. And then when he got to New York, at first there was fanfare. You know, imagine the confetti, the applause. People were like, this guy's a real American hero. But then the public turned against him when he said, the only reason I lost is because of the US Navy. Also, he was using very dirty tactics in the war. He was purposefully contaminating water wells with corpses. Ugh. Yeah. He was waging biological war.

[Noel Brown]

That's awful.

[Ben Bowlin]

Caused a cholera epidemic.

[Noel Brown]

What a guy.

[Ben Bowlin]

What a guy. And so now the US Public is starting to turn against him. He goes from New York, makes his way down to Mobile, Alabama, starts his second Nicaragua expedition, and then he gets arrested by the US Navy under the command of a guy named Commodore Hiram Paulding, gets returned to the US again, writes a book, War in Nicaragua, published in 1860. And then he goes back, but this time he says, you know what if Nicaragua didn't work, if Baja California didn't work, there's another place I can try.

[Noel Brown]

Let's try Old Honduras.

[Ben Bowlin]

Old Honduras.

[Noel Brown]

Old Honduras. With the same, you know, the same designs in mind as he's had the whole time. This guy's just got, like, stars in his eyes about conquering. I just. I still want to know, like, how is he? How is he benefiting from this? It sure seems like he's putting himself in harm's way. You know, I just think he maybe just got off on the.

[Ben Bowlin]

On the chaos.

[Noel Brown]

The chaos, I guess. Yeah. This is very interesting. Very interesting character.

[Ben Bowlin]

Doesn't seem like he was doing much to institute sustainable government after he took over.

[Noel Brown]

No. Or even had any real plans on how to do it. He just wanted to declare himself the president.

[Ben Bowlin]

He just wanted to be important. You Know what I mean?

[Noel Brown]

But all this bad behavior finally caught up with him in the form of a firing squad.

[Ben Bowlin]

Yeah, yeah, that's right. So after he's organized this other expedition, put it together in New Orleans, set sail for Central America, he lands near Troshillo in Honduras. And he's still thinking, you know what? Eventually I'm going to get to Nicaragua. But his men, probably thinking we have heard this before, they desert him. So eventually, as he is probably trying to take over Nicaragua, he has to surrender himself to the captain of a British naval vessel that was nearby, off the coast. This guy, Commander Noel Salmon, who would later become Admiral Sir Noel Salmon, for reasons that aren't completely clear, decided that instead of returning Walker to the US he was just going to deliver him to the authorities of Honduras. Along with his Chief of Staff, Colonel A.F. rutler, Rudler was sentenced to four years hard labor in the mines. Aaron. Honduras. Which in many ways was a death sentence. But as he said, Walker met a different fate.

[Noel Brown]

Yeah, and we've got a really good account of it from the New York times, published in October 5th of 1860 by John E. Norval. And this is how he describes it. He marched from his cell to the place of execution with a steady step and unshaken mean. A chair had been placed for him with his back toward the castle. Having taken his se seat, he was blindfolded. Three soldiers stepped forward to within 20ft of him and discharged their muskets. The balls entered his body and he leaned a little forward. But it being observed that he was not dead. A fourth soldier mercifully advanced so close to the suffering man, the muzzle of the musket almost touched his forehead. And being there, discharged, scattered his brains and skull to the winds. Thus ends the life of the gray eyed man of destiny. And I have to make this joke, Ben. They were using musket balls. You live by the balls, you die by the balls.

[Ben Bowlin]

Oh, that's so good. Were you planning on that?

[Noel Brown]

Just.

[Ben Bowlin]

That just happened. That was great.

[Noel Brown]

In my head, I had to give it wings.

[Ben Bowlin]

Yeah, yeah. Let it fly. And so this is the conclusion of the story of the man, the myth, the monster, William Walker. Side note, I don't know if we mentioned this. Do you know how old he was when that firing squad got him?

[Noel Brown]

No, I don't. I didn't see that here.

[Ben Bowlin]

36 years old. He did all these terrible things in 36 years.

[Noel Brown]

Ben, I just turned 35.

[Ben Bowlin]

I know, man.

[Noel Brown]

I've never conquered a country even half successfully.

[Ben Bowlin]

Hey, you know what? Neither is He.

[Noel Brown]

Oh, that's true. No, he was half successful.

[Ben Bowlin]

I don't know. I think he just raised a ruckus.

[Noel Brown]

Okay.

[Ben Bowlin]

And then he was never legally recognized by another country. But you know what? We've still got time to start countries of our own. Maybe on the moon when SpaceX gets his stuff together. But that's a story for another day. Thank you so much for tuning in. We hope you enjoyed the tale of William Walker. And stay tuned for our next episode when we break down the story of. What are they? No. Monkey hangers.

[Noel Brown]

The Hartlepool Monkey, or why Hartlepoodlians are known as monkey hangers. That's happening. That's happening with a vengeance, my friend.

[Ben Bowlin]

It is inevitable.

[Noel Brown]

In the meantime, hit us up on the Internet. We are ridiculous. At howstuffworks.com you can join our Facebook group at Ridiculous Historians. On. On the Facebook, all you got to do is name one of our names. That's it.

[Ben Bowlin]

It's a pretty low bar.

[Noel Brown]

That's the magic entry question. And you know what? Even if you don't know or you say something clever, we'll still let you in.

[Ben Bowlin]

It's fine. Yeah, we like jokes. You're Noel. I'm Ben. That's Casey.

[Noel Brown]

That's us. Yeah.

[Ben Bowlin]

Oh, and we want to thank Casey super producer Casey Pegram. We want to thank Alex Williams, who composed this track, our research associates, Christopher Haciotes and Eve's Jeffcoat, and most importantly.

[Noel Brown]

You out there in podcast land, specifically, you. Sure. And you too, Ben.

[Ben Bowlin]

Oh, you too, Noel.

[Noel Brown]

You really. You really carried me on this one, I gotta say. And I appreciate it.

[Ben Bowlin]

Oh, man. Oh, last thing. Please know we're serious. Send us flag designs if you have one.

[Noel Brown]

Yeah. See you soon. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you.

[Daniel]

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[Holly Fry]

Explore the winding halls of historical true crime with Holly Fry and Maria Tremerki, hosts of Criminalia, as they uncover curious cases from the past. The legend of the highwayman suggests men dominated the field. But tell that to Lady Catherine Ferrars. Known as the wicked lady who terrorized England in the mid-1600s, her legend persists nearly 400 years after her death. Highwaymen are in the hot seat this season. Find more crime and cocktails on Criminalia. Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Kelly Wienersmith]

A crime makes headlines. People talk about it for a few days, then it disappears. But for the people left behind, their story is just beginning.

[Noel Brown]

But at night, we hear the garage opening and my son hears it.

[Kelly Wienersmith]

We freak out.

[Noel Brown]

Honestly, I didn't tell my son this, but I thought that was it.

[Kelly Wienersmith]

From the exactly right network. This is the night. Real stories of crime's ripple effects told by those who lived them. New episodes every Thursday. Listen to the knife on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We love learning about this extraordinary universe.

[Daniel]

And we love sharing what we've learned.

[Kelly Wienersmith]

And on our podcast, Daniel and Kelly's Extraordinary Universe, that's what we're gonna do.

[Daniel]

I'm Daniel. I'm a particle physicist and I think our universe is absolutely extraordinary.

[Kelly Wienersmith]

I'm Kelly Wienersmith. I study parasites and there's just endless things about this universe that I find.

[Daniel]

F Basically, we're both nerds.

[Kelly Wienersmith]

Each Tuesday and Thursday, we take an hour long dive into some science topic.

[Daniel]

Learn all about our amazing and beautiful universe on Daniel and Kelly's Extraordinary Universe. Every Tuesday and Thursday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get.

[Noel Brown]

Your podcasts, you're listening to an iHeart podcast.