Augustus Walley

From enslavement in Maryland to the ranks of the legendary Buffalo Soldiers, Augustus Walley lived a life defined by perseverance, courage, and extraordinary service. Born in Reisterstown, Maryland, on March 10, 1856, he enlisted in the United States Army on November 26, 1878, joining Company I, 9th U.S. Cavalry, one of the distinguished African American regiments known as the Buffalo Soldiers.

On August 16, 1881, during fierce fighting against hostile Apaches in the Cuchillo Negro Mountains of New Mexico, four troopers became separated from their unit during a withdrawal. Walley, Lieutenant George Burnett, and Sergeant Moses Williams risked their lives to rescue them. When two soldiers could no longer retreat under their own power, Walley and Burnett carried them to safety while Williams and the remaining troopers provided covering fire. For his extraordinary bravery, Walley received the Medal of Honor on October 1, 1890. His official citation reads: "Bravery in action with hostile Apaches."

Walley continued his military career with the 10th U.S. Cavalry and served in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. On June 24, 1898, during the Battle of Las Guasimas, he helped Captain Charles G. Ayers rescue the wounded Major Bell of the 1st U.S. Cavalry under intense enemy fire. Although recommended for a second Medal of Honor, the recommendation was not approved. Instead, Walley received the Certificate of Merit for his extraordinary exertion in the preservation of human life. Congress subsequently provided for the Distinguished Service Cross to replace the Certificate of Merit for eligible enlisted Army recipients. Walley also served in the Philippine-American War and retired from the Army in 1907, having attained the rank of First Sergeant.

Walley's later World War I service is described differently in surviving historical accounts. Maryland historical records report that he returned to active duty in 1918 as a First Sergeant in the Sanitary Corps at Camp Beauregard, Louisiana. The National Park Service, however, describes him as a civilian laborer after being refused military duty because of his age. This discrepancy remains an important subject for further archival research.

Augustus Walley died in Baltimore, Maryland, on April 9, 1938, and was buried in Saint Luke's United Methodist Church Cemetery in Reisterstown. In 1995, a Medal of Honor marker was placed at his grave, and a nearby street was named Augustus Walley Way in his memory.