INVITATION TO THE "WALKER SHARP SHOOTER'S BALL," CIRCA 1846 the antique invitation reading "Walker Sharp Shooter's Ball" and "The pleasure of M_________________ company is requested at ___________________" - h: 6.25 x w: 4.25 in. (sight) and depicts a soldier in uniform standing in front of a campsite of tents with an American flag flying in the background. This invitation was likely for an event related to the companies of mounted riflemen Samuel H. Walker led during the Mexican-American War. In James Andrew Davis's book "Music Along the Rapidan: Civil War Soldiers, Music, and Community during Winter Quarters, Virginia," he writes that "By the time of the Civil War the military ball had become a conventional part of the American officer's social life. During the American Revolution Baron Friedrich von Steuben recommended to George Washington that social dance be included for the training of young officers. Dancing was made compulsory for West Point cadets in 1823, and a dance master was hired by the academy. The Virginia Military Institute held dances as early as 1847, and a commencement ball was inaugurated in 1848, perhaps in imitation of the military balls hosted by officers active in the Mexican-American War" (p. 115). Davis continues that "Between 1830 and 1850, almost one hundred new etiquette or self-improvement guides were published in this country, many of which specifically dealt with dancing and the rules associated with a ball. Participating in such courtly rituals as a means of social improvement would have been of particular interest to many officers during the Civil War.... While the officers' cadre was initially stocked with members of the American elite, there were plenty of young men from working-class families who were able to move up in the ranks both militarily and socially. For volunteer officers who lacked a West Point education, the ball provided an opportunity to participate as social equals in a setting that almost equated social class with military rank" (p. 117). Samuel Walker was born in Maryland and many of his family members lived in Washington, D.C. The frame contains glass on both sides and the back contains a later typed note - 7.75 in. x 4.5 in., reading: "Notes on U.S. Mounted Riflemen./ Opened in City of Washington D.C./ Jan. 22nd. 1847. Capt. S.A. Walker./ [the following in pencil script] My picture - Walker Sharpshooters/ War with Mexico - Congress declared/ May 13, 1846 [end pencil script, typed note resumes]/ Capt. Samuel A. Walker in 1842 joined Gen. Summerville's army to punish the Mexicans under Gen. Wohl, for forays into Texas, and in December 1842 was wounded and captured./ Later he escaped and reached San Antonio, 1843./ In January, 1847, Captain of U.S. Mounted Riflemen of Washington, D.C./ Captain Walker was killed on Oct. 9, 1847/ His remaines [sic] were brought to San Antonio and buried by the side of his comrade, Capt. (or Ad.) Gillespie./ In 1856, they were removed to a beautiful slope overlooking the city, where a marble shaft erected by a grateful people marks the last resting-place of the comrades./ Names of Mounted Riflemen./ Henry T. Jones Md./ W.A. Webster "/ Jesse Garner "/ Othello Wayne "/ Arthur West "/ Benj. West "/ A.W.I. Russell "/ Allen Bowie "/ Thomas Moore "/ George Crawford "/ Robt. F. Martin "/ John T. Smith "/ WM.E. Richards "/ Llewellin Ball "/ [the following in handwritten ink script] Jos. E. Morrison [illegible] "/ W. Gorman [illegible]/ [end of handwritten ink script, typed note resumes] Jonathan Robey N./ Chas. K. Sherman "/ Addison Dent "/ Richard Dement "/ Sam T. Cumming "/ J.W. Marlewood Md./ Benj. Chambers "/ John A.T. Scott "/ R.R. Wallach "/ Silas W. Conn "/ D. John Lowe "/ John A. Goodwin Va./ James R. Phillips "/ F.O. Gather "/ [the following in handwritten ink script] L.J. Griffith "/ T.T. Beavers "