The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-12
LAST OF THE GENERALS.
a NEWSPAPERS WRITERS PLEAS
ANT CHAT WITH KIRBY SMITH.

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Family and Hero Of TWO Wars.
from the Men Orleans Times Democrat.
Gen. E. Kirby Smith is to-day alone IN that
gloomy atmosphere Of defeated but proud and
honored. Leadership in which walked and
breathed the seven generals who headed the
lost cause. One BY one they have passed away
into that land where there is 10 more Of slavery,
no more of war, no more OF heartaches and de-
spoiled hopes and ambitions. Robert (. Lee
has gone. So has Samuel Cooper, once the head
Of all Gone. too, are Bragg, Albert Sidney
and Joseph E. Johnston and Beauregerd, so
that now ne whose name begins this article
alone remains.
Picture. if you can. an aged, white-haired
man, lean and graceful; man the fire of whose
soul shining through his dark eyes seems to
nave been made but the warmer and brighter
Tor tue SHOWS which cover his head and his
beard. He Is not tall-only something above
the middle hight-yet his manner Is such that
he seems much-taller The thick dark curls Of
youth no longer cluster about his brows;
Few Struggling white hairs alone cover the top
OF his graceful head But on the sides and at
the BACK Of the head the thick hair still grows
long and soft and white as the first strands that
burst from the island cotton. But it is his long
beard, white, too, as the driven snow, and
sweeping sheer over his dark coat front, that
hrst attracts attention. This is the more
noticeable by reason of the contrast with his
sober habit He is dressed entirely in soft black
clothi ms collar is Of the old fashioned rolling
KIND, caught together over the immaculate
white shirt front with plain white cravat.
NO HARD LINES IN HIS FACE.
There are wrinkles on his face-yet they
should not be called wrinkles better say they
achievement. But they are not hard lines, all
or them None can smile sweeter than Gen.
Kirby Smith; and when he does so he always
pushes his spectaCles back from his eyes and
han
with such excessive good nature and contagion
that 1t is quite impossible to refrain from join
ing him. He can laugh heartily, too. in the same
deep aforementioned and softened somewhat
with years-in which he speaks Il is scarcely
noticeable beneath his white mustaChe
but when he smiles or laughs you can SEES
that his front teeth are very close and
strong, and you cannot help thinking that they
are teeth that could be set very hard, indeed.
When he puts on his hat he wearsit somewhat
over the eyes, and as il is a soft black one he
can pull 1t down very far behind and then turn
down the brim In front. This is precisely what
he generally does as he walks along the street.
About the only other thing that one would no
tice about Gen. Smith would be the little badge,
AZ form and color of confederate ensign, which
ne always wears on the left lapel OF his coat.
This is Gen. Kirby Smith, with no attempt at
description or the magnificent air Of geDtility or
the Rentleness and courtesy Of manner which
are the very essences OF his nature.
II was Just dusk on a recent evening when q
correspondent Of the New Orleans Times Dem
Ocrqt called upon Gen. Smith. His residence
while In New Orleans is always With his cousin,
Mrs, Frank Tilton, at her elegant mansion on
the corner of Canal street and University place.
The general was found in the dining room.
Dinner was just over, the plate had been
cleared away and Gen. Smith sat curied up in a
straight-backed chair with his feet stretched
out on another, taking, as he said, "a postpran-
dial doze.' He started up with graceful alac-
rity at the entrance Of the reporter, who, after
some preliminary conversation, said:
% VhnNn 70 ha aNas
other, a popular uncertainty as to whether or
not you are fun general. wanted to ask you
the question direct, so as 20 settle the matter
once for all Are you or are you not full gen.
eral?"
CONES OF FIGHTING FAMILY,
II am proud to say that l am, sir. The mis-
apprehension, think, arose from two causes.
In the first place. am Lieutenant general of
the United Confederate Veterans Association,
in command of the eastern department, and
think that has led TO the general belief that
was only a lieutenant general. In The next
place. Gen. Cabell a year or two ago published
list of the officers of the cOnfederacy, in which
he enormously listed me as a general of tenn
porary rank. Hood you know, was the only
general of temporary rank in the confederate
You come of a fighting family, generalY"
well, yes, l reckon l do. My father and
uncles and brothers were all soldiers. Father
served in the war OF 1912 with distinction, and
a brother of mine was killed in the Mexican war
IF am not mistaken general, your mother
was somewhat of a fighter too?'
The general smiled fondly.
"You refer, no doubt, to that st. Augustine
matter. Yes, it was the first gunboat that
came to that place and mother wanted the Ma
jorcans and MinorCens to follow under her
leadership and, by manning the fort. oppose
the entrance of the federAl5. She was woman
of 80 then. The men would not follow her; in
deed, would do nothing. So mother broke off
the flag. staff aud all, and went and locked her
self up in her room They came and captured
her after awhile and did everything they could
to make her take the oath of allegiance. But
she wouldn't do it. She told them they might
kill her If they liked. but they could never make
her take tho oath Of allegiance. SO they car
ried her about from place to place and finally,
when they got to Beaufort, they liberated her,
seeing that they could never make her come
over to the federal ranks"
"You have been wounded. have you not gen
eral?"
Eyes, sir. That wound was at the first bat
tie of Manassas, q minnie ball right through
from one shoulder to the other. They left me
there for dead aud took me Off the field finally,
but young woman nursed me back and mar
ried her. Everybody said it was wonderful
recovery"
=, did you ever come in contact with Gen.
Beauregard?"
YES, sir, at that very battle. l was second
In command to Johnston then and came up
with the troops Personally, l saw but little of
Cen Beauregard during the late war. While
the Mississippi practically cut off from commu-
nication with the rest of the confederacy."
General, II it's not an impertlnent question
how old are your"
Gen. Kirby Smith pushed his spectacles hack
upon his lofty brow and laughed heartily.
"Ha, ha, ha!' said he. "Well, we'll Tn
just 70, but I've got thirteen children, laughed
The general land that's pretty good proof"
Tell the truth about It, general" said
Mrs. Tilton, who was present, with deprecat.
ing smile. Two of them are spaniels. He calls
his two dogs his children, too"
WELL then eleven, and that's a good num-
ber," replied the general, Frightening his
glasses.
III holding the chair Of mathematics at Sc
vance do You actively take part in the instruc-
ton OF youth or do you merely exercise a super
vision over the professors on your staffY"
u sm actively engaged in giving instructions
Ion is no considerable part Of it."
eral?" Son-
In every battle Of It, sir. l believe 1 am the
only man alive to-day who was"
Gen. Smith?'
II cid nothing else, sir. in the interval be-
tween the close of the Mexican war and the
breaking out Of the civil war"
you notg" "0'o
Through the left groin, sir. It was an ar
row remember pulled it out and had to
ride on horseback for some time before / could
get the wound dressed / hated filters. and
wouldn't ride In one So Ipulled the arrow out
and rode on my own borse."
RORROE6 OF HEATHEN LIFE.