The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-04-05
DEATH OF GEN. KIRBY SMITH.
Last of the Generals ofgthe: Great Civil
War,

Last of the Generals ofgthe.. Great Civil
War.
SEwANEE, Tenn, March 2S.-Gen. E.
Kirby Smith, professor of mathematics
in the University of the South since 1875
died here this afternoon at twenty-five
minutes past 8 o'clock. For two years
his health has been declining. Two
weeks ago he WAS taken sick in New Or.
leans, and was confined to his bed for
five or six days, but recovered sufficiently
to travel, and reported at sewauee ready
for duty on Monday, March 10. Two
days afterwards he caught cold. 4 re-
lapse ensued, his condition being compli-
Gated by congestion of the right lung.
Everything in human power was done to
save him, but from the 6rst it was evi-
dent that the chances we're against his
recovery.
Once or twice during temporary peri.
DDS Of semi-consciousness, his mind
wandered through past scenes, and he
ordered the batteries to come up. Early
this morning he became totally nncon'
scious. His end waa very peaceful. His
wife aud six Of his family were with
him.
He died as be lived-bright, strong,
and confident in his Christian faith and
hope. One of his very last connected
utterances was verse from the 29rd
Psalm: "Though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death, 1 will fear
no evil, for Thou art with me-"
With Gen. Smiths death closes the
list Of full generals on both sides during
the late war, his commission as full gen
eral in the Confederate service having
been issued February 10, 1864.
Edmund Kirby Smith was born in St.
Augustine, Fla, May 16, 1924; was
graduated at the United States Military
Academy in 1S45 and appointed brevet
second lieutenant of infantry. In the
war with Mexico he was twice brevetted,
for gallantry at Cerro Gordo and Con-
treras. he was assistant professor of
mathematics at West Point in l849.'52,
became captain in the Second Cavalry in
1866, served on the frontier, and was
wounded, May 13, 1859, in an engage.
ment with Commanche indians near old
Fort Atchison, Texas.
He was promoted major in January,
1861, but resigned on April 6, on the Sc
cession of Florida, and was appointed
lieutenant colonel in the corps of cavalry
of the Confederate army. He became
Brigadier General, June II, 1861, lieu
tenant general, October 9, 1862, and
General, February 10, 1864.
At the battle of Bull Run, July 81,
1861, be was severely wound in the be-
ginning of the engagement. In 1862 he
was placed in the command Of the De-
partment of East Tennessee, Kentucky,
North Georgia and Western North Caro-
lima. He led the advance of Gen. Brax.
ton Bragg's army in the Kentucky cam.
psign, and defeated the Union forces un
der Gen. William Nelson at Richmond,
Ky., August 80, 1862
In February, 1868, he was assigned to
the command of the Trans Mississippi
Department, including Texas, Louisiana,
Arkansas and Indian Territory, and was
ordered to organize government, which
he did. He made his communications
with Richmond by running the blockade
at Galveston, Texas, and Wilmington,
N. c., sent large quantities Of cotton to
Confederate agents abroad, and, intro
ducipg machinery from Europe, estab-
lisbed factories and furnaces, opened
mines, made powder and castings, and
had made the district self supporting
when the war closed, at which time his
forces were the last to surrender. In
1864 he opposed and defeated Gen. Ma
thaniel P. Banks in his Red River cam.
paign.
Gen. Smith was president of the At
lanta and Pacific Telegraph Company in
1S66-78, and chancellor of the University
of Nashville in 1870-75. he has been
professor of mathematics in the Univer-
sity of the South, Sewanee, Tenn, since
1875.
Gen. Smith was of Northern parentage,
being son of Joseph Lee Smith, ma
tive of Connecticut, who served with dis.
tinction in the United States army in
the second war with Great Britain. he
was colonel of the Third United States
infantry in 1878, when he resigned, re-
moved to Florida in 1921, and was
Uuiled States Judge of Superior Court in
1S23-27. Of the 1000 cases that he de.
cided previous to 1886, not one was re-
versed.