Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-03-29
Death OF General Kirby Smith.

bell. u. NlrDS SullIH. professor VI
mathematics in the University of the
South since 1875, died at Sewanee,
Tenn, yesterday afternoon at twenty
five minutes past three o'clock. For
two years his health has been declin-
ing. Two weeks ago he was taken
sick in New Orleans and was confined
to his bed for five or six days, but re-
covered sufficiently to travel and re-
ported at Sewanee ready for duty
Monday, March 10. Two days after
ward he caught cold. A relapse ensued
his condition being complicated by
congestion Of the right lung. Every
thing in human power was done TO
save him, but from the first it was evil
dent that the chances were against his
recovery. Once or twice during tenn
porary periods of mi-consciousncss
his mind wandered through past scenes
and he ordered the batteries to come
up. Early yesterday morning he be-
came totally unconscious. His end
was very peaceful. His wife and six
of his family were with him. He died
as he lived, bright, strong and conf
dent in his Christian faith and hope
One of his very last connected utter
ances was verse from the 23d Psalm,
Though walk through the valley of
the shadow of death will fear no evil
for Thou art with me.
General Smith was born at st. Au-
gustine. Fla. in 1924, graduated at the
West Point Military Academy in 1915
and entered the army rs brevet second
lieutenant Of infantry. In the war
with Mexico he distinguished himself
and was brevctted first lieutenant and
captain for gallantry at the battles Of
Cerre. Gorde and Contreras. From
1919 to 1852 he was an assistant pro-
fessor of mathematics at West Point.
Transferred to the second cavalry in
1855, with the rank of captain, he
served on frontier duty and was severe
" wounded in a fight with the
Comanche Indians in Texas in 1859. In
January, 1861, he became major of his
regiment, but in April of the same year
he resigned. He was soon after APP
pointed a brigadier in the Confederate
army under General Joseph +. John
ston and was badly wounded while
leading his brigade into action at the
first battle of Manassas. Made major
general in 1862, he was transferred to
east Tennessee and placed in command
of that department. Under General
Bragg he led the advance in the inva-
sion of Kentucky and routed the Union
forces at Richmond, in that State, adj
vancing to Frankfort. Promoted to
the grade of acknowledgement he en-
gagged in the battle at Perryville and
Murfreesboro'. He was then placed in
command of the trans Mississippi de-
partment, opposing General Banks in
his Red river campaign and engaging
in the battle of Jenkins Ferry. He
was the last to surrender the forces I'M
der his command, May %, 1865.
The death of General Beauregard in
New Orleans, La, February 20, 1898,
left General Smith in the unique posi-
ton of last surviving general of the
Confederacy, which he was destined to
occupy for so brief a period.
General Smith married Miss Bel
den, of Lynchburg, Va, a sister of Col.
H. Splden, proprietor of the
Metropolitan Hotel, Washington, D. c.,
and niece of Mrs. Decatur H. Miller,
of Baltimore He met Miss Selden af-
ter the first battle of Manassas, when
living wounded at the residence of Mr..
John Robin Mcdaniel, in Lynchburg.
and they were married few months
later.
General Smith came of family of
his grandfather having fought
in the Revolutionary war, and his
father having distinguished himself in
the second war with England. His
brother Ephraim was a soldier, too. He
fell in leading desperate assault on
Mexican battery at Molino del Rey.
By one of the painful condolences of
The war, son of this brother Ephraim
was colonel in the Federal army, who
might any day have met his uncle in
deadly combat. He fell at Corinth in
1862.
Gen. Gordon, commander of the
United Confederate Veterans, has is
:ued an order requesting Major General
w. H. Jackson, commanding Tennes.
see division, to take charge of the
funeral obsequies of Gen. Smith, and to
ssue such orders and to do whatever
in his judgment is necessary to show
the fullest honors to the memory Of the
heroic commander,