Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-29
E. KIRBY SMITH DEAD,
The Last Of the Confederate Generals Pass
Away.

Away.
Gen. E. Kirby Smith, professor Of mathe-
matics in the University Of the South since
1875, died at Sewanee, Tenn, yesterday after
noon. For two years his health had been de-
clining. Two weeks ago he was taken sick in
New Orleans and was confined to his bed for
five or six days. but recovered sufficiently to
travel and reported at Sewanee ready for duty
Monday. March 49,. Two days afterward he
caught cold. A relapse ensued, his condition
being complicated by congestion of the right
lung. Everything in human power was done to
save him, but from the first it was evident that
the chances were against his recovery. Once
or twice during temporary periods OF semi-con-
seriousness his mind wandered through past
scenes and he ordered the batteries to come up.
Early Yesterday morning he became totally I'M
conscious. His end very peaceful. His
wife and six Of his family were with him. He
died as he lived bright. strong and confident
in his Christian faith and hope. One of his
very last connected ntterances was u verse from
the twenty-third Psalm, Though 1 walk
through the valley of the shadow of death 1
will fear no evil for Thou art with me-
Gen. Smith was born at st. Augustine. Fla.
in 1924. graduated at the West Point Military
Academy in 1915 and entered the army as
brevet second lieutenant of infantry. In the
war with Mexico he distinguished himself and
was brevetted first lieutenant and captain for
gallantry at the battles of Cerre Gordo and Con-
treras. From 1S49 to 1852 he was an assistant
professor OF mathematics at West Point.
Transferred to the second cavalry in 1855, with
the rank Of captain, he served on frontier duty
and was severely wounded in a fight with the
Comanche Indians in Texas in 1859. In jan
uary, 1861. he became major Of his regiment,
but in April OF the same year he resigned. He
was soon after appointed brlgadier in the
confederate army under Gen. Joseph E. John
uxx III LII
brigade into action at the first battle of Ma
nassas. Made major general in 1862, he was
transferred to east Tennessee and placed in
command of that department.. Under Gen.
Bragg he led the advance in the invasion of Ken
lucky and routed the Union forces at Rich
mond in that state, advancing to Frankfort.
Promoted to the grade Of lie utenant general he
engaged in the battles at Perryville and Muir
freesboro. He was then placed in command Of
the trans-Mississippi department. opposing
Gen. Banks in his Red river campaign and en-
gaging in the battle of Jenkins Ferry He was
the last to surrender the forces under his COM
mand. May rs, 1865.
The death Of Gen. Beau regard in New
Orleans. La, February 20, 1885, left Gen.
Smith in the unique position Of last surviving
general OF the confederacy, which he was
destined to occupy for SO brief a period. Those
who held the rank of general were Samuel
Cooper, Albert sydney Johnston, Robert Ed
ward Lee. Joseph Eggleston Johnston, Pierce
Gustav Toutant Beauregard and BraxtOn Bragg
in the regular and Edmund Kirby Smith in the
provisional army, Gen. Smith having been pro-
NOTED to general in the provisional army Feb
ruary 10, 1864.
Gen. Smith married a Miss Selden of Lynch
burg. Va, . sister Of Col. William H. Selden,
proprietor Of the Metropolitan Hotel, WASH
ington, d. c.. and a niece of Mrs. Decatur H.
Miller of Baltimore. He met Miss Selden after
the first battle of Manassas when living wounded
n IL ia1
in Lynchburg, and they we're married a few
months later. Mrs. Smith and q large family
Of children survive the distinguished soldier.
A little over year asO Gen. Smiths resi-
dence and contents at Sewanee we're destroyed,
Including valuable war records and manu-
scripts.
ANNOUNCING THE EVENT.
The following general order. No. 81, was issued
from the headquarters Of the United Confeder-
ate Veterans in New Orleans last night:
with the deepest emotion and heartfelt
sorrow the general commanding announces to
our brotherhood Of comrades the sad news of the
death of one Of our beloved leaders, whose pure
life, civic virtues. martial achievements and
stainless life crowns him as as one Of the fore
most Americans.
seen. E. Kirby Smith, late commander of the
eastern department Of U.C.V., and the last Of
the full generals Of the confederacy, has closed
mis- illustrious career. his noble spirit having
passed into the mystery OF death at 3:25 o'clock
Pm today.
1.-The brilliant service and imperishable deeds
rendered by him in the Mexican war wreathed
a chaplet Of fame around his brow and flashed
his name across the history Of that epoch to re-
main undimmed forever.
IN our titantic struggle, stricken down at
Bull Run. he was one Of the first officers whose
blood was poured out for the south and he is
sued the last order Of our Hateful war. He rose
rapidly from captain to the full rank Of general