Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-06-14


CIrans-Mlssissippi DEPARTMENT.
general and chief OF stan IS Brigadier-
General T.. T. Sykes. one Of the foremost
lawyers Of Columbus, Miss. General Sykes
was born in Decatur. Ala. March 10, 1888
and h the son Of Richard and Martha A.
Sykes. who were natives OF Greenyillo
county. Va. The family connection was a
large one. About the year 1894 the first
OF the name moved to Decatur, Ala,
whore. I'm a few years all OF the imme-
date family connection had moved and
engaged extensively In cotton planting. In
a few years thereafter the Sykeses had
also become large owners OF the then
rich prairie lands in Lowndes and Mon
roe counties, Miss, and by 1872 most or
them had moved 10 the latter state. taxi
ing up their residence IN Columbus and
Aberdeen. Richard. a great uncle or
General Sykes, was an officer in the RevO-
lutionary war, and was killed In one Of
It's battles. James Sykes. an uncle OF the
General. was a colonel IN the war Of 1872.
The subject Of this sketch was reared and
obtained his early education in Columbus,
Miss. In June. 1873. no graduated from
the literary department Of the University
OF North Carolina, after which he entered
the law department Of tho University OF
Mississippi from which he graduated in
the class Of 1850.
HIS WAR RECORD.
In anticipation OF the coming troubles,
he enlisted IN Captain George LipscomDs
Company raised in Columbus, and which
responded TO the first call for troops
made by the President OF the Confederacy,
and as color-bearer Of the company 'eft
his home on March q, 1851. for service at
and near Pensacola, Fla, where General
BraXton Bragg was in command OF the
Confederate States forces. lie was soon
promoted TO the position Of adjutant or
his CTenth Mississippi regiment, In which
capacity he served until after the battle
Of Shiloh, when he was made captain OF
Company *. Tenth Mississippi, and so
served until after General Bragg's Ken
lucky campaign. when. IN November, ls62
upon the promotion Of Colonel Z. c. Wal
thall 10 a brigadier-g general, Captain
Sykes was commissioned and assigned 10
duty upon his staff as adiutant-generaL
He remained on General Walthalls stan
until June, 1854, when and during tina
Georgia campaign he was transferred q
General W. II. Jacksons division Of cav
airy, with the rank of major, and with II
served as Acknowledgement OF division un-
I'll the close Of the war
Upon the cessation Of hostlit,es Major
Sykes returned 10 Columbus, and again
entered upon the practice Of the law. In
1888 he was elected 10 the State Senate.
and served with distinction and honor
until 1885 He is an able. forcible, and
eloquent speaker. lie is a Knight Tenn
plar is Past Grand Chancellor Of the
Knights of Pythas, which order he has
represented in the Supreme Lodge; is also
a member OF the Independent order or
Odd-Fellows and knights OF Honor As
long as he would consent TO serve he
was a member Of the Board of City Coun-
clmen.
JOINED THE GRAND CAMP.
On the organization Of the Grand Camp
Of Confederate Veterans Of Mississippi,
october u. 1889, with General J.. G. Wal
thai as grand commander Colonel SYKES
was invited by his old war chief 10 and
old accept the position Of adjutant-gen-
eral, and assisted In the organization OF
the Grand Camp. afterwards the Missls-
sippi division Of the United Confederate
Veterans. He continued I'm that position
through the successive administrative
terms OF the matchless Wa.thall. the
chivalrie Feathcrstone. the heroic stone.
and the peerless Lee. and until the lat
ter. on November Is. 1885,. assumed COM
mand OF the department east OF the Mis-
sissippi 10 which nc had been assigned
by General Gordon. 20 succeed the
lamentei General r. Kirby Smith.
In general orders Of that date Colonel
Sykes was announced az acknowledgement
and chief Of the department STAFF. and 70
rank as brigadier-general on the aGOp.
ton al Houston. Tex. Of the new con-
stitution OF the United Confederate Fed
Grafton. under which the department OF
the Army Of the Tennessee was created.
General Sykes was. in orders under date
Of February q. 1896, announced as its
Acknowledgement and chief OF staff, with
rank as aforesaid.
GENERAL W. T.. CABELL-
General william Lewis CabeH, COM
mander OF the Mississippi Depart
ment. was born In Danville Va. January
/, 1877. He Is a son Of General Benjamin
". S. Cabell and Sarah Epps boswell.
He entered the United States Military
Academy I'm 1876. graduating therefrom
In June. 1850 lie was assigned as se-
cond lieutenant 10 the Seventh Infantry,
and was promoted 10 the rank of first
lieutenant in 1855. In March, 1858, he was
made captain in the quartermasters de-
partmcnt and ordered on duty on the
staff OF General Persifer II. Smith. then
I'm command Of the Utah expedition. AZ
ter General Smiths death General
Hamey assumed command and Captain
Cabell remained on his staff until the
close Of the expedition. lie was then
ordered to rebuild Fort Kearney, Neb.
In the spring OF 1859 he was
ordered 10 Fort Arbuckle. in the Chicka-
saw Nation, and in the fan Of the same
year TO build a new post called Fort
cobb, where he remained until March.
1861.
When the war became inevitable he
removed TO Fort Smith, Ark, and from
there rendered his resignation TO the