The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1911-05-26
FLORIDA in THE
HALL OF ZANE.

HALL OF FAME.
In the Hall of Fame at the nationa
capital, each of the several states is en-
titled by an act of congress 10 two niche
for statues of their most illustrious sons
Florida has now made arrangement
for filling the two inches thus set apar
for its use. And that both selections
are alike creditable TO the legislatures
making them, the News believes will bt
the universal sentiment of the people o
the state.
The second Selection-that OF DR.
John NJ. Gorrie, the inventor who gave
10 the world the process for making arli
fetal ice-haS been too recently discuss
ed and so generally commended as to
make additional commentator neither
necessary or appropriate.
But the first Selection-that OF the
legislature of 19O7-ScemS 10 have been
quite generally lost sight of, or forgot
ten.
But like the second, it is one the peo-
pie of Florida will never have occasion
to regret.
The legislature of 1907 selected for
this great honor, the statue OF that
eminent Christian soldier, scholar and
statesman, General Edmund Kirby
Smith What of this man whose stat
ue is to fill place in the National Hall
of Fame?
General Edmund Kirby Smith was
born at St. Augustine, May 18th, 1924;
graduated at the U. S. Military Academy
in 1915, and entered the army as brevel
second lieutenant OF infantry. In the
war with Mexico he distinguished him
self, and was brcvettcd first lieutenant
and captain for gallantry al Ccrro Gordo
Contreras. From 1919 10 1852 he was
assistant professor OF mathematics al
West Point. In 1855 he was transferred
TO the Second Cavelry with the rank oil
captain, served on frontier duty and was
severely wounded in fight with the
Comanche Indians in Texas, May 18th,
1859.
In January, 1861, he was promoted
major of his regiment, but resigned
April 9th to cast his fortunes with the
Confederacy, receiving the appointment
of brigadier-g general and serving under
Gen. Joseph Z. Johnson in Virginia. In
the battle of Bull Run, July 21St, 1861,
he arrived on the field with Elzey'S
brigade toward the close OF the action,
but was soon disabled by shot. He
was made a major-gencral i'll 1867,
transferred TO East Tennessee and
placed in command of that department.
Under Bragg he led the advance in the
invasion of Kentucky, where he routed
the Union forces at Richmond, and on
August 3Oth, advanced TO Frankfort
Promoted TO the grade of lieutenant
general, he was engaged at the battle OF
Perryville, Oct 10th, and in the battle
of MurfreeSboro Dec 81, 1862 Jan. 3,
1868. He was soon after made general,
and in command of the Trans-MisSiS-
sippi department opposed Banks in the
Red River campaign, and engaged
in the battle of JcnllinS'S Ferry, Ap-
ril 3Oh, 1864 He was the last to sur
render the forces under his command,
May 70, 1865.
Later in civil life, General Smith
filled the positions of president of the
PIclic and Atlantic Telegraph Com
pany in 1S66-6S, president Western Mill
tary Academy 1850, chancellor of the
University of Nashville, Tennessee, 1870
IS. and professor of mathematics in the
University of the South from 1875 till
his death at Sewanee, Tenn, March
2Sth, 1898.
These eminent FloridianS have Sc
cure place in the gratitude of their peo-
pie and in the esteem of mankind.
Statues in marble can not add TO their
fame, but they will show our gratitude
and the pride that we feel in them as
FloridianS.