Arthur P . Bagby , Jr . Arthur Pendleton Bagby , Jr . ( May 17 , 1833 – February 21 , 1921 ) was a lawyer , editor , and Confederate States Army colonel during the American Civil War . Confederate General E . Kirby Smith , commander of the Trans - Mississippi Department assigned Bagby to duty as a brigadier general on April 13 , 1864 to date from March 17 , 1864 and as a major general on May 16 , 1865 . These extra - legal appointments were not made official by appointments of Bagby to general officer grade by Confederate President Jefferson Davis or by confirmation by the Confederate Senate . Early life . Bagby was born in Claiborne , Alabama on May 17 , 1833 . He was a son of Alabama Governor Arthur P . Bagby and his second wife , Anne Connell . He attended school in Washington , D . C . . He was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point , New York in 1847 . In 1852 , at age 19 , he was the youngest graduate to be commissioned a brevet second lieutenant of infantry in the 8th U . S . Infantry Regiment . He was stationed at Fort Columbus in 1852 - 53 , and he saw frontier duty at Fort Chadbourne in 1853 . Bagby resigned on September 30 , 1853 to study law and was admitted to the bar in Alabama in 1855 . He practiced in Mobile , Alabama , until 1858 , when he moved to Gonzales , Texas where he practiced law until after the start of the Civil War . There , he married Frances Taylor in June 1860 . Civil War . On October 12 , 1861 , Bagby joined the Confederate Army , serving as a major in the 7th Regiment of Texas Mounted Volunteers Bagby served in Brigadier General Henry Hopkins Sibley ' s Army of New Mexico during the New Mexico Campaign from February to April 1862 . While Sibley ' s main force moved on to the Battle of Valverde and Battle of Glorieta Pass , Bagby ' s men served on garrison duty in southern New Mexico towns . Bagby was promoted to lieutenant colonel on April 4 , 1862 . After Sibley ' s retreat to Texas , Bagby was accused of drunkenness . He tendered his resignation after this accusation was made but the Confederate War Department refused the resignation and cleared him through a court martial which was set up for that purpose . Bagby was promoted to colonel on November 15 , 1862 . In the Second Battle of Galveston , on January 1 , 1863 , Bagby led his " Horse Marines " aboard an improvised gunboat in the capture of the USS " Harriet Lane " . The 7th Texas Cavalry Regiment fought dismounted at the Battle of Fort Bisland or Battle of Berwick Bay on April 13 , 1863 . Bagby was wounded in the arm during the battle but would not leave the field until a Union Army attack was driven back . When Brigadier General Thomas Green was promoted to division command , Bagby was placed in command of a brigade . He led the brigade at the Battle of Stirling ' s Plantation ( Battle of Fordoche Bridge ) , Battle of Bayou Bourbeau and the Battle of Mansfield during the Red River Campaign . Bagby ' s cavalry then harassed the retreat of the Union Army under Major General Nathaniel P . Banks from Mansfield to Simmesport , Louisiana . General E . Kirby Smith previously recommended Bagby for promotion . In the absence of action on his request , and despite his lack of formal authority to make promotions , Smith assigned Bagby to duty as a brigadier general on April 13 , 1864 , to rank from March 17 , 1864 . Bagby ' s cavalry brigade was renowned as one of the best in the Trans - Mississippi Department . Bagby commanded a brigade under Brigadier General Hamilton P . Bee for a time before replacing Bee in command in mid - May 1864 . In September 1864 , Bagby was given command of a new brigade of three Texas cavalry regiments in the 2nd Cavalry Division . In early 1865 , Smith assigned Bagby to permanent command of a cavalry division . On May 16 , 1865 , after Robert E . Lee and Joseph E . Johnston had surrendered their armies , the Confederate Senate had held their last meeting and Jefferson Davis had been captured by Union troops , General E . Kirby Smith assigned Bagby to duty as a major general . Smith had no authority to promote officers to general grades and the Confederate President and Senate were no longer able to appoint or confirm general officers in May 1865 . Aftermath and death . After the war , Bagby settled in Victoria , Texas , resumed practicing law , and was in 1870 – 1871 assistant editor of the local newspaper , the " Victoria Advocate " . He later moved to Hallettsville , Texas , where he continued his law practice and became a prominent member of the state bar . He had two children , William T . Bagby and A . P . Bagby . Arthur Pendleton Bagby , Jr . , was the last surviving member of his West Point class . He died in Halletsville , Texas on February 21 , 1921 . He is buried in Halletsville City Cemetery . < nowiki > = = Service Record : = = < / nowiki > < nowiki > * < / nowiki > Cullum Number : 1574 < nowiki > * < / nowiki > Born : Alabama < nowiki > * < / nowiki > Appointed : At Large 1 . Cadet at the Military Academy , July 1 , 1848 , to July 1 , 1852 , when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to Second Lieutenant , 8th Infantry Regiment . 2 . Served in Garrison at Fort Columbus , NY , 1852 – 53 ; 3 . Served on Frontier Duty at Fort Chadbourne , TX , 1853 ; 4 . Resigned from the Regular Army Sept . 30 , 1853 . ; 5 . No further military information received . 6 . Civil History . - Counselor at Law , Mobile , AL , 1854 – 1858 ; 7 . Civil History . – Counselor at Law , Gonzales , TX , 1858 – 61 ; 8 . Joined in the Rebellion of 1861 - 66 " against " the United States . 9 . Civil History . - Unknown , nothing authentic having " " been received . ; < nowiki > = = Assignments and Promotions = = < / nowiki > 1 . Second Lieutenant , 8th Infantry Regiment , July 1 , 1852 .