Theophilus H . Holmes Theophilus Hunter Holmes ( November 13 , 1804 – June 21 , 1880 ) was a career United States Army officer and a Confederate Lieutenant General in the American Civil War . A friend and protégé of the Confederate President , Jefferson Davis , he was appointed commander of the Trans - Mississippi Department , but failed in his key task , which was to defend the Confederacy ' s hold on the Mississippi . Early life and career . Holmes was born in Sampson County , North Carolina , in 1804 . His father , Gabriel Holmes , was a former Governor of North Carolina and U . S . Congressman . After a failed attempt at plantation managing , Holmes asked his father for an appointment to the United States Military Academy , from which he graduated in 1829 . He was ranked 44 out of 46 , in his class . Holmes was apparently quite deaf , and was almost never aware of loud gunfire . United States Army . After graduating , Holmes was commissioned a brevet second lieutenant in the 7th U . S . Infantry . In 1838 , Holmes attained the rank of Captain . During his early services , Holmes served in Florida , the Indian Territory , and Texas . Holmes also served in the Second Seminole War , with distinction . In 1841 , he married Laura Whetmore , with whom he would have eight children . During the Mexican - American War , he was brevetted to major for the Battle of Monterrey in September 1846 . This promotion was due to Jefferson Davis witnessing his courageous actions there . He received a full promotion to major of the 8th U . S . Infantry in 1855 . Confederate Army . Early service . Almost immediately after the firing on Fort Sumter , Holmes resigned his commission in the U . S . Army and his command of Fort Columbus , Governors Island in New York City on ( April 22 , 1861 ) , having accepted a commission as a Colonel in the Confederate States Army in March . He commanded the coastal defenses of the Department of North Carolina and then served as a brigadier general in the North Carolina Militia . He was appointed Brigadier General on June 5 , 1861 , commanding the Department of Fredericksburg . Holmes was assigned to P . G . T . Beauregard , for the First Battle of Bull Run . Beauregard sent Holmes orders to attack the Union left , but by the time the orders reached him the Confederacy was already victorious . He was promoted to Major General on October 7 , 1861 . Peninsula Campaign . During the Seven Days Battles of the Peninsula Campaign of 1862 , Holmes was in charge of the Department of North Carolina , rather than under Robert E . Lee in the Army of Northern Virginia . His division consisted of the brigade s of Brigadier General s Junius Daniel , John G . Walker , Henry A . Wise , and the cavalry brigade of Brig . Gen . J . E . B . Stuart . On June 30 , 1862 , while the battle of Glendale was fought to the north , Holmes was ordered to cannonade retreating Federals near Malvern Hill . His force was repulsed at Turkey Bridge by artillery fire from Malvern Hill and by the Federal gunboat s Galena and Aroostook on the James . During the battle of Malvern Hill on July 1 , 1862 , his force was in reserve . Trans - Mississippi Department . After the Peninsula Campaign , Holmes became the commander of the Trans - Mississippi Department . He was promoted to Lieutenant General , on October 10 , 1862 , by Jefferson Davis . During his time as commander of the Trans - Mississippi Department , Holmes failed to perform his most important duty . That duty was to defend the Confederacy ' s hold on the Mississippi River . He refused to send troops to relieve Vicksburg , during the Vicksburg Campaign . After numerous complaints were sent to Davis , Holmes was relieved as head of the Trans - Mississippi Department , in March 1863 . District of Arkansas . After Holmes was relieved as head of the Trans - Mississippi Department , General Kirby Smith made him head of the District of Arkansas . Holmes decided to attack the Union - held city of Helena , Arkansas . He planned a coordinated attack in conjunction with Sterling Price , John S . Marmaduke , James Fleming Fagan , and , Governor of Arkansas , Harris Flanagin . Despite miscommunication , the Confederates had some success . After hours of fighting , a general retreat was called , and the Confederates pulled back to Little Rock , Arkansas . After returning from his failed expedition , Holmes was confined to a sick bed . After months of sickness , he returned to his command , in November 1863 . Kirby Smith reported that Holmes was losing his memory , and that he needed to be replaced . In March 1864 , Holmes was relieved as head of the District of Arkansas . Later service and later life . In April 1864 , Holmes commanded the Reserve Forces of North Carolina . Holmes saw little action after being appointed to this new position . He held this position until the end of the Civil War . He , along with General Joseph E . Johnston , surrendered to William Tecumseh Sherman on April 26 , 1865 . He returned to North Carolina , where he spent the rest of his life as a farmer . Holmes died in Fayetteville , North Carolina , and is buried there in McPherson Presbyterian Church Cemetery .