William Lewis Cabell William Lewis Cabell ( January 1 , 1827 – February 21 , 1911 ) was a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War and later served as Mayor of Dallas , Texas . Biography . William L . Cabell was born in Danville , Virginia . Six of Cabell ' s brothers also held prominent positions in the Confederate Army . One other brother died just prior to the Civil War from an arrow wound received in Florida . Cabell graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1850 and joined the United States Army as a second lieutenant with the 7th U . S . Infantry . In June 1855 , he was promoted to first lieutenant and appointed as regimental quartermaster on the staff of General Persifor F . Smith . At the outbreak of the Civil War , Cabell returned to Little Rock , Arkansas , and offered his services to Governor Henry Massey Rector . In April 1861 , he received a telegram from the Confederate States government and went to Richmond , Virginia , to assist in the establishment of the commissary , quartermaster , and ordnance departments for the Confederate military . He was sent to Manassas , Virginia , to take the position of Quartermaster for the Confederate Army of the Potomac under General P . G . T . Beauregard . He served on Beauregard ' s staff and then on the staff of General Joseph E . Johnston until reassigned in January 1862 . After leaving Virginia , Cabell was assigned by General Albert Sidney Johnston to serve under General Earl Van Dorn , who was commander of the Trans - Mississippi Department . Cabell was promoted to brigadier general and placed in command of all Confederate troops on the White River , with his headquarters at Jacksonport , Arkansas . Soon after the Battle of Pea Ridge , Confederate forces were withdrawn from Arkansas and moved across the Mississippi River . Upon his arrival at Corinth , Mississippi , Cabell was given command of a Texas brigade with an Arkansas regiment attached . Cabell led this brigade in several engagements around Corinth . Cabell was transferred to an Arkansas brigade , which he led in the Battle of Iuka and the Battle of Corinth . He was wounded leading a charge against the Union entrenchments at Corinth and again at the Battle of Hatchie ' s Bridge , which left him temporarily disabled and unfit for field command . In February 1863 , he was placed in command of northwestern Arkansas and successfully recruited and outfitted one of the largest cavalry brigades west of the Mississippi . Cabell led this brigade in over 20 engagements in the Trans - Mississippi Department including prominent roles at the Battle of Poison Spring and the Battle of Marks ' Mills where he commanded two brigades under General James Fleming Fagan . Cabell was captured in Missouri ( by Sergeant Cavalry M . Young of the 3rd Iowa Cavalry ) during Price ' s Raid on October 25 , 1864 , and was held as a prisoner of war at the Johnson ' s Island prison camp on Lake Erie and then at Fort Warren in Boston , Massachusetts . After the war , Cabell returned to Fort Smith , Arkansas , where he worked as a civil engineer and studied law at night . He was admitted to the Arkansas bar in 1868 and practiced law for a few years . In 1872 , Cabell and his family moved to Dallas , Texas . In 1874 , he was elected mayor of that city and served four terms at various times . During his tenure , he expanded rail access to the city , established sewer and electrical services , started a program of paving streets , and presided over a period of massive growth . After leaving office , Cabell became Vice President of the Texas Trunk Railroad Company . In 1885 , he was appointed U . S . Marshal and served in that capacity until 1889 . During the Spanish - American War , at age 71 , he offered his military services to the U . S . government . Cabell also remained active in Confederate veterans affairs . He oversaw several large veterans reunions , assisted in establishing pensions , veterans homes , and Confederate cemeteries in Texas . He served as commander of the Trans - Mississippi Department of the United Confederate Veterans . William Lewis Cabell died in Dallas and was buried there five days later after a heavily attended military parade . Before his death , Cabell had converted to Catholicism . Cabell ' s wife was the daughter of Major Elias Rector of Arkansas and served as a nurse during the Civil War . Daughter , Katie Doswell Cabell Currie Muse was President of the Texas Division , United Daughters of the Confederacy ( 25 May 1896 - 17 Dec 1897 & 17 Oct 1921 - 19 Oct 1922 ) and President General , United Daughters of the Confederacy ( Nov 1897 - Nov 1899 ) . Grandson Charles P . Cabell became a four - star general in the United States Air Force as Deputy Director of Central Intelligence during the 1950s . Another grandson , Earle Cabell , was also mayor of Dallas , serving at the time of the Kennedy assassination .