General Edmund Kirby Smith, whose illustrious career is a notable 
part of the history of the Confederate war in the West, was born 
at St. Augustine, Fla., May 16, 1824.  His father, Colonel J. L. 
Smith, a native of Connecticut, then held the office of United 
States judge for the district of Florida.

He was appointed to the United States military academy, was 
graduated there in 1845, with a lieutenancy in the infantry, and 
then engaged in the Mexican war, where he received three brevets 
for gallantry.  During his subsequent career as an officer of the 
United States army he served as assistant professor of 
mathematics at West Point, 1849-52; was promoted captain of the 
Second cavalry in 1855; was wounded in a battle with the Comanche 
Indians in Texas in 1859; and in 1861 was thanked for his 
services in protection of the State by the Texas legislature and 
promoted captain by the United States government.

With full allegiance to his native State of Florida, he resigned 
his Federal commission upon the secession of that State, and 
entered the Confederate service.  He was commissioned colonel of 
cavalry, March 16, 1861; promoted brigadier-general June 17, 
1861; major-general October 11, 1861; lieutenant-general October, 
1862, and general February 19, 1864.

He served as chief of staff to General Joseph E. Johnston, at 
Harper's Ferry, rendered important service in the organization of 
the army of the Shenandoah, and having been promoted brigadier-
general, was put in command of the fourth brigade of that army.  
While leading his command into action at Manassas, July 21st, at 
the critical moment, he fell severely wounded.

He subsequently commanded the reserve division of the army, and 
being promoted major-general, assumed command at Knoxville on 
March 8, 1862, of the district of East Tennessee, afterward the 
department of East Tennessee and Kentucky, North Georgia and 
Western North Carolina.

He sent reinforcements to Beauregard at Corinth, and opposed with 
an inadequate force the Federal advance at Cumberland Gap.  After 
a conference with General Bragg at Chattanooga, July 31st, 
General Smith advanced into Kentucky with about 6,000 men, 
defeated a superior force of Federals under General Nelson at 
Richmond, and after being joined by General Heth with 4,000 men, 
he designated his command as "The Army of Kentucky," made 
vigorous efforts to gather supplies and recruits for the 
Confederate cause, and occupied Lexington, the capital of the 
State.

When Bragg retired after the battle of Perryville, General Smith 
skillfully withdrew his army from Kentucky.  Having been promoted 
lieutenant-general he was ordered to the command of the Trans-
Mississippi department in February, 1863, where he held the 
general command, from March 7th until the close of the war, of 
the districts of Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas and Indian Territory.

He established headquarters at Shreveport, organized government, 
shipped large quantities of cotton to Europe, imported machinery, 
and did much to develop mining and manufacture.  He concentrated 
his forces in defense of the Red River, and when his department 
was invaded by Banks and Steele, his measures of defense resulted 
in the decisive victory at Mansfield.

On May 26, 1865, at Baton Rouge, he surrendered his army, the 
last of the Confederate troops to lay down their arms.  During 
his supreme command in the Trans-Mississippi department he was 
absolutely faithful to the interests of his country, and spurned 
the personal profit which might easily have been made enormous.

Neither in after life did any stress of financial embarrassment 
ever tempt him to forget that personal honor, that, like his 
unfailing courtesy, was a supreme characteristic of his nature.  
After the war he held the presidency of the Atlantic and Pacific 
telegraph company, was chancellor of the university of Nashville, 
1870-1875, and subsequently was professor of mathematics in the 
university of the South, at Sewanee, Tennessee, until his death, 
March 28, 1893.