Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/694

 652 his department was enlarged to include South Carolina and the Georgia coast. Relieved by General J. E. Johnston in February, 1865, he voluntarily assisted that commander during the closing period and surrendered with him in April, 1865. After the war he resided in New Orleans, became president of two important railroad companies and served as adjutant-general of the State, preserving to an advanced age an alert and active manhood. He died February 20, 1893.

General Braxton Bragg was born in Warren county, North Carolina, March 22, 1817. He was graduated fifth in the class of 1837 at the United States military academy, and received his lieutenancy in the artillery. He served mainly in Florida during the Indian troubles, until 1843, then was in garrison at Fort Moultrie until 1845, when he took part in the occupation of Texas. In the subsequent war with Mexico he served with distinguished gallantry, and was brevetted captain for conduct in defense of Fort Brown, major for valor at Monterey, and lieutenant-colonel for his special services at Buena Vista. He became captain, Third artillery, June, 1846, was on the staff of General Gaines, and on garrison duty until 1855, when he declined promotion to major of First cavalry. He resigned January 3, 1856, and became a planter at Thibodeaux, Louisiana, serving his State, 1859-61, as commissioner of public works. In February, 1861, he was put in command of the army of Louisiana, and on March 7th was commissioned brigadier-general in the provisional army of the Confederate States, and assigned to the command of the troops and defenses at Pensacola, which he held until January 27, 1862, in the meantime having been promoted major-general and lieutenant-general and assigned to the command of the department of Alabama and West Florida. In March, 1862, he marched his forces to Corinth, whence in command of the second corps of the army he participated in