Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/698

656 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 head-quarters 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