Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/721

 Rh in the Fourth artillery. As an artillery officer in the old United States army he attained notable distinction. Among his services previous to the Mexican war were those in the Seminole wars; on the Northern frontier during the Canada border disturbances; in garrison at Fortress Monroe, and in the Texas army of occupation. He entered the Mexican war as first-lieutenant, and served gallantly in the battles of Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, Monterey, Vera Cruz, Cerro Gordo, Churubusco, Molino del Rey, Chapultepec, and the city of Mexico, as aide-de-camp to General Worth. For his brilliant services he received the brevets of captain and major and was presented a sword by the legislature of Pennsylvania. After the Mexican war his principal service was in operations against the Seminoles; on frontier duty in Kansas, and in the Utah expedition. Called to Washington at the outbreak of the war of the Confederacy he refused to fight against the South, resigned his commission and was appointed lieutenant-colonel of Virginia troops, and entrusted with the organization of artillery and cavalry. June 15, 1861, he was made a major of artillery in the Confederate army, and two days later received promotion to brigadier-general. In the latter rank he commanded Confederate forces north of the Nansemond river, on the east bank of the James, until November, 1861, when he was assigned to command of the Eighth military district of South Carolina, where he was promoted to major-general January, 1862. Early in 1862 he had command of the department of South Carolina, Georgia and East Florida during the absence of General Lee, and became the successor of General Lee in that field from March until October, 1862, when he was promoted to lieutenant-general and transferred to the command of the department of Mississippi and East Louisiana. Here he succeeded General Van Dorn as commander of the army and established his headquarters at Jackson. He was soon called upon to meet a series of expeditions against