Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 2.djvu/186

168 1848, and the Comanche expedition of 1860. Immediately after April 19, 1861, he resigned his commission, and going to Richmond, was commissioned captain of cavalry in the regular army of the Confederate States. Upon the formation of the First regiment, Maryland infantry, he was appointed lieutenant-colonel of that command, and by special good conduct won the commendation of Gen. J. E. Johnston in orders. He was with the regiment under Colonel Elzey during its distinguished service at the first battle of Manassas, and at the promotion of Elzey, Steuart was commissioned colonel. In March, 1862, he was promoted brigadier-general, and given command of a brigade in Swell's division, consisting of the Forty-fourth, Fifty-second and Fifty-eighth Virginia regiments, to which the First Maryland was added, which he led during Jackson's campaign in the valley, receiving a severe wound at Cross Keys, which disabled him for some time. In the Pennsylvania campaign he commanded a brigade consisting of the Second Maryland, the First and Third North Carolina, and the Tenth, Twenty-third and Thirty-seventh Virginia regiments, in Johnson's division of Swell's corps, and was distinguished in the assault on Gulp's Hill. In the first of the fighting at the Wilderness in 1864, he is found pushing in with his brigade after the repulse of Jones to meet the Federal attack, and continuing in the struggle until the i2th of May, fatal to his division, which held the salient at Spottsylvania, known as the bloody angle, and was overwhelmed on that date by the early morning attack of Hancock. General Steuart was among the prisoners taken by the Federals, and was one of those sent to Hilton Head to be placed tinder fire of the Confederate batteries. Being exchanged he returned to the army on the Petersburg and Richmond lines and was assigned to command the First brigade of Pickett's division, consisting of the Ninth, Fourteenth, Thirty-eighth, Fifty-third and Fifty-seventh