Page:Men of Mark in America vol 1.djvu/203

Rh this battle gained for him promotion to brigadier-general on October 3, 1862. While still under physical disability, he was assigned to garrison duty at Huntsville, Alabama, with temporary command of the district of Tennessee. Returning to the field in February, 1863, he commanded a brigade in Polk's army, distinguished himself at Hoover's Gap, and later at Chicamauga, where he had two horses shot under him, in the second day's charge. General Bragg reported him "among those distinguished for coolness, gallantry and successful conduct throughout the engagements, and in the rear guard in retreat."

He held a division command after the battle of Chicamauga, and received his commission as major-general, February 23, 1864. In the Georgia campaign he commanded a division of Hardee's corps, and in the ill-fated campaign under General Hood he brought his men back to their native state to the final encounter at Nashville, where his command was almost annihilated. His military service was closed in the spring of 1865, with the capitulation of the army of the Tennessee. During this internecine struggle he had been thrice severely wounded, and had demonstrated in a way that could not be gainsaid the ability of the American private volunteer to rise to important command and to win renown there as well as in the ranks.

At the close of the war. General Bate resumed his legal practice at Nashville, and was not long in gaining a lucrative practice, a deserved fame in his profession, and a prominent place in political councils. His own words were as true of himself as of the Confederate soldier in general, of whom he has said, "He returned home from the fields of disaster, vanquished but not destroyed; sorrowful, but not without hope; . . . the irrepressible pride and indomitable pluck of Southern manhood were still with him."

In 1868, he was a delegate to the Democratic national convention; he served on the state executive committee of his party for twelve years; and he was presidential elector-at-large on the Tilden and Hendricks ticket in 1876. Six years later he was elected governor of Tennessee, and served two consecutive terms with great acceptability. Having been twice defeated as candidate for a seat in the United States senate by a narrow margin — once by Andrew Johnson as his opponent — he succeeded to membership in that body in January, 1887, vice Washington C. Whitthorne. He was reelected in