63, to take
command of the "Trans-Mississippi Department," Lieutenant-General E.
Kirby Smith, which "department," including the States of Missouri,
Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas, and the Indian Territory, with claims on
New Mexico, extended over some millions of square miles. The occupation
of a large part of this region by the Federals would have spared General
Smith some embarrassments, had he not given much of his mind to the
recovery of his lost empire, to the detriment of the portion yet in his
possession; and the substance of Louisiana and Texas was staked against
the shadow of Missouri and northern Arkansas.

General E. Kirby Smith graduated from West Point in 1845, in time to see
service in the war with Mexico. Resigning from the United States cavalry
to join the Confederacy, he moved with General Joseph E. Johnston's
forces from the Valley to reenforce Beauregard at Manassas, where he was
wounded while bringing up some troops to our left. Commanding in
eastern Tennessee in the summer of 1862, he led a force into Kentucky
through Cumberland Gap, to cooeperate with Bragg. At Richmond, Kentucky,
a body of Federals was driven off, and Smith moved north to Lexington
and Frankfort; after which his column was absorbed by Bragg's army. The
senior general west of the Mississippi, Holmes, was in Arkansas, where
he had accomplished nothing except to lose five thousand of his best
troops, captured at Arkansas Post by General Sherman. It was advisable
to supersede Holmes; and, though he proved unequal to extended command,
Smith, from his training and services, seemed an excellent selection.
General Smith remained for several weeks in Alexandria, when he was
driven away by the enemy's movements. The military situation of my
immediate command was explained to him.

To reopen the navigation of the Mississippi was the great desire of the
Federal Government, and especially of the Western people, and was
manifested by declarations and acts. Grant was operating against
Vicksburg, and Banks would certainly undertake the reduction of Port
Hudson; but it was probable that he would first clear the west bank of
the Mississippi to prevent interruption of his communications with New
Orleans, threatened so long as we had a force on the lower Atchafalaya
and Teche. Banks had twenty thousand men for the field, while my force,
including Green's Texans, would not exceed twenty-seven hundred, with
many raw recruits, and badly equipped. The p