skillful leadership, and Colonel Lee, selected for this duty, was promoted brigadier-general November 6, 1862, and assigned to command at Vicksburg. Thus began his career in the West, where he was destined to fully justify the anticipations of his superiors and by the manifestation of the highest qualities of soldiership win promotion to the rank of lieutenant-general at the age of thirty-one years.
In command of the Confederate forces at Chickasaw Bayou he defeated Sherman s advance in December, 1862, and in the following May, with Pemberton’s army, he met Grant at Champion s Hill, where he was further distinguished for personal gallantry. After the fall of Vicksburg he was exchanged and on August 3, 1863, was promoted major-general and put in command of all the cavalry in Mississippi, Alabama, West Tennessee and East Louisiana. In this field he co-operated with Forrest in making futile Sherman s advance to Meridian. June 23, 1864, he was promoted lieutenant-general and assigned to the command of the department of Mississippi, Alabama, East Louisiana and West Tennessee, and after the battle of Harrisburg he was called to take command of Hood’s corps of the army at Atlanta. There he fought the desperate battle at Ezra Church July a8th, and took part in the engagement at Jonesboro. He subsequently accompanied Hood as a corps commander in the flank movement northward. In the Tennessee campaign his corps was left at Columbia, while Hood made his flank movement at Spring Hill, and but one division was able to participate in the struggle at Franklin. In the fighting at Nashville he held Overton Hill against the enemy’s assaults until after the left and center of the army were driven back, and on the next day his corps, the only one with organizations intact, covered the retreat of the army, repulsing every effort of Wilson’s cavalry from dawn till late at night. During this day s fighting General Lee was severely wounded. He remained in command of his corps until he participated in the capitulation of Johnston’s army.
