Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/719

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CONFEDERATE MILITARY HISTORY.
665

promoted brigadier-general and assigned to his former position of chief engineer of the army of Northern Virginia. After the close of the war he went to Mexico and became superintendent and constructing engineer of the railroad from Vera Cruz to the capital, the property of which he skillfully preserved from damage during the war of that period. He died at Vera Cruz, November 12, 1867.

Major-General Carter L. Stevenson, a Virginian distinguished in the western armies throughout the war, was a graduate of the National military academy, of the class of 1838. He went into the United States army with the rank of second lieutenant, and was assigned to the Fifth infantry. He served on frontier duty in Wisconsin, and was promoted first lieutenant September 22, 1840. His principal service after this was rendered in the Florida war and in the military occupation of Texas, until the Mexican war. He participated with distinction in the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma as well as other events of this struggle, and in June, 1847, was promoted captain in the Fifth infantry. He served for a time as aide-de-camp to Brigadier-General Brady; was in garrison at East Pascagoula, Miss.; on frontier duty at Fort Gibson, I. T., and Fort Belknap, Tex.; and while engaged in Pacific railroad exploration, skirmished with the Apache Indians. He took part in the Seminole war of 1856-57, fighting at Big Cypress swamp and near Bowleytown, and marched in the famous Utah expedition; subsequently continuing on frontier duty until 1861, when, obeying the call of his State, he tendered his services for her defense. He received the commission of lieutenant-colonel, corps of infantry, C. S. A., and with the rank of colonel took command of the Fifty-third Virginia infantry. When Beauregard was transferred to the west, he recommended the promotion of Stevenson, among others, to brigade and division command of the western troops, and Stevenson was accordingly made brigadier-general in February, 1862. On March 15th, he was ordered to report to General Huger for assignment on the Weldon railroad, but soon after was transferred to the department of East Tennessee, and given command of a division of troops. After the Federal General Morgan seized Cumberland Gap, he was in command of the Con-