Joseph T. Derry , A. M. , Author of School History of the United States; Story of the Confederate War, etc., Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 6, Georgia
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

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[432] frontier to join the army of General Taylor. He was present at the occupation of Corpus Christi, and when Taylor was on the march to Point Isabel and back, and while he was fighting the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, the young lieutenant was assisting in the defense of Fort Brown (May 3-9, 1846). He was also engaged at the battle of Monterey and at Vera Cruz, after which, on account of failing health, he was sent to the United States on recruiting duty. In the last year of the war he was employed in convoying trains to the city of Mexico. He was afterward on frontier duty, was in the Utah expedition of 1858, and also engaged in escorting Mormons to California and in protecting emigrants. In 1851 he was commissioned captain of infantry, the rank he held when the great civil war began. Upon the secession of Georgia, Captain McLaws resigned and offered his services to his State. He was gladly accepted and immediately appointed major, C. S. A., May 10, 1861. On June 17, 1861, he was commissioned colonel of the Tenth Georgia regiment, and on September 25, 1861, was promoted to brigadier-general. His bravery and excellent ability in the discipline and leadership of soldiers soon won the esteem of his superior officers. This was especially noticeable at Lee's mill, on, the retreat from Yorktown to Richmond and at the battle of Williamsburg. Accordingly, on May 22, 1862, he was promoted to major-general in the provisional army of the Confederate States. He proved that the honor conferred upon him was well deserved by the manner in which he led his division in the battles of Savage Station and Malvern Hill. After the retreat of the Union army from the Virginia peninsula, his division was left in observation of the movements of the Federals about Harrison's landing, while Lee, with the main body of the Confederate army, was on the march to ‘bowl over Pope.’ As soon as it was certain that the Union forces had all been withdrawn to the defense of Washington, McLaws led his division to rejoin