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exercized any episcopa{"ts" changed to "l"} function and on only 4 occasions did he
officiate in the capacity of a Priest of the Church: At the death
bed of Maj. Edward Butler, at the marriage of Gen. John Morgan
at Murfreesboro and at two baptisms which I will mention later.
On his {x-ed out: ca military} career as a military officer we will not dwell
except to say that he served at Columbus, Ky, Belmont, Shilo{struckthrough: w},
Murfreesboro and Chicamauga, was considered a gallant fighter{added: ,} {struckthrough: and} a
brilliant tactician and a leader well {struckthrough: be}loved by the men who fought
in the ranks. {Paragraph marker} On two occasions he submitted his resignation to
Pres. Davis but each time was prevailed upon to continue on the basis
of the acute need for his services. After the battle of Perryville
Polk's superior officer, General Bragg preferred charges of insubordinatio
and failure to carry out orders against him. {Struckthrough: Future} {"h" changed to "H"}istorians
refute these charges as did the Commander to whom the case was submitted{added: ,}
who dismissed the charges as frivilous. Polk was then placed in charge
of the Department of Ala. Miss, and La. where he served with
vigor and frustrated Sherman's advance upon Vicksburg{struckthrough: ,} {Paragraph marker} {"i" changed to "I"}n February 1864.
Mrs. Polk came to visit her husband in Mississippi and remained until
Sherman's attact started. Up to that time Gen. Polk had had implicit
confidence in ultimate victory for the Confederacy but {struckthrough: she} {added: Mrs. Polk} states that {struckthrough: at}
{struckthrough: that time} {added: then} she detected a faint suggestion of fear of the outcome.
She bade him a fond farewell and asked what message she should take
to their children. His reply was "Tell them to keep always in mind
the collect for the 4th Sunday after Trinity:

{added: "}O God the protector of all that trust in the{added: e,} without whom nothing is
strong, nothing is Holy,; Increase and multiply upon us they Mercy, that,
thou being our Ruler & Guide we may so pass through things temporal
that we finally lose not the things eternal." Then he added, {added: "}I could
say no{struckthrough: t} more than that, if I spoke forever.{added: "}
{Added: In the Spring of 1863 he was advanced to the rank of Lieutenant General.}