▁cred ited ▁with ▁collect ing ▁and ▁describing ▁several ▁species ▁of ▁plants ▁native ▁to ▁Tennessee ▁and ▁Florida . ▁ ▁Kir by ▁Smith ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁teaching ▁mathematics ▁at ▁West ▁Point , ▁from ▁ 1 8 4 9 ▁to ▁ 1 8 5 2 . ▁According ▁to ▁his ▁letters ▁to ▁his ▁mother , ▁he ▁was ▁happy ▁with ▁this ▁environment . ▁ ▁Return ing ▁to ▁tro op - leading ▁assign ments , ▁Smith ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁South west . ▁On ▁May ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 8 5 9 , ▁he ▁was ▁wounded ▁in ▁his ▁th igh ▁while ▁fighting ▁Com anche ▁in ▁the ▁N es cut ung a ▁Valley ▁of ▁Kansas . ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Cro oked ▁Creek ▁( K ansas ). ▁When ▁Texas ▁se ced ed ▁from ▁the ▁Union ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁Smith , ▁promoted ▁to ▁major ▁on ▁January ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁refused ▁to ▁surrender ▁his ▁command ▁at ▁Camp ▁Colorado ▁in ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁Cole man , ▁Texas , ▁to ▁the ▁Texas ▁State ▁forces ▁under ▁Col . ▁Benjamin ▁McC ul lo ch ; ▁he ▁expressed ▁his ▁willing ness ▁to ▁fight ▁to ▁hold ▁it . ▁On ▁April ▁ 6 , ▁he ▁res igned ▁his ▁commission ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁Confeder acy . ▁ ▁American ▁Civil ▁War ▁On ▁March ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁Smith ▁entered ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁forces ▁as ▁a ▁major ▁in ▁the ▁regular ▁art illery ; ▁that ▁day