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Gustavus Woodson Smith

 
Gustavus Woodson Smith

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Gustavus Woodson Smith



 
 
Gustavus Woodson Smith (November 30, 1821 – June 24, 1896), more commonly known as G.W. Smith, was a career United States Army
United States Army

The United States Army is the branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for Army operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S....
 officer who fought in the Mexican-American War, a civil engineer, and a major general in the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army

The Confederate States Army was a military organization whose primary mission was to provide the necessary forces and capabilities to support the National Security and defense of the Confederate States of America during its brief existence from 1861 to 1865....
 during the American Civil War
American Civil War

The American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several Naming the American Civil War, was a civil war in the United States....
.

h was born in Georgetown, Kentucky
Georgetown, Kentucky

Georgetown is a city in Scott County, Kentucky, Kentucky, United States. The population was 18,080 at the 2000 United States Census. It is the county seat of Scott County, Kentucky....
, and was a brother-in-law of Horace Randal and a distant relative of John Bell Hood
John Bell Hood

John Bell Hood was a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War. Hood had a reputation for bravery and aggressiveness that sometimes bordered on recklessness....
. He graduated from the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy

The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational United States Service academies located at West Point, New York, New York....
 at West Point
West Point, New York

West Point is a federal military reservation located North of the Highland Falls, New York in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census....
 as a brevet
Brevet (military)

In the U.K. and U.S. military, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher Military rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank....
 Second Lieutenant in 1842.






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Gustavus Woodson Smith (November 30, 1821 – June 24, 1896), more commonly known as G.W. Smith, was a career United States Army
United States Army

The United States Army is the branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for Army operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S....
 officer who fought in the Mexican-American War, a civil engineer, and a major general in the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army

The Confederate States Army was a military organization whose primary mission was to provide the necessary forces and capabilities to support the National Security and defense of the Confederate States of America during its brief existence from 1861 to 1865....
 during the American Civil War
American Civil War

The American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several Naming the American Civil War, was a civil war in the United States....
.

Early life and Mexico

Smith was born in Georgetown, Kentucky
Georgetown, Kentucky

Georgetown is a city in Scott County, Kentucky, Kentucky, United States. The population was 18,080 at the 2000 United States Census. It is the county seat of Scott County, Kentucky....
, and was a brother-in-law of Horace Randal and a distant relative of John Bell Hood
John Bell Hood

John Bell Hood was a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War. Hood had a reputation for bravery and aggressiveness that sometimes bordered on recklessness....
. He graduated from the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy

The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational United States Service academies located at West Point, New York, New York....
 at West Point
West Point, New York

West Point is a federal military reservation located North of the Highland Falls, New York in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census....
 as a brevet
Brevet (military)

In the U.K. and U.S. military, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher Military rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank....
 Second Lieutenant in 1842. Smith finished eighth out of 56 cadets while at West Point. He entered the Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers

The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 34,600 civilian and 650 military personnel, making it the world's largest public services engineering, design and construction management agency....
 afterwards, and was promoted to Second Lieutenant on January 1, 1845.

Smith fought in the Mexican-American War, winning two brevet promotions for his actions there. On April 18, 1847 he was made brev. First Lieutenant for the Battle of Cerro Gordo
Battle of Cerro Gordo

The Battle of Cerro Gordo or Sierra Gordo in the Mexican-American War saw Winfield Scott's US troops flank and drive Santa Anna's larger Mexican army from a strong defensive position....
, and on August 20, 1847 made brev. Captain for the Battle of Contreras
Battle of Contreras

The Battle of Contreras, also known as the Battle of Padierna, took place during the August 19–20, 1847, in the final encounters of the Mexican-American War....
. On March 3, 1853 Smith was promoted to First Lieutenant. After serving in the Mexican War, he resigned his commission on December 18, 1854 to become a civilian engineer in New York City
New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
, and would become Streets Commissioner there from 1858-61.

Civil War service

Smith's home state of Kentucky became a border state when the Civil War broke out in 1861. Some months afterwards, he presented himself at Richmond
Richmond, Virginia

Richmond is the Capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. Like all Virginia municipalities incorporated as cities, it is an independent city and not part of any county....
 to serve the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America

The Confederate States of America formed as the government set up from 1861 to 1865 by eleven Southern United States U.S. state of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S....
. Commissioned as a major general on September 19, he served in Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia

Northern Virginia consistsof several County and independent cities in the U.S. state of Virginia in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C....
 as a divisional and "wing" commander, and fought in the Battle of Seven Pines
Battle of Seven Pines

The Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks or Fair Oaks Station, took place on May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War....
 near Richmond
Richmond, Virginia

Richmond is the Capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. Like all Virginia municipalities incorporated as cities, it is an independent city and not part of any county....
 during the Peninsula Campaign
Peninsula Campaign

The Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War....
.

On May 31, 1862 Smith briefly took command of what would become the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia

The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War of the American Civil War....
 after Gen. Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph E. Johnston

Joseph Eggleston Johnston was a career United States Army officer, serving with distinction in the Mexican-American War and Seminole Wars, and was also one of the most senior general officers in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War....
 was wounded, due to his being the senior major general in Johnston's army. However, he suffered what was likely a nervous breakdown upon taking command and Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis

Jefferson Finis Davis was an United States politician who served as President of the Confederate States of America for its entire history, 1861 to 1865, during the American Civil War....
 replaced him with Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee

Robert Edward Lee , was a career United States United States Army officer , an engineer, and among the most celebrated generals in American history....
 the following day on June 1.

Smith then commanded the defenses around Richmond beginning on July 2 until August 30, then he headed the Department of Richmond until December 12. The Department of North Carolina & Southern Virginia was added to this department on September 19, and Smith would retain its command through January 14, 1863. During this period he served briefly as the interim Confederate States Secretary of War
Confederate States Secretary of War

The Confederate States Secretary of War was a member of the Confederate States of America President of the Confederate States Jefferson Davis#Cabinet during the American Civil War....
 from November 17 through November 21, 1862. He resigned his commission as a major general on February 17, 1863, and became a volunteer aide to General P. G. T. Beauregard
P. G. T. Beauregard

Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard , was a Louisiana-born author, civil servant, politician, inventor, and the first prominent General officer for the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War....
 throughout the rest of that year. Smith was also the superintendent of the Etowah Iron Works in 1863 until June 1, 1864, when he was commissioned a major general in the Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgia is a U.S. state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against United Kingdom rule in the American Revolution....
 state militia and commanded its first division to the end of the war.

Postbellum

Smith was parolled in Macon, Georgia
Macon, Georgia

Macon is a city located in central Georgia , USA. It is among the largest metropolitan areas in Georgia, and the county seat of Bibb County, Georgia....
 on April 20, 1865 and moved Tennessee
Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States United States. In 1796, it became the sixteenth state to join the United States....
 to become an iron manufacturer from 1866 to 1870. He moved back to his native Kentucky to become Insurance Commissioner until 1876, and then moved to New York City, New York and began his writings. Smith authored Noted on Insurance in 1870, Confederate War Papers in 1884, The Battle of Seven Pines in 1891, and Generals J. E. Johnston and G. T. Beauregard at the Battle of Manassas, July 1862 in 1892. His final work, Company "A," Corps of Engineers, U.S.A., 1846-48, in the Mexican War, would be published in 1896 after his death. Smith died in New York City and is buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery in New London, Connecticut
New London, Connecticut

New London is a wikt:seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, southeastern Connecticut....
.

External links

  • Retrieved on 2008-02-13