Thomas Kilby Smith
Encyclopedia
Thomas Kilby Smith was a lawyer, soldier, and diplomat from the state of Ohio
who served as a general in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
and then in the postbellum United States Army
. He led a brigade
and then a division
in the Army of the Tennessee
in several of the most significant campaigns of the Western Theater
of operations before failing health forced him to a series of desk jobs.
, Massachusetts
on September 23, 1820. He was the eldest son of Captain George Smith and Eliza Bicker Walter. Both his paternal and maternal forefathers were active and prominent in the professional life and in the government of New England
.
His parents moved to Cincinnati, Ohio
, in his early childhood, where he was educated in a military school under Ormsby M. Mitchel
, the astronomer, and studied law in the office of Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase
. In 1853 he was appointed by President Franklin Pierce
as the special agent in the Post Office Department at Washington
, and later United States Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio and deputy clerk of Hamilton County
.
. Later in the year, he was commissioned as the colonel
of the newly raised 54th Ohio Infantry
. He organized the regiment was Camp Dennison
near Cincinnati
in the summer and fall of 1861. In February 1862, Smith and his men were ordered to Paducah, Kentucky
, where they joined the division
of Maj. Gen.
William T. Sherman.
He was conspicuous in the Battle of Shiloh
, on April 6 and 7, 1862, assuming command of Stuart's Brigade, Sherman's Division, during the second day. As commander of brigade
in the XV
and XV
Army Corps, he participated in all the campaigns of the Army of the Tennessee
, being also for some months on staff duty with General Ulysses S. Grant
.
He was commissioned as a brigadier general
of volunteers on August 11, 1863. Smith was assigned on March 7, 1864, to the command of the detached division
of the XVII Army Corps and rendered distinguished service during the Red River Expedition
, protecting Admiral David D. Porter's fleet after the disaster of the main army. His health failed, and Smith was relieved of field duty on January 17, 1865. After the fall of Mobile, Alabama, he assumed the command of the Department of Southern Alabama and Florida, and then of the Post and District of Maine. He was brevetted
as a major general
for gallant and meritorious service.
. In 1866 President Andrew Johnson
appointed him as the United States Consul at Panama. At the time of his death, he was engaged in journalism in New York City
.
On May 2, 1848, he married Elizabeth Budd, daughter of Dr. William Budd McCullough and Arabella Sanders Piatt, of Cincinnati. She was a gifted and devout woman, and through her influence and that of the venerable archbishop Purcell
he became a Catholic some years before his death. He left five sons and three daughters.
Smith is buried in Saint Dominic Church Cemetery in Torresdale, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
.
In 1911, a bronze bust of Smith by sculptor Louis Milione was dedicated in Vicksburg National Military Park
. Smith's sons paid for the plaque and donated it to the park.
on Union Avenue approximately 150 yards south of Grant Avenue. Also a marker designating the assaults of May 19, 1863 located on the ridge on the south side of Graveyard Road 400' east of the Stockade Redan. This unit was attached to Col. Thomas Kilby Smith and Brig. Gen. Joseph Andrew Jackson Lightburn
's (assumed command May 24, 1863) 2nd Brigade of Maj. Gen.Francis P. Blair
's 2nd Division, Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's XV Army Corps and was commanded by Lt. Col. Cyrus W. Fisher.
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
who served as a general in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and then in the postbellum United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. He led a brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
and then a division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
in the Army of the Tennessee
Army of the Tennessee
The Army of the Tennessee was a Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. It should not be confused with the similarly named Army of Tennessee, a Confederate army named after the State of Tennessee....
in several of the most significant campaigns of the Western Theater
Western Theater of the American Civil War
This article presents an overview of major military and naval operations in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.-Theater of operations:...
of operations before failing health forced him to a series of desk jobs.
Early life and career
Smith was born in BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
on September 23, 1820. He was the eldest son of Captain George Smith and Eliza Bicker Walter. Both his paternal and maternal forefathers were active and prominent in the professional life and in the government of New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
.
His parents moved to Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, in his early childhood, where he was educated in a military school under Ormsby M. Mitchel
Ormsby M. Mitchel
Ormsby MacKnight Mitchel was an American astronomer and major general in the American Civil War....
, the astronomer, and studied law in the office of Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase
Salmon P. Chase
Salmon Portland Chase was an American politician and jurist who served as U.S. Senator from Ohio and the 23rd Governor of Ohio; as U.S. Treasury Secretary under President Abraham Lincoln; and as the sixth Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.Chase was one of the most prominent members...
. In 1853 he was appointed by President Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
as the special agent in the Post Office Department at Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and later United States Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio and deputy clerk of Hamilton County
Hamilton County, Ohio
As of 2000, there were 845,303 people, 346,790 households, and 212,582 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,075 people per square mile . There were 373,393 housing units at an average density of 917 per square mile...
.
Civil War
Smith entered the Union Army on September 9, 1861, as a lieutenant colonelLieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
. Later in the year, he was commissioned as the colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
of the newly raised 54th Ohio Infantry
54th Ohio Infantry
The 54th Ohio Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 54th Ohio Infantry was organized at Camp Dennison near Cincinnati, Ohio in October 1861 and mustered in for three years service under the command of Colonel Thomas Kilby Smith...
. He organized the regiment was Camp Dennison
Camp Dennison
Camp Dennison was a military recruiting, training, and medical post for the United States Army during the American Civil War. It was located near Cincinnati, Ohio, not far from the Ohio River. The camp was named for Cincinnati native William Dennison, Ohio's governor at the start of the war.With...
near Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
in the summer and fall of 1861. In February 1862, Smith and his men were ordered to Paducah, Kentucky
Paducah, Kentucky
Paducah is the largest city in Kentucky's Jackson Purchase Region and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States. It is located at the confluence of the Tennessee River and the Ohio River, halfway between the metropolitan areas of St. Louis, Missouri, to the west and Nashville,...
, where they joined the division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
of Maj. Gen.
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
William T. Sherman.
He was conspicuous in the Battle of Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, fought April 6–7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. A Union army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and...
, on April 6 and 7, 1862, assuming command of Stuart's Brigade, Sherman's Division, during the second day. As commander of brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
in the XV
XV Corps (ACW)
The XV Army Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in the Army of the Tennessee under Maj. Gens. Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman. It was commanded by Sherman in the Siege of Vicksburg and then by Maj. Gen. John A. Logan in Sherman's Atlanta Campaign. ...
and XV
XVII Corps (ACW)
XVII Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was organized December 18, 1862 as part of Ulysses S. Grant's Army of the Tennessee. It was most notably commanded by Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson and Maj. Gen. Francis P. Blair II, and served in the Western...
Army Corps, he participated in all the campaigns of the Army of the Tennessee
Army of the Tennessee
The Army of the Tennessee was a Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. It should not be confused with the similarly named Army of Tennessee, a Confederate army named after the State of Tennessee....
, being also for some months on staff duty with General Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
.
He was commissioned as a brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
of volunteers on August 11, 1863. Smith was assigned on March 7, 1864, to the command of the detached division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
of the XVII Army Corps and rendered distinguished service during the Red River Expedition
Red River Expedition
Red River Expedition can refer to different historical events:* Wolseley Expedition, in Canada *Red River Expedition , by the United States to explore the American West*Red River Expedition, during the American Civil War...
, protecting Admiral David D. Porter's fleet after the disaster of the main army. His health failed, and Smith was relieved of field duty on January 17, 1865. After the fall of Mobile, Alabama, he assumed the command of the Department of Southern Alabama and Florida, and then of the Post and District of Maine. He was brevetted
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
as a major general
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
for gallant and meritorious service.
Postbellum career
After the war he removed to Torresdale, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaTorresdale, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
This article is about a place in Pennsylvania; for the United Kingdom locations, see Torrisdale Torresdale, also formerly known as Torrisdale, is a neighborhood in the Far Northeast section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
. In 1866 President Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
appointed him as the United States Consul at Panama. At the time of his death, he was engaged in journalism in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
On May 2, 1848, he married Elizabeth Budd, daughter of Dr. William Budd McCullough and Arabella Sanders Piatt, of Cincinnati. She was a gifted and devout woman, and through her influence and that of the venerable archbishop Purcell
John Baptist Purcell
John Baptist Purcell was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Cincinnati from 1833 until his death in 1883, and was elevated to the rank of Archbishop in 1850.-Biography:...
he became a Catholic some years before his death. He left five sons and three daughters.
Smith is buried in Saint Dominic Church Cemetery in Torresdale, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Torresdale, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
This article is about a place in Pennsylvania; for the United Kingdom locations, see Torrisdale Torresdale, also formerly known as Torrisdale, is a neighborhood in the Far Northeast section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
.
In 1911, a bronze bust of Smith by sculptor Louis Milione was dedicated in Vicksburg National Military Park
Vicksburg National Military Park
Vicksburg National Military Park preserves the site of the American Civil War Battle of Vicksburg, waged from May 18 to July 4, 1863. The park, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and Delta, Louisiana, also commemorates the greater Vicksburg Campaign, which preceded the battle. Reconstructed forts and...
. Smith's sons paid for the plaque and donated it to the park.
54th Ohio Infantry Monument
The monument is located in the Vicksburg National Military ParkVicksburg National Military Park
Vicksburg National Military Park preserves the site of the American Civil War Battle of Vicksburg, waged from May 18 to July 4, 1863. The park, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and Delta, Louisiana, also commemorates the greater Vicksburg Campaign, which preceded the battle. Reconstructed forts and...
on Union Avenue approximately 150 yards south of Grant Avenue. Also a marker designating the assaults of May 19, 1863 located on the ridge on the south side of Graveyard Road 400' east of the Stockade Redan. This unit was attached to Col. Thomas Kilby Smith and Brig. Gen. Joseph Andrew Jackson Lightburn
Joseph Andrew Jackson Lightburn
Joseph Andrew Jackson Lightburn was a farmer, soldier and Baptist Minister, most famous for his service as a Union general during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
's (assumed command May 24, 1863) 2nd Brigade of Maj. Gen.Francis P. Blair
Francis Preston Blair, Jr.
Francis Preston Blair, Jr. was an American politician and Union Army general during the American Civil War. He represented Missouri in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and he was the Democratic Party's nominee for Vice President in 1868.-Early life and career:Blair was born in...
's 2nd Division, Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's XV Army Corps and was commanded by Lt. Col. Cyrus W. Fisher.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals