Morgan Lewis Smith (March 8, 1822 – December 29, 1874) was a
Union brigadier general in the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
Biography
Smith was born in
Oswego County, New York
Oswego County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 117,525. The county seat is Oswego. The county name is from a Mohawk-language word meaning "the pouring out place", referring ...
. In 1843, he settled in
Indiana
Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
, and later had some military experience in the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
. At the outbreak of the
Civil War
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
he raised the
8th Missouri Infantry Regiment, of which he was elected
Colonel
Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
in 1861. He commanded a
brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...
at the capture of
Fort Donelson
Fort Donelson was a fortress built early in 1862 by the Confederacy during the American Civil War to control the Cumberland River, which led to the heart of Tennessee, and thereby the Confederacy. The fort was named after Confederate general Da ...
, and performed well at
Shiloh. At these two battles his losses included only dead and wounded, none missing or captured. This was a testimony to Smith's leadership, considering other commands lost thousands to skulkers and prisoners during both battles. In mid-May Smith was transferred to command the 1st Brigade in
William T. Sherman
William is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle Ages and into the modern era. It is ...
's division. Smith's brigade took an active part in the
siege of Corinth
The siege of Corinth, also known as the first battle of Corinth, was an American Civil War engagement lasting from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. A collection of Union forces under the overall command of Major General Henry H ...
being the lead brigade in the
fight for Russell's House and the
attack on the double log house.
On July 19, 1862, Smith was appointed
brigadier general of volunteers, to rank from July 16, 1862.
[Eicher, John H., and ]David J. Eicher
David John Eicher (born August 7, 1961) is an American editor, writer, and popularizer of astronomy and space. He has been editor-in-chief of ''Astronomy'' magazine since 2002. He is author, coauthor, or editor of 23 books on science and American ...
, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . pp. 498, 728. He served under
Sherman
Sherman most commonly refers to:
*Sherman (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or surname
** William Tecumseh Sherman (1820–1891), American Civil War General
*M4 Sherman, a World War II American tank
S ...
in the
Vicksburg Campaign
The Vicksburg campaigns were a series of maneuvers and battles in the Western Theater of the American Civil War directed against Vicksburg, Mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi ...
. At the
Battle of Chickasaw Bayou he received a severe wound, from which he would not recover until October 1863. He rejoined the
Army of the Tennessee
The Army of the Tennessee was a Union Army, Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. A 2005 study of the army states that it "was present at most of the great battles that became turning points ...
before
Chattanooga
Chattanooga ( ) is a city in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located along the Tennessee River and borders Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the south. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, it is Tennessee ...
.
He led his division in the
battle of Chattanooga, and in the following year's
Atlanta Campaign. During the
Battle of Atlanta
The Battle of Atlanta took place during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War on July 22, 1864, just southeast of Atlanta, Georgia. Continuing their summer campaign to seize the important rail and supply hub of Atlanta, Union forces ...
he temporarily commanded the
XV Corps when
John A. Logan assumed command of the Army of the Tennessee after
James B. McPherson
James Birdseye McPherson (/məkˈfərsən/) (November 14, 1828 – July 22, 1864) was a career United States Army officer who served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. McPherson was on the general staff of Henr ...
's death. He returned to command his division at the
battle of Ezra Church
The Battle of Ezra Church (July 28, 1864), also known as the Battle of Ezra Chapel and the Battle of the Poor House saw Union Army forces under Major General William T. Sherman fight Confederate States Army troops led by Lieutenant General J ...
but was soon forced to leave active field command due to complications from his wound received at Chickasaw Bluffs. Afterwards he was placed in charge of
Vicksburg. General Sherman said of M.L. Smith, "He was one of the bravest men in action I ever knew."
After the Civil War Smith served as U.S. Consul in
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...
, 1866–1868.
He died at
on December 29, 1874, and was buried at
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia.
...
.
His brother,
Giles Alexander Smith, was also a Union general.
His daughter
Louise Morgan Sill (1867–1961) was a poet, editor, and translator based in Paris.
See also
*
List of American Civil War generals (Union)
Union generals
__NOTOC__
The following list shows the names of substantive, full grade general officers (Regular U.S. Army or U.S. Volunteers) effectively appointed, nominated, confirmed and commissioned (by signed and sealed document) who s ...
References
External links
Morgan Lewis Smithat ArlingtonCemetery.net, an unofficial website
:
1822 births
1874 deaths
People from Oswego County, New York
Union army generals
People of Missouri in the American Civil War
Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
{{AmericanCivilWar-bio-stub