Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/590

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SMITH
SMITH

in 1877. and was created a knight commander of the order of St. Michael and St. George in 1878.


SMITH, Alfred Baker, soldier, b. in Massena, St. Lawrence co.. N. Y., 17 Nov., 1825 ; d. in Pough- keepsie, 28 Jan., 1896. He was graduated at Union college, was admitted to the bar in 1855, and prac- tised in Poughkecpsie, N. Y. He entered the Na- tional army in October, 1862, as major of the 150th New York volunteers, and was with his regiment in every march and action from Gettysburg till the close of the war, succeeding to the command as senior officer at Atlanta. He was promoted lieu- tenant-colonel and colonel, and was made briga- dier-general of volunteers by brevet for meritori- ous services in the campaign of Georgia and the Carolinas. Gen. Smith was a member of the Loyal Legion and of the Poughkeepsie board of educa- tion, of which he was president for several years, and in 1867-'75 was postmaster of that city.


SMITH, Andrew Jackson, soldier, b. in Bucks county, Pa., 28 April, 1815 ; d. in St. Louis, 30 Jan., 1897. He was graduated at the U. S. military acad- emy, became 1st lieutenant in 1845 and captain in 1847, and was engaged on the frontier against hos- tile Indians. He be- came major in May. . colonel of i lie 2d California caval- ry on 2 Oct. of that year, from 11 Feb. to 11 March, 1862, was chief of cavalry of the Department of the Missouri, and in March and July of the Department of the Mississippi. He became briga- dier-general of vol- unteers in March, , engaged in the advance upon Corinth and siege

of that place, was

transferred to the Department of the Ohio, and subsequently to the Army of the Tennessee, which In accompanied on the Yazoo river expedition, and participated in the assaults of Chickasaw Bluffs, 37-29 Oct., 1862, and of Arkansas Post. 11 Jan., 1863. During the Vicksburg campaign he led a division in the 13th army corps. He was then as- signed to the command of a division of the 16th army corps, which captured Fort De Russy, en- gaged in the battle of Pleasant Hill, and in almost constant skirmishing during the Red River cam- paign, in April, 1864, receiving the brevet of colo- nel, U. S. army, for "gallant and meritorious ser- vice at Pleasant Hill." He became lieutenant-colo- nel, U. S. army, in May. 1864, and major-general of volunteers on the 12th of that month, was or- dered to Missouri, aided in driving Gen. Sterling Price from the state, and was then called to re- enforce Gen. George H. Thomas at Nashville, and to aid in pursuit of Gen. John B. Hood's army, be- ing engaged at Nashville. He received the brevets of brigadier-general and major-general, U. S. army, on 13 March, 1865, for gallant service at the bat- tles of Tupelo, Miss., and Nashville, Tenn. From February till June of that year he commanded the 16th army corps in the reduction and capture of Mobile. He was mustered out of volunteer service in January, 1866, and on 28 July became colonel of the 7th U. S. cavalry. He then commanded the Department of the Missouri from 14 Sept., 1SC.7. to 2 March, 1868, and was on leave of absence till li May. 1869. when he resigned. On 3 April of that year he became postmaster of St. Louis.


SMITH, Archibald Cary, naval architect, b. in New York city, 4 Sept., 1837. He was educated at the University grammar-school. New York city, learned the trade of boat-building, and in 1860 built the "Comet," a sail-boat that defeated all rivals for several years. He studied painting un- der Maurice F. H. de Haas in 1863, and subse- quently painted pictures of many noted yachts. He designed for Robert Centre, of "New York city, in 1871, the cutter " Vindex," which was the first iron yacht that was built in Chester. Pa., and at- tracted much attention as a departure from the usual type. His success in this business induced him to abandon painting, and he has since devoted himself to designing and altering yachts of all kinds, among which are the schooners Intrepid," "Fortuna," " Norma," " Harbinger." "Car- lutta," " Iroquois." "Oriole," "Dream." "Whim." the sloops " Mischief," " Rover," " Kestrel," " Pris- cilla," "Cinderella.' 7 "Banshee." " Katrina." and Meteor." The Mischief " defended the " Ameri- ca's " cup in the race in 1887 with the Canadian sloop " Atalanta." He delivered a course of lec- tures on naval architecture before the Seawanhaka yacht club. New York city, in 1878, and for many years was measurer of the New Y T ork yacht club.


SMITH. Asa Dodge, clergyman, b. in Amherst. N. H., 21 Sept., 1804; d. in Hanover, N. H.. 16 Aug., 1877. He was graduated at Dartmouth in 1830. and at Andover theological seminary in 1834, serving in 1830-'! as principal of Limerick academy. Me. He was pastor of the 14th street Presbyterian church in New York city from 1834 till 1863. lectured on pastoral theology in Union theological seminary in 1843-'4, and president of Dartmouth flora 1863 until his death. Williams gave him the degree of D. D. in 1849, and the Uni- versity of New York city that of LL. D. in 1864. He published a large number of addresses and ser- mons, and " Letters to a Young Student " (Boston, 1832) ; " Memoir of Mrs. Louisa Adams Leavitt " (New York, 1843) ; " Discourse on the Life and Character of Rev. Charles Hall" (1854); "The Puritan Character," an address (1857) ; " Home Missions and Slavery," a pamphlet (1857) ; " Chris- tian Stewardship" (1863); and "Inauguration Ad- dress" (Hanover, N. H., 1863).


SMITH, Ashbel, diplomatist, b. in Hartford, Conn., 13 Aug., 1805 ; d. in Harris county, Tex., 21 Jan.. 1886. He was graduated at Yale i'n 1824, and at the medical department in 1828, after studying law in the interval. He also attended the Paris hospitals in 1831-'2. and practised in North Carolina till 1836. when he removed to Texas, and was appointed in the same year surgeon-general of the new republic. He was joint commissioner in making the first treaty with the Comanches in is: 17. Texan minister to the United States, Great Britain, France, and Spain, during the administration of President Samuel Houston and President An- son Jones, was recalled in 1844, and became secretary of state under the latter, which office he held until the annexation of Texas to the United States in 1845. He 'was a member of the legislature from Harris county for several years, and served throughout the Mexican war. In the early part of the civil war he raised the 2d Texas volunteers for the Confederate service, leading that regiment in several campaigns east of Missouri river. He retired t" his plantation on Galveston bay in 1865. anil while taking an active part in state politics as a Democrat was also occupied in the preparation of papers on scientific and agri-