Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-05-25
General william r. Smith

A bill is pending in the House of Rep
resentatives, to place General William +.
Smith Qamiliarly known as "Baldy") on
the retired list of the army with the rank
and pay of major general. On the 10Th
of April, Mr.. Townshend of Illinois, from
the committee on military affairs (Which
was unanimous), submitted the following
report
The committee on military affairs, to
whom was referred the hill III. Il. 1896
for the relief of Geuerel William f. Smith,
have carefully examined the same and
submit the following report
William F. Smith graduated at West
Point in July, 1871, and was assigned to
duty in the corps of Typographical eugi-
neers, with which he served continuously
till 1t was consolidated with the corps of
engineers, when he resigned his commits
SION of major in 1861 Hi. service nclud-
ed duty on the survey of he northern
| lakes at West Pout as assistant professor
of mathematics, in Texas on explorations
as engineer Of the eleventh lighthouse
district and as engineer secretary of the
| lighthouse board.
AT the outbreak of the rebellion he
served a. mastering officer in New York,
on the staff of General Butler at Fortress
Monroe, and on that of General MCDow-
| ell. lie was appointed colonel Of the
| Third Vermont Volunteers IN 1SGl, and
! took the regiment to the field after the
battle of Bull Run and served in the de
! fence of Washington.
He was appointed brigader general of
volunteers IN August, 1861, and rs such,
commanded a division of McClelan's
army trOm March to August, 1862, being
| engaged IL the siege OF Yorktown, the
skirmish of Lees Mills, the battles of
Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, White Oak
swamp, Savage station, Glendale and
Malvern Hill.
lie was breyetted lieutenant colonel
United states army June IS, 1862, ion
gallant and meritOriouS services in the
battle of White Oak Swamp. Virginia.
He was appointed major general OF vol
untears July f. 1852, and as such com
marled Il division IN the Antietam cam
paign, taking part in the battles of Ante
tan and South Mountain, and was brevet
ted colonel for gallontry and meritoriou.
services in the tlr,t named battle. He
commanded the Sixth Corps in the Rap
pahannocE campaign aud in the Fceder
e. lcksburg campaign. He commanded 9
division N the department Of the Susque
hanna, taking an ac1ye part in the pur
suit Of Lees army On Its retreat from
Gettysburg.
In October, 1862, he was transferred t,
The West, where he in turn became chic
engineer of the department of the Cum
betlaud, on the ste[ OF General George H
Thomas, and Of the military division o
the Mississippi, on The staN of Genera
Grant. As such he devised the plan 0
operations by which the army of the Cum
berland was saved from starvation anC
capture at Chattanooga, and was dul,
credited with the same by General Thorn
as, He also devised the plan of Operation
{ by which Bragg army was overthrow
and driven back from Missionary Ridge
for which services he was again appointed
] and (thlS time confirmed rs ma or gener
, ! a q volunteers.
general United States army
When General Grant was appointed
) Acknowledgement and assigned to tn
, command Of al the loyal armies, he tool
General Smith East with him and assign
, ed him to the command OF the Eighteenth
Army Corps with which he took part il
! the battles of Cold Harbor and the sieg
! of Peters burg.
He was assigned to special duty unde
, the secretary of war IN November, 1864
and continued therein till December, lS65
, and finally resigned FROM the army in 1861
, after - years continuous service n
: that time ne held the rank of major Of ct
, giueers and breYet majOr-geIeral { nlte,
States army.
In civil lie he was president of the II
teruatIOuul Ocean Iele; rapn company
president of the board of police coWmi,
sioners, New York, aud now holds the pc
sition of government agent in charge of
district of internal improvements in Dele
ware and Maryland, OF Which the former
State he Is a citizen.
General Smith Is now past the age O
retirement and is fully entitled to tnat f.
vo- at the hands of the government for
lifetime of hard and conspicuous service
5 in which he mas displayed the most iuc0T
ruptible honesty, the most ouoSpoken pat
riotisFa and devotion, and the highea
ability.
1t hae been the good fortune OF but few
men IN Sny age or in any country to saw
an army and direct it TO victory from
subordinate position. Such a service il
Europe would secure honor and riches
in ours it should certainly result in as
signment to place on the retired list 81
the army, with the rank OF major genera
and the appropriate pay for the remaining
years of his life.
The committee therefore unanimously
recommend the passage of the bill.
one D0U0r 0 gear for the
UefIIU Free Press