The sun., 1898-02-20
sonr HsN sooKA


the faots thus brought out should DO supple
fnented with the reoolloctions OF those who, al
though they may have occupied less conspicu-
Gus posit,oae, nro yot able TO Eive hrsthand
testimony regarding important movements and
events Such testimony is forthcoming in
me LIE and Letters of Thomas Ritbv Smith,
Brerct Major-GeneroL. United States polun-
feers. by WALTER GEORGE SMITH tPutnams).
The impressions which are here recorded are
derived from the numerous letters writ
ten by Gen. Smith from the theatre OF
war 10 members OF his family. His expressions
Of opinion may have been at times exaggerated
BIZ the excitement OF the moment, but It will DO
found that tho conclusions formed by him con-
earning tho leading Generals with whom he was
associated have been. for tho most part, borne
out by the event. After brief reference to
certain biographical data wo shall direct atten-
tion 10 tho battles In which Gen. Kilby Smith
was personally engaged and then note what no
has 10 cay about Grant Sherman and Banks
Thomas Kilby Smith was born at Dorchester
near Boston. on Sept. %. 1920 and died In New
York city, on Dec. Ia, 1887. His father. Capt
George Smith, captain In the merchant SER
vice. was tho son of DR.. Gotfricd Christian
Schmidt. q German phyacian. who emigratod
70 tho United States about 1853. Tho mother
of the subject OF this memoir was Eliza Bicker
walter whose father could number among his
ancestors John Eliot, the apostle to the Indians.
and the Rev. Increase Mather, the sixth Presi.
dent Of Harvard College. Thomas Kilby Smith
rot his middle name from descendant OF
that family of Kilby whose name is per
petuated in Boston by the welknown Kilby
street. Having failed in business. Capt Smith
removed to Cincinnati, O.. about the year 1929.
and made his home in Hamilton county. short
th. ,itx 10 to IN
that, seventy years ago. the civilization Of the
Ohio Valley was less advanced than 1t Is now.
Manual labor was not held in disrepute, and
Thomas Kilby Smith used to boast that he had
gained health and strength by battling with the
forces Of nairre. He became swift runner, an
accomplished rorseman, and an expert swim
mer. 1t is said that ho swan the Ohio River
with his clothes on. ami was daunted by no OBJ
stacle in boysh feats OF strength. At mill
tary school which had been opened in Cincin-
natl. he received a training that. in after
life, was OF great advantage to him. He applied
himself especially to the science and practice Of
civil engineering. and took part in q survey for
the first railroad in the State of Ohio. At the
age OF 10 or 20 he determined to become law
yer and entered the Office OF Salmon P. Chase:
in 1876 he was admitted to the bar of Hamilton
county. after which he continued in the prac-
tice Of his profession. with varying success.
until 1853. when he was appointed to place in
the department of the Postmaste C ieneral at
Washington. In politics he was what was
known in those days as q Free Soil
Democrat" and had attained sufficient
distinction in his party to deserve rec
ognition. He remained at Washington until
1856. when. toward the close of the Pierce
Administration. he was appointed United
States Marshal for the Southern district of
Ohio. This place he lost after the acces
sion Of President Buchanan, but he was ap-
pointed deputy clork Of the court in Hamilton
county, and filled that office for the next four
years. In the political controversies which
eliminated in the disruption of the Democratic
party in 1860 he sided with Douglas and his
associates, but. after the triumph of tho Re-
publicans at the ballot box. he made up his
mind to support Mr.. Lncoln's Administration,
waving differences of opinion concerning minor
subjects for the sake Of maintaining the integ.
rity Of the Union. In June. 1861, he offered his
services to the Government as a soldier, and in
the following September he received, mainly
through tho influence of Secretary Chase, the
commission of Lieutenant Colonel of the Fifty
fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. During tho
autumn Of 1861. and up to the middle of Feb.
ruary. 1862. Col. Smith devoted himself to the
training of his regiment. When orders came to
take the field he was ordered to report to Gen.
w. T. Sherman, then comm anding at Paducah.
and his regiment became part of the command
which, on March 49, 1862, dsembarked at
Pittsburg Landing. In the battle of Shiloh or
Pittsburg Landing, which began on Sun
day. April 8. Col. Smith, who, at a crit
ical conjuncture took command of the bri.
gado to which his regiment was attached,
earned and received encomiums from his
superior officers. Gen. Stuart. for instance,
whose place he had taken, reported that "Col
ha hap In tn aopl nf No.
gagement on Sunday, was constantly at his post,
rallying. encouraging and fighting his men under
incessant fire. regardless of personal safety"
An eyewitness, Captain of tho Fifty-fourth
Ohio, testiies concerning tho incidents OF tho
day: "Df all men ever saw, Col. Thomas Rilby
Smith took the lead. On Sunday, while making
our grand stand against the enemy, numbering
hve to our one tho shell. grape and rifle balls
falling thick as hail, he rode Old Blackie' all
along our lines, scratching his head, apparently
as much unconscious as though he was on dress
parade. directing tho troops to ta:.e good aim
shoot low. and not shoot at all unless they saw
rebel to shoot at" We note further that Gen,
Sherman, In his report, referring to tho fact
that the command of the Second Brigade had
devolved on Col. T. Kilby Smith, says that tho
latter twas always in the thickest of the fight,
and led tho brigade handsomely"
In Gen. Sherman's unsuccessful assault of tho
works surrounding vicksburg-we refer to tho
battle known as Chickasaw Bayou-on Dec. 20,
1852. an assault in which heavy losses were
sustained by tho Union forces. Col. T. Kilby
Smith commanded the Fourth Brigade of tho
Second Division. and his commanding officer tes-
ehes that he performed every duty with In
0e,liGence. activity. and directness most marked.
He was constantly In overy part of tho field
executing my orders. and was tireless in his
seal and devotion. I was sincerely grateful
70 him." Tho subject of this memoir took
part In tho subsequent assault ON Post
Arkansas. whore 5000 Confederates sur
rendered, and the commanding General re-
ports that he led his brigade in a manner chal.
ienging tho commendation of his superior off,
oers. subsequently. as commander OF tho SEQ
ond Brigade Of tho Second Division, COL Kilby
Smith took part In those operations of Grant
against Vicksburg which were to terminate
successfully. In this volume will be found a
detailed report by him regarding the movements
In which he was personally concerned. OF his
conduct at this time Col. Fisher of the Fifty.