New-York tribune., 1903-03-02
GEN. N. F. SMITH DEAD.
His CiuI Var Record-Oncc Presi-
dent of NesD- York Police Board.
TRY rRGRa2APH 20 TaE TREBuNE. ]


PhiIadelphie, March 1.-Mator General Will
lam Farrar Smith, Of whom General Grant said,
Badly Smith in the, only man competent to
succeed me In the command Of the army" died
at his home In this city late last night.
Although in his eightieth year, General Smith
had continued IN the active performance OF his
duties as government engineer in charge OF the
river and harbor work for Maryland and Della"
ware until a year ago. The cold which finally
resulted in his death was contracted last NO.
vember.
For the last ten years Of his life GenersI
Smith was before the public as the principal hs-
ure In the long controversy over the question
whether he or General Rosecrans originated the
plan by which the Army Of the Cumberland was
relieved in October, 1853 by the opening OF the
river line from Chattanooga to Bridgeport by
way Of Browns Ferry. This movement saved
the Union forces from starvation ana capture
Nearly thirty years after the Browns Ferry ex-
pedition, General Rosecrans. H. a magazine artt-
cle claimed the credit for the move General
Smith replied in ar article, in which he declared
that he had organized the exFedition. The con-
troversy was not settled until two years ago,
when a board of army officers, for whose ap-
pointment General Smith had asked decided
that the credit was due to Rosecrans. and that
General Smith had no share in the manoeuVres'
General Smith replied in q long review OF the
boards findings, winding up with the declara-
ton that, while every scrap OF evidence In MS
favor had been rejected, all in favor of Rose
Grams haG been accepted.
In 1867, after twenty-five years OF active ser"
vice General Smith resigned from the army.
He had married Miss Sarah Lyon. OF NeW-1ork'
I'm 1880 and after the war he went to that city
to live, He was made president OF the Board
Of Police Commissioners in 1875. position sub
sequentIy filled by President Roosevelt
Fifteen years ago. General Smith was placed
in charge OF the river improvements in Della
ware and Maryland. and then came to Phila-
delphia to live.
"8aIdv'' Smith was the name by which the
general was best known. His premature bald
Eess was responsible for the title.
Mrs Smith died three years ago. The general
leaves daughter and q son, Miss Clara Farrar
Smith and Stuart Farrar Smith. an assistant
naval constructor The funeral services will be
held at St. Stephens Church, Tuesday morning.
The only organization to which General Smith
belonged was the Sons Of the Revolution He
had no connection with the Grand Army.
With the death of General Smith, the number
of living commanders Of army corps in the Civil
War is reduced to four.
General Smith was native of St. Albans VT
He was appointed to the Military Academy at
West Point in 1841, and at graduation was
fourth in the class of '45. In the same class
were Fitz John Porter and Gordon Granger. He
was commissioned a second lieutenant in the
Typographical Engineers and from November,
1916, to August. 1s4s. he was acting as assistant
professor Of mathematics at the West Point
Academy Afterward he was engaged in the
survey o6 the Lake Superior region, and of tho
military road to California, and served on the
Mexican Boundary Commission. He had risen
to the rank OF captain. and was serving as sec
retary OF the Lighthouse Board at Washington
when the war Of the Rebellion broke out. When
the President called for volunteers, Captain
Smith obtained leave of absence. and was given
by the State authorities of Vermont command
OF the Sd Vermont Regiment He was with
that regiment In the first battle Of Bull Run,
and afterward assisted in reorganizing the de-
feated Union army. He was promoted to be
brfsadier general Of volunteers in August. 1851,
and was soon afterward assigned to the COM
nand Of a division. He assisted General Nc
CIeIlan in organizing the Army Of the Potomac
When that army started on the Peninsula cam
paign General Smith commanded q division in
the corps Of General Keyes, afterward known
as the Fourth Corps. but just before the army
moved from Yorktown up the Peninsula General
Smiths division was transferred to the Sixth
Corps commanded by General William B.
Franklin. General Smith participated in all the
principal engagements during that campaign
and afterward was at Antietam. At the battle
of Fredericksburg he commanded the Sixth
Corus. He was then detached from the Army
of the Potomac and served as Chief Engineer
On the staff of some Of the commandants OF de-
partments in the West. He served in this ca
pacity with General Rosecrans at the battle or
Chickamaugar When General Grant assumed
the direction of military movements in the East
to General Smith was given command OF the
Eighteenth Corps, then serving with the Army
of the James. The corps was transferred 10 the
Army of the Potomac, and participated In all
the ENGAGEMENTS which ended with the capture
Of Richmond. Meanwhile General Smith had
been promoted to. be major general or VoIun-
teers and had received several grades by oreVet
for gallant and meritorious service. AT the
close of the war the Eighteenth Corps was con-
solidated with the Tenth. and General Srnltn
was sent to New-York City to await orders IN
1885 he resigned from the volunteer service, ana
in 1857 from the regular army. For several
wears ne was president OF the international
Telegraph Company.
While he was Police Commissioner here IN
1876 he was very exacting in his demands on
the force keeping each officer and man to his
duty both in the spirit and letter of the law
and materially improved the department by his
admirable military discipline. He was, how
ever. a man impatient Of interference with
whatever he believed to be his duty. When.
therefore Mayor Wickhan criticized some Of
his methods. General Smith rendered the Mayor