serviceyears laterwork branch commands death_date death_place birth_place allegiance unit placeofburial_label battles birth_date rank image article_title name
1861 & ndash ; 65 diplomat , journalist united states army union army 54th ohio infantry 2nd division , xvii corps 14 december 1887 new york city , new york boston , massachusetts united states of america union army of the tennessee place of burial american civil war 23 september 1820 35px brigadier general tksmith.jpg thomas kilby smith
 thomas kilby smith
thomas kilby smith

thomas kilby smith -lrb- september 23 , 1820 -- december 14 , 1887 -rrb- was a lawyer , soldier , and diplomat from the state of ohio who served as a general in the union army during the american civil war and then in the postbellum united states army .
he led a brigade and then a division in the army of the tennessee in several of the most significant campaigns of the western theater of operations before failing health forced him to a series of desk jobs .
