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Phone: 913-851-8462
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General “Baldy” Smith CDV of Smith in uniform. Mount is trimmed as
seen in the scan. Back marked R.W. Addis, Photographer McClees
Gallery, Washington, DC. $90.00
Smith, William F., major-general, was born in the state
of Vermont, and was a cadet at the U. S. military academy from
July 1, 1841 to July 1, 1845, when he was graduated and
promoted in the army to brevet second lieutenant of
topographical engineers. He served as assistant topographical
engineer on the survey of the Northern lakes, 1845-46; at the
military academy as assistant professor of mathematics, Nov.
6, 1846, to Aug. 21, 1848; as assistant topographical engineer
on explorations in the Department of Texas, 1848-50, being
commissioned second lieutenant of topographical engineers on
July 14, 1849. He was on the survey of the boundary between
the United States and Mexico 1850-52, on the survey of the
canal route across Florida in 1853, and was commissioned first
lieutenant of topographical engineers on March 3, 1853. He
was on explorations in Texas, 1853-55; at the military academy
as principal assistant professor of mathematics, Sept. 4,
1855, to Sept. 8, 1856; as engineer of the 11th light-house
district, Dec. 11, 1856, to Nov. 3, 1859, and he was
commissioned captain of topographical engineers on July 1,
1859, for fourteen years, continuous service. He then served
as engineer secretary of the light-house board from Nov. 3,
1859, to April 15, 1861. He served during the Civil war,
first on mustering duty at New York city, April 15 to May 31,
1861 , on the staff of Maj.-Gen. Butler at Fort Monroe, Va.,
June 1 to July 20, and was commissioned colonel of the 3d Vt.
infantry on July 16, 1861. He was on the staff of Brig-Gen.
McDowell, July 20 to Aug. 13; served in the Manassas campaign
and was engaged in the battle of Bull Run, in the defenses of
Washington, D. C., July 27, 1861 to March 1O, 1862, and he was
commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers on Aug. 13, 1861.
He served in the Virginia Peninsular campaign, in command of a
division of the Army of the Potomac, being engaged in the
siege of Yorktown including the skirmish of Lee's mill, the
battles of Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, White Oak swamp, Savage
Station, Glendale and Malvern hill. On June 28, 1862, he was
brevetted lieutenant-colonel, U. S. A., for gallant and
meritorious services in the battle of White Oak swamp, and in
the Maryland campaign he was in command of a division of the
Army of the Potomac, being engaged in the battles of South
mountain and Antietam, and on the march to Falmouth. On Sept.
17, 1862, he was brevetted colonel, U. S. A., for gallant and
meritorious services in the battle of Antietam; participated
in the Rappahannock campaign, in command of the 6th corps Nov.
14, 1861 to Feb. 4, 1863, and of the 9th corps from Feb. 4 to
March 17, being engaged in the battle of Fredericksburg. He
was commissioned major of the corps of engineers on March 3,
1863, and was in command of a division in the Department of
the Susquehanna, being engaged in the pursuit of the
Confederate army retreating from Gettysburg, and was then in
the Department of West Virginia from Aug. 3 to Sept. 5. He
served as chief engineer of the Department of the Cumberland,
Oct. 1O to November, and of the Military Division of the
Mississippi from Nov., 1863 to March 31, 1864, in operations
about Chattanooga, being engaged in surprising a passage and
throwing a pontoon bridge across the Tennessee river at
Brown's ferry, and he was also engaged in the battle of
Missionary ridge. On March 9, 1864, he was commissioned
major-general of volunteers, and was in command of the 18th
corps of the Army of the Potomac from May 2 to July 19, being
engaged in the operations before Richmond and in the battle of
Cold Harbor and siege of Petersburg. He was on special duty,
under the orders of the secretary of war, from Nov. 22, 1864
to Dec. 15, 1865, and was then on leave of absence until March
7, 1867, when he resigned from the regular army, having
resigned his volunteer commission on Nov. 4, 1865. He was
brevetted brigadier-general, U. S. A., on March 13, 1865, for
gallant and meritorious services in the battle of Chattanooga,
and on the same date was given the brevet title of major-
general U. S. A., for gallant and meritorious services in the
field during the Rebellion. He served as president of the
International Telegraph company, 1864-73, and became
Commissioner of Police of New York city on May 1, 1875, and
then served as president of the Board of Police Commissioners
from Dec. 31, 1875, to March 11, 1881. After this date he
followed civil engineering in the service of the United
States. He was reappointed as major, U. S. A., on March 1,
1889, and placed upon the retired list. Gen. Smith died on
Feb. 28, 1903.
Source: The Union Army, vol. 8
seen in the scan. Back marked R.W. Addis, Photographer McClees
Gallery, Washington, DC. $90.00
Smith, William F., major-general, was born in the state
of Vermont, and was a cadet at the U. S. military academy from
July 1, 1841 to July 1, 1845, when he was graduated and
promoted in the army to brevet second lieutenant of
topographical engineers. He served as assistant topographical
engineer on the survey of the Northern lakes, 1845-46; at the
military academy as assistant professor of mathematics, Nov.
6, 1846, to Aug. 21, 1848; as assistant topographical engineer
on explorations in the Department of Texas, 1848-50, being
commissioned second lieutenant of topographical engineers on
July 14, 1849. He was on the survey of the boundary between
the United States and Mexico 1850-52, on the survey of the
canal route across Florida in 1853, and was commissioned first
lieutenant of topographical engineers on March 3, 1853. He
was on explorations in Texas, 1853-55; at the military academy
as principal assistant professor of mathematics, Sept. 4,
1855, to Sept. 8, 1856; as engineer of the 11th light-house
district, Dec. 11, 1856, to Nov. 3, 1859, and he was
commissioned captain of topographical engineers on July 1,
1859, for fourteen years, continuous service. He then served
as engineer secretary of the light-house board from Nov. 3,
1859, to April 15, 1861. He served during the Civil war,
first on mustering duty at New York city, April 15 to May 31,
1861 , on the staff of Maj.-Gen. Butler at Fort Monroe, Va.,
June 1 to July 20, and was commissioned colonel of the 3d Vt.
infantry on July 16, 1861. He was on the staff of Brig-Gen.
McDowell, July 20 to Aug. 13; served in the Manassas campaign
and was engaged in the battle of Bull Run, in the defenses of
Washington, D. C., July 27, 1861 to March 1O, 1862, and he was
commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers on Aug. 13, 1861.
He served in the Virginia Peninsular campaign, in command of a
division of the Army of the Potomac, being engaged in the
siege of Yorktown including the skirmish of Lee's mill, the
battles of Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, White Oak swamp, Savage
Station, Glendale and Malvern hill. On June 28, 1862, he was
brevetted lieutenant-colonel, U. S. A., for gallant and
meritorious services in the battle of White Oak swamp, and in
the Maryland campaign he was in command of a division of the
Army of the Potomac, being engaged in the battles of South
mountain and Antietam, and on the march to Falmouth. On Sept.
17, 1862, he was brevetted colonel, U. S. A., for gallant and
meritorious services in the battle of Antietam; participated
in the Rappahannock campaign, in command of the 6th corps Nov.
14, 1861 to Feb. 4, 1863, and of the 9th corps from Feb. 4 to
March 17, being engaged in the battle of Fredericksburg. He
was commissioned major of the corps of engineers on March 3,
1863, and was in command of a division in the Department of
the Susquehanna, being engaged in the pursuit of the
Confederate army retreating from Gettysburg, and was then in
the Department of West Virginia from Aug. 3 to Sept. 5. He
served as chief engineer of the Department of the Cumberland,
Oct. 1O to November, and of the Military Division of the
Mississippi from Nov., 1863 to March 31, 1864, in operations
about Chattanooga, being engaged in surprising a passage and
throwing a pontoon bridge across the Tennessee river at
Brown's ferry, and he was also engaged in the battle of
Missionary ridge. On March 9, 1864, he was commissioned
major-general of volunteers, and was in command of the 18th
corps of the Army of the Potomac from May 2 to July 19, being
engaged in the operations before Richmond and in the battle of
Cold Harbor and siege of Petersburg. He was on special duty,
under the orders of the secretary of war, from Nov. 22, 1864
to Dec. 15, 1865, and was then on leave of absence until March
7, 1867, when he resigned from the regular army, having
resigned his volunteer commission on Nov. 4, 1865. He was
brevetted brigadier-general, U. S. A., on March 13, 1865, for
gallant and meritorious services in the battle of Chattanooga,
and on the same date was given the brevet title of major-
general U. S. A., for gallant and meritorious services in the
field during the Rebellion. He served as president of the
International Telegraph company, 1864-73, and became
Commissioner of Police of New York city on May 1, 1875, and
then served as president of the Board of Police Commissioners
from Dec. 31, 1875, to March 11, 1881. After this date he
followed civil engineering in the service of the United
States. He was reappointed as major, U. S. A., on March 1,
1889, and placed upon the retired list. Gen. Smith died on
Feb. 28, 1903.
Source: The Union Army, vol. 8
