Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 26.djvu/89

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eral Ciust-ivus \Y. Smith, C. S. A., in command of the Georgia in- fantry, that a statement of his own, may be permanently recorded with ns, in regard to the occurrences of that night, and so correct the unfortunate misstatements made by another writer true in a some- what jocular way, but doing great injustice to the general command- ing, and to the brave soldiers from Georgia, who, by their gallant co-operation, made the victory of Honey Hill possible.

General G. W. Smith was a native of Kentucky, and graduated from West Point in the class of 1842. I append the " order of gen- eral merit" at graduation of (subsequently) prominent members of that class, as a fitting introduction to this interesting narrative: 5. William S. Rosecrans; 8. Gustavus W. Smith; 9. Mansfield Lovell; 12. Alex. P. Stewart; 16. Martin L. Smith; 17. John Pope; 24. Abner Doubleday; 28. D. H. Hill; 40. R. H. Anderson; 41. Geo. W. Lay; 48. Lafayette McLaws; 52. Earl Van Dorn; 54. James Longstreet. He was assigned to the engineer corps and stationed at West Point as assistant professor of engineering until September 24, 1846, when he took the field in General Scott's column in Mexico and served until May 22, 1848; he was breveted for gallantry at Cerro Gordo and for gallant conduct at Contreras and Cherubusco; was promoted captain of engineers. After the Mexican war he served on the coast defences. He resigned December 15, 1854, and with General Quitman, was engaged in preparations fora military expedition in Cuba, but this was abandoned. In 1856 he took charge of the large iron interests of Cooper, Hewitt & Co. at Tren- ton, N. J.

When Fernando Wood was elected mayor of New York he in- duced General Smith to accept the position of street commissioner, which he held until May, 1861, when he and his deputy, Mansfield Lovell, of Maryland, resigned and joined the Confederate army at Richmond.

1'n-sident Davis commissioned him major-general on September 19, 1861, and assigned him to the command of the " ist division, A. N. V.," composed of the brigades of Whiting, Hood,, Hampton, Petigrew and Hatton. He did gallant service in the Peninsular campaign, and commanded the army at Fair Oaks for a short time, when General J. E. Johnston was wounded and carried from the field.

About this time he was prostrated by a long and serious illness and \\.i> paralysed. This he mentioned to Major Jenkins on the day of the battle when mounting a horse at Grahamville depot, which