James Argyle Smith

James Argyle Smith
James Argyle Smith, Brigadier General in the Confederate Army
Born	(1831-07-01)July 1, 1831 Maury County, Tennessee
Died	December 6, 1901(1901-12-06) (aged 70) Jackson, Mississippi
Place of burial	Greenwood Cemetery (Jackson, Mississippi)
Allegiance	United States of America Confederate States of America
Service/branch	United States Army  Confederate States Army
Rank	First Lieutenant (USA) Brigadier General (CSA)
Battles/wars	Sioux Expedition Battle of Ash Hollow Utah War American Civil War Battle of Shiloh Battle of Perryville Battle of Murfreesboro Battle of Chickamauga Battle of Missionary Ridge Battle of Atlanta Second Battle of Franklin Battle of Bentonville

James Argyle Smith (July 1, 1831 – December 6, 1901) was an United States Army officer, and a graduate of West Point. He is known for being a Confederate brigadier general during the Civil War, his works in the educational system in Mississippi, and in the Bureau of Indian Affairs.^[1]

Early life and career

James Smith was born and raised in Tennessee as a boy. He went to West Point, graduated in 1853, and became a second lieutenant in the infantry.^[2] Smith served in various posts in the west including the Jefferson Barracks Military Post. Smith fought at the Battle of Ash Hollow against the Sioux in 1855.^[3] Then from 1857 to 1858, Smith fought in the Utah War against the Mormons.^[3] One year after returning from the Utah War Smith was promoted to a first lieutenant. In May 1861 Smith resigned his commission to join the Confederate Army.^[4]

Civil War service

Smith joined the Confederate Army in 1861 with the rank of lieutenant.^[4] In March 1862 he became a major and the adjutant-general to General Leonidas Polk.^[5] At the Battle of Shiloh Smith became the lieutenant-colonel of the Second Tennessee Infantry Regiment.^[3] General Bushrod Johnson commended Smith on his bravery at the Battle of Perryville and he was put in command of the 5th Confederate Infantry.^[5] His bravery was also noticed at the Battle of Murfreesboro by both General Cleburne and General Leonidas Polk.^[3] After his performance at the Battle of Chickamauga and the praise he received from Polk, Smith was promoted to brigadier general.^[5] At the Battle of Missionary Ridge General Smith attacked Sherman's flank preventing the Union Army of blocking off General Bragg's retreat.^[3] During the Battle of Missionary Ridge Smith was shot through both thighs while leading his men.^[4] After recovering Smith fought at the Battle of Atlanta where his brigade captured fifteen artillery pieces. During this battle he was wounded again.^[4] He was under the command of Cleburne at the Second Battle of Franklin, and after Cleburne's death Smith took over command at Nashville.^[5] General Smith and General William Bate led Cheatham's corps at the Battle of Bentonville.^[3]

Postbellum career and death

After starting a farm in Mississippi Smith was elected the Mississippi State Superintendent of Public Education from 1878 to 1886.^[1] He then became an agent of the Bureau of Indian Affairs from 1893 to 1897.^[1] He later become the Marshal of the Supreme Court of Mississippi.^[1] James Argyle Smith died on December 6, 1901 in Jackson, Mississippi and was buried at the Greenwood Cemetery.^[4]

See also

• List of American Civil War generals

References

• Thomas William Herringshaw's Herringshaw's National Library of American Biography: Contains Thirty-five Thousand Biographies of the Acknowledged Leaders of Life and Thought of the United States; Illustrated with Three Thousand Vignette Portraits (1914) pg. 249
• Francis Bernard Heitman's Historical Register of the United States Army: From Its Organization, September 29, 1789, to September 29, 1889 (1890) pg. 599
• Clement Anselm Evans's Confederate Military History: A Library of Confederate States History (1899) pgs. 269–70
• Jack D. Welsh's Medical Histories of Confederate Generals (1999) pg. 200
• Ezra J. Warner's Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders (1959) pgs. 281–82

Notes