Trivia 6-12-19 Last General to Fall

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Thomas Alfred Smyth (25 December 1832 – 9 April 1865)
On April 7, 1865 at around 11 AM, Smyth approached his skirmish line at Farmville, VA. Skirmish fire was being kept up between the opposing forces and Smyth was hit by an enemy sharpshooter. He was removed by stretcher to the Corps Hospital at a nearby farmhouse. The bullet had entered the left side of Smyth's face, knocked out a tooth, and passed through to his neck, where it drove a fragment of cervical vertebra through his spinal cord, paralyzing him. He was transported from the field hospital by ambulance with the intent of taking him to Burkeville station, but his condition worsened enroute and he was instead taken to the home of Colonel Burke (Burke's Tavern) where he died about 4 AM on April 9, 1865, less than 12 hours before the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia. https://irishamericancivilwar.com/2010/08/01/the-last-to-fall-thomas-alfred-smyth-at-farmville/
 
Buried in my hometown.

Edit - I'm sorry, wilmingtonian, I can't give you credit for this answer. Thomas Smyth is buried in Wilmington, Delaware, but a correct answer would have to include the general's name, the date he died, and how he died.

Welcome to the trivia game, anyway. Hope you'll come back and play again.

hoosier
 
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Brigadier General Robert C. Tyler
West Point , GA on April 16 , 1865, General Tyler took up positions in Fort Tyler overlooking the town. Despite an overwhelming superiority in numbers, it took the Federals almost an entire day to reduce the fort. When they finally did, Tyler lay dead beneath its flagstaff. According to local legend, he swore to the citizens of the town that he would either defend them or die in the effort. He kept his word.

The last general on either side killed during the Civil War, General Tyler was laid to rest in the Fort Tyler Cemetery, located opposite the Chattahoochee River from the fort. He is buried in a common grave with his friend, Captain Gonzalez, who also fell in the defense of Fort Tyler.

https://southernhistory.blogspot.com/2009/04/last-general-killed-in-civil-war-west.html

Edit - Response revised in subsequent post.

hoosier
 
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This is a tricky and confusing question. However, let me respond in this manner: The highest ranking general killed in the war was Major General John Sedgwick on May 9, 1864 at the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse by a Confederate sharpshooter. The last non brevetted general killed in the war was Major General James B. McPherson on July 22, 1864 during the Atlanta Campaign by Confederate infantry from the division of William J. Hardee. On the other hand, if you mean the last general, whether brevetted or not, killed in action during the war was Brevet Brigadier General Theodore Read who was killed on April 6, 1865 at High Bridge, Virginia. I hope one of these responses is correct. David.
 
1) Thomas Alfred Smyth
2) April 9, 1865
3) On April 7, 1865 at The Battle of Cumberland Church near Farmville, Virginia, Smyth was shot through the mouth by a sniper, with the bullet shattering his cervical vertebra and paralyzing him. He died two days later on April 9, 1865 at Burke's Tavern concurrent with the surrender of Robert E. Lee and his army at Appomattox Court House.

Source:
 
thomas A. Smyth (II Corps) died on April 9, 1865, after being shot through the mouth by a sniper on April 7, 1865 at Farmville.
Source: Wikipedia, The life and military services of the late Brigadier General Thomas A. Smyth (p. 45), https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.49015000065137;view=1up;seq=130;size=125

Edit - Players had trouble deciding whether the question was asking about someone who had the substantive rank of general or only the brevet rank of general, and also had trouble deciding whether it was asking about someone who was killed outright or mortally wounded.

Depending on the interpretation, the correct answer could be either Thomas Smyth (substantive rank of general, mortally wounded), Francis Washburn (brevet rank of general, mortally wounded), or Theodore Read (brevet rank of general, killed outright). I am accepting all three answers.

hoosier
 
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