General T. Schmidt

[ekolk6988]

I've been lucky enough to get a hold of some letters an ancestor of mine sent back home to Iowa during the siege of Vicksburg. I'm curious because he consistently mentions a "General T. Schmidt" in command of his brigade or division (he is unclear on this point) as well as a General Mower. I've looked through the order of battle for Vickburg and can't find any general officer named T. Schmidt. I noticed at least once he reference a general "Maurer" whom I can't find evidence for, and so I assume is a germanization of "Mower". I therefore thought that perhaps he meant "T. Smith" but I couldn't find a general officer by that name either; only a Col. Thomas Smith commanding second brigade, second division, 15th corps. My ancestor served in the 35th Iowa Volunteer infantry, third brigade, third division 15th corps. Does anyone out there happen to know if I'm barking up the right tree?

 

[Tompre]

There is a Brig. General Joseph A Mower, he commanded the second Brigade of Sherman's Division. His regiments were;
2d Brigade
Brig. Gen. Joseph A. Mower

47th Illinois, Col. John N. Cromwell (k), Lt. Col. Samuel R. Baker
5th Minnesota, Col. Lucius F. Hubbard
11th Missouri, Col. Andrew J. Weber (mw), Lt. Col. William L. Barnum
8th Wisconsin, Col. George W. Robbins
As for T Schmidt, that probably refers to a General Smith, of which there were a number in the campaign.

 

[ekolk6988]

I've found several General Smith's that were involved in the campaign, its the first initial "T" that's the stumbling point. The fact that it's included several times in the letters makes me think that it isn't a mistake. As I said, the only Smith I could find was a Col. Thomas Smith who was indeed a brigade commander at one point, commanding second brigade, second division, 15th corps. Perhaps he was breveted to general during the campaign and it didn't stick, or maybe by virtue of being a brigade commander average soldiers simply called him a general regardless of his actual rank?

 

[Stiles/Akin]

His name is my name too.....

 

[Tompre]

I've found several General Smith's that were involved in the campaign, its the first initial "T" that's the stumbling point. The fact that it's included several times in the letters makes me think that it isn't a mistake. As I said, the only Smith I could find was a Col. Thomas Smith who was indeed a brigade commander at one point, commanding second brigade, second division, 15th corps. Perhaps he was breveted to general during the campaign and it didn't stick, or maybe by virtue of being a brigade commander average soldiers simply called him a general regardless of his actual rank?

Or perhaps he was later promoted to Brigadier General.

 

[1stMS-Arty]

Probably referring to Thomas Kilby Smith

Or perhaps he was later promoted to Brigadier General.

thats probably it. Thomas Kilby Smith was promoted to Brigadier just after the siege and was later involved in the Red River Campaign.