{⋆★⋆} MG Smith, Martin Luther

Martin Luther Smith​

Born: September 9, 1819

Birth Place: Danby, Tompkins County, New York

Father: Luther Smith 1789 – 1872

(Buried: Ithaca City Cemetery, Ithaca, New York)​

Mother: Polly Unknown – 1866

(Buried: Ithaca City Cemetery, Ithaca, New York)​

Wife: Sarah Evalina Nisbet 1822 – 1884 (Married: July 28, 1846)

(Buried: Oconee Hill Cemetery, Athens, Georgia)​

Children:

Victor Martin Smith 1848 – 1915​

(Buried: Green Mount Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland)​

​

Margaret Evalina Smith Shaw 1855 – 1933​

(Buried: Maplewood Cemetery, Charlottesville, Virginia)​

​

John Nisbet Smith 1860 – 1909​

(Buried: Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)​

Education:

1842: Graduated from West Point Military Academy (16th​ in class)​

Occupation:

​

1842 – 1843: Brevet 2nd​ Lt. United States Army, Topography Engineers​

​

1843 – 1853: 2nd​ Lt. United States Army, Topography Engineers​

​

1853 – 1856: 1st​ Lt. United States Army, Topography Engineers​

​

1855 – 1856: Assistant in U.S. Topographical Bureau in Washington, D.C.​

​

1856 – 1861: Captain United States Army, Topography Engineers​

​

1861: Resigned from United States Army on April 1st​​

Civil War Career:

1862: Colonel of 21st​ Louisiana Infantry​

​

1862: Helped plan the defenses of New Orleans, Louisiana​

​

1862 – 1864: Brigadier General of Confederate Army Infantry​

​

1862 – 1863: Took part in planing defenses for Vicksburg, Mississippi​

​

1863: Captured during the Battle of Vicksburg, Mississippi​

​

1863 – 1864: Prisoner of War held by the Union Army​

​

1864: Chief of Confederate States Engineering Department​

​

1864 – 1865: Major General of Confederate Army Infantry​

​

1864: Chief Engineer for Army of Northern Virginia​

​

1864: Chief Engineer for Army of Tennessee​

​

Chief Engineer of Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana

​

Helped Prepare the Defenses of Mobile, Alabama​

​

1865: Surrendered in Athens, Georgia​

Occupation after War:

Civil Engineer in Savannah, Georgia​

​

Chief Engineer of Selma, Rome, and Dalton Railroad​

Died: July 29, 1866

Place of Death: Savannah, Georgia

Cause of Death: Brief Illness

Age at time of Death: 46 years old

Burial Place: Oconee Hill Cemetery, Athens, Georgia

 

[DaveBrt]

Martin Luther Smith:​

Born: September 9, 1819View attachment 372179
Birth Place: Danby Tompkins County New York
Father: Luther Smith 1789 – 1872
(Buried: Ithaca City Cemetery Ithaca New York)
Mother: Polly Unknown – 1866
(Buried: Ithaca City Cemetery Ithaca New York)
Wife: Sarah Evalina Nisbet 1822 – 1884 (Married: July 28, 1846)
(Buried: Oconee Hill Cemetery Athens Georgia)
Children:
Victor Martin Smith 1848 – 1915
(Buried: Green Mount Cemetery Baltimore Maryland)
Margaret Evalina Smith Shaw 1855 – 1933
(Buried: Maplewood Cemetery Charlottesville Virginia)
John Nisbet Smith 1860 – 1909
(Buried: Rock Creek Cemetery Washington D.C.)

Education:
1842: Graduated from West Point Military Academy (16th​ in class)

Occupation:
1842 – 1843: Brevet 2nd​ Lt. United States Army Topography Engineers
1843 – 1853: 2nd​ Lt. United States Army Topography Engineers
1853 – 1856: 1st​ Lt. United States Army Topography Engineers
1855 – 1856: Assistant in U.S. Topographical Bureau in Washington D.C.
1856 – 1861: Captain United States Army Topography Engineers
1861: Resigned from United States Army on April 1st​

Civil War Career:
1862: Colonel of 21st​ Louisiana Infantry
1862: Helped plan the defenses of New Orleans Louisiana
1862 – 1864: Brigadier General of Confederate Army Infantry
1862 – 1863: Took part in planing defenses for Vicksburg Mississippi
1863: Captured during the Battle of Vicksburg Mississippi
1863 – 1864: Prisoner of War held by the Union Army
1864: Chief of Confederate States Engineering Department
1864 – 1865: Major General of Confederate Army Infantry
1864: Chief Engineer for Army of Northern Virginia
1864: Chief Engineer for Army of Tennessee
Chief Engineer of Department of Alabama, Mississippi, East Louisiana
Helped Prepare the Defenses of Mobile Alabama
1865: Surrendered in Athens Georgia

Occupation after War:
Civil Engineer in Savannah Georgia
Chief Engineer of Selma, Rome, and Dalton Railroad



Died: July 29, 1866
Place of Death: Savannah Georgia
Cause of Death: Brief Illness
Age at time of Death: 46 years old
Burial Place: Oconee Hill Cemetery Athens Georgia


View attachment 372180

I see no sign that he acted as head of the Engineer Bureau. One source says he had the job for 6 weeks, but there is no indication of it in the Engineer Bureau records.

 

[Pollaco]

Before he was captured at Vicksburg he led a division in the repulse of Sherman at Chickasaw Bayou.

 

[Pollaco]

He was paroled on July 4, 1863 but not exchanged until about February 1864.

 

[Pollaco]

He served successviely as the chief engineer to Robert E. Lee, John B. Hood and Pierre Beauregard.

 

[Vicksburger]

Martin Luther Smith:​

Born: September 9, 1819View attachment 372179
Birth Place: Danby Tompkins County New York
Father: Luther Smith 1789 – 1872
(Buried: Ithaca City Cemetery Ithaca New York)
Mother: Polly Unknown – 1866
(Buried: Ithaca City Cemetery Ithaca New York)
Wife: Sarah Evalina Nisbet 1822 – 1884 (Married: July 28, 1846)
(Buried: Oconee Hill Cemetery Athens Georgia)
Children:
Victor Martin Smith 1848 – 1915
(Buried: Green Mount Cemetery Baltimore Maryland)
Margaret Evalina Smith Shaw 1855 – 1933
(Buried: Maplewood Cemetery Charlottesville Virginia)
John Nisbet Smith 1860 – 1909
(Buried: Rock Creek Cemetery Washington D.C.)

Education:
1842: Graduated from West Point Military Academy (16th​ in class)

Occupation:
1842 – 1843: Brevet 2nd​ Lt. United States Army Topography Engineers
1843 – 1853: 2nd​ Lt. United States Army Topography Engineers
1853 – 1856: 1st​ Lt. United States Army Topography Engineers
1855 – 1856: Assistant in U.S. Topographical Bureau in Washington D.C.
1856 – 1861: Captain United States Army Topography Engineers
1861: Resigned from United States Army on April 1st​

Civil War Career:
1862: Colonel of 21st​ Louisiana Infantry
1862: Helped plan the defenses of New Orleans Louisiana
1862 – 1864: Brigadier General of Confederate Army Infantry
1862 – 1863: Took part in planing defenses for Vicksburg Mississippi
1863: Captured during the Battle of Vicksburg Mississippi
1863 – 1864: Prisoner of War held by the Union Army
1864: Chief of Confederate States Engineering Department
1864 – 1865: Major General of Confederate Army Infantry
1864: Chief Engineer for Army of Northern Virginia
1864: Chief Engineer for Army of Tennessee
Chief Engineer of Department of Alabama, Mississippi, East Louisiana
Helped Prepare the Defenses of Mobile Alabama
1865: Surrendered in Athens Georgia

Occupation after War:
Civil Engineer in Savannah Georgia
Chief Engineer of Selma, Rome, and Dalton Railroad



Died: July 29, 1866
Place of Death: Savannah Georgia
Cause of Death: Brief Illness
Age at time of Death: 46 years old
Burial Place: Oconee Hill Cemetery Athens Georgia


View attachment 372180

That siege was hard on those men, even the general officers. I didn't realize how young he was when he died.

 

[John Hartwell]

[Jackson Daily Clarion and Standard, 11 October 1866]​

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy Birthday (September 9th) week to Major General Martin Luther Smith! Salutes remembering General Smith on his birthday week.

 

[Pollaco]

One biography has him as colonel (but only for several months) of the 21st Louisiana.But a history of the 21st Louisiana lists a Colonel John B.G.Kennedy (the original Lt. Col.) as it's colonel in this same time period.

 

[Vicksburger]

Happy Birthday General Smith! I have read much about you and your dedication to the cause and your service at the Siege of Vicksburg!

 

[Luke Freet]

M. L. Smith served as Lee's Chief Engineer during the Overland Campaign. He was the one who discovered the unfinished Railroad bed which Longstreet used for his counterattack Day 2, but is also responsible for the creation of the Mule Shoe Salient at Spotsylvania.

 

[danny]

The 22nd La Regt (M. L. Smith as Col & Edward Higgins as Lt Col) was organized in April of 1862 & was sent to Vicksburg the next month. It remained part of that city's garrison until the surrender in July of 1863. While at Vicksburg the Regt's title was changed to the 21st Regt (likely due to the disbandment of Kennedy's 21st?). After their surrender the Regt went to the parolee camp at Enterprise, Ms. It remained here until Jan 1864, when it was merged with various units to create the 22nd La Consolidated Regt. Easy enough...

The 23rd Regt was originally organized in Jan of 1862 in New Orleans. When that city fell in April of 1862, most of the Regt disbanded itself rather than leave the city. One Co, Co I was part of the Ft. Jackson garrison. In May, three Co's & remnants of the other seven collected itself at Camp Moore. By consolidated the pieces of the other Co's the old Regt was able to muster 4 full Co's. Once "reorganized", the 4-Co Regt was sent to Vicksburg. Once there, the Regt was slowly augmented with exchanged prisoners to create a 5th Co. Similar to the 21st (old 22nd Regt), the 23rd Regt was designated the new 22nd Regt. Four of the Regt's five Co's were captured at Vicksburg & they joined the parolee camp at Enterprise. While here, the 22nd (Old 23rd) was merged with the 21st (Old 22nd) to help created the 22nd La Consolidated Regt.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

The Confederacy had so few trained engineers they should have kept Smith on engineer duty throughout the war.