Melancthon Smith (Confederate officer)
| Melancthon Smith | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from Clarke County |
|
|
In office 1857–1859 |
|
| Preceded by | Unknown |
| Succeeded by | Unknown |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
April 15, 1829 Mobile, Alabama |
| Died | November 1, 1881 (aged 52) Mobile, Alabama |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Emma (Forney) Smith (October 13, 1833 - February 8, 1870) Clara (Howze) Smith |
| Profession | Planter, Militia Officer, Journalist |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America Confederate States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army Confederate States Army (Artillery)
|
| Years of service | 1851–1854 (USA) 1861–1865 (CSA) |
| Rank |
 2nd Lieutenant (USA) Major General (MS Militia) Colonel (CSA) |
| Unit | 8th U.S. Infantry Regiment |
| Commands | Right Wing—Mobile Defenses Artillery—Cheatham's Corps Artillery—D.H. Hill's Corps Artillery—Hardee's Corps Artillery—Cheatham's Division Smith's (Mississippi) Battery |
| Battles/wars | |
Melancthon Smith (frequently spelled Melancton or Melanchton; April 15, 1829 – November 1, 1881) was a Colonel in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. A graduate of the United States Military Academy, he served with the artillery of the Army of Tennessee in the Western Theater. After the war he became a journalist.
Melancthon Smith was born in Mobile, Alabama on April 15, 1829, He was a soldier's son, his father an artillery Captain stationed at the Mount Vernon Arsenal. Smith received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point by the state of Alabama, and on July 1, 1845 the 16 years old Melancthon was admitted to the class of 1849. However in his second year he was found deficient in mathematics, getting the worst grades in the class, and was turned back into the class of 1850. His grades became much better, though he was short of dismissal when he accumulated 196 demerits over the year (200 being the allowed maximum). In the next year Smith was suspended from the academy, and thus not examined.
This resulted in being turned back again, putting him in the class of 1851. The year 1850 brought Smith close to failing again, just short of being deficient in Chemistry and accumulating 177 demerits; but in the end he managed to pass the year and became a Firstie, or first class cadet. In his last year he accumulated the allowed 200 demerits, what made him the second worst cadet currently at the academy, and once again short of failing. But he didn't; his grades were all in the last quarter of his class, except engineering, and he graduated as 36th out of 42 graduates on July 1, 1851.
As a fellow cadet described him:
In personal appearance he was tall and slim; a countenance
handsome, firm, and decided, yet merry and laughing in social life.
His mind was finely cultivated, clear, and well balanced; as
a writer, he wielded a graceful and fluent pen.
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Wikipedia