Maj. Gen. Martin Luther Smith
Born: September 9, 1819
Danby, New York
Died: July 19, 1866
Savannah, Georgia
1842: West Point Graduate
1842: Brevet 2nd Lieutenant
1853: 1st Lieutenant
1856: Captain
April 1, 1861: Resigned USA
Major of Engineers, CSA
February 1862: Colonel
April 11, 1862: Brigadier General
November 4, 1862: Major General
Maj. Gen. Martin Luther Smith
May 1862: Took charge of constructing defenses of Vicksburg, Mississippi
November 1862: Promoted to Major General
July 1863: With the fall of Vicksburg, was captured and held prisoner for 7 months
1864: After being exchanged, was briefly the head of the Engineer Corps of the Confederate Army
April 1864: Chief Engineer of the Northern Army of Virginia
Later Chief Engineer for the Army of the Tennesssee
Chief Engineer for the Department of Alabama, Mississippi and East Louisiana under Gen. P.G.T. Beuregard
Remained in Mobile, Alabama until the city fell when he returned to Athens, Georgia where he surrendered in May 1865
Moved to Savannah, Georgia where he was chief Engineer for the Selma, Rome and Dalton Railroad
1842: West Point Graduate - 16th out of 56 cadets
1842: Brevet 2nd Lieutenant
Mexican-American War
Brevetted for his performance in mapping the valley of Mexico City prior to the Winfield Scott assaults
Returned to Florida after the Mexican-American War
1853: Promoted to 1st Lieutenant
1856: Promoted to Captain
April 1, 1861: Resigned from the army to join the Confederacy
Appointed Major of Engineers
February 1862: Appointed Colonel of the 21st Louisiana Infantry
Served under General Twiggs at New Orleans while planning defenses of the city
April 11, 1862: Promoted to Brigadier General and transferred back to the engineers
Boatner, Mark M. III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: David Mckay, 1967. p 773
Martin Luther Smith. 28 May 2022. web. 27 March 2023.
Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Gray Lives of the Confederate Commanders Baton Rouge: Louisiana State, 1992. p 282-283