Thomas Benton Smith

Thomas Benton Smith (February 24, 1838 – May 21, 1923) was a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

Smith was born in Mechanicsville, Tennessee. He attended the local schools before enrolling in the Nashville Military Academy. He received an appointment to the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, but resigned and returned home. He subsequently took a position working for the Nashville & Decatur Railroad.

With Tennessee's Ordinance of Secession and the outbreak of the Civil War, Smith enlisted in the Confederate army as an officer in the 20th Tennessee Infantry. He first saw combat action at the Battle of Mill Springs in January 1862, and in April of that same year participated in the Battle of Shiloh. Later in the year, after being promoted to colonel of the 20th Tennessee and assigned command of a small brigade, he was part of the Confederate forces that unsuccessfully tried to seize the Union post at Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Confederate Army commander John C. Breckinridge remarked in his official report that Smith "moved against the enemy in fine style."

At the end of the year, he fought in the Battle of Stones River, where he suffered a serious wound that put him out of action for much of 1863. After his recuperation, Smith resumed field duties, but was again wounded at the Battle of Chickamauga in September. After another lengthy recovery period, he returned to action during the 1864 Atlanta Campaign. He was promoted to brigadier general on July 29, 1864, and commanded an infantry brigade (Tylers' Tennessee Brigade), assigned to Bates Division, Harddes Army Corps in the Army of Tennessee comprising the 2nd, 10th, and 20th Tennessee, the 37th Georgia, the 30th, 37th, and 50th Tennessee, consolidated, and the 4th Georgia battalion of sharpshooters. His first action as a general officer on the extreme left of the Confederate flank at the Battle of Utoy Creek, he personally led his brigade in a charge against attacking Union soldiers capturing some 30 Union soldiers and the colors of the 8th Tennessee Infantry and 112th Illinois Infantry. The unit was cited in the OR by Confederate Lieut. Gen. Steven D. Lee, Corps Commander, to whom Bates Division was attached for duty. He led his brigade in an assault at the battle of Jonesborough, however the terrific fire from the Federal entrenched troops, required them to withdraw to a gully for protection during the assault on August 30, 1864 and they were unable to dislodge the Federal Army of the Tennessee.

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