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Maj. Gen. John E. Smith (b. 1816, d. 1897) While rising to the rank of major general, John Eugene Smith’s greatest contribution to the Federal war effort might have come before he put on a uniform. While Jo Daviess County treasurer, Smith recommended to Illinois Gov. Richard Yates that an out of work former army officer should know how to organize a regiment. This officer was U.S. Grant and that recommendation helped to give Grant his chance in the war effort. Smith, an immigrant, was born in Berne, Switzerland Aug. 3, 1816. His father was a Napoleonic officer who had fought at Waterloo. When Smith was young, the family moved to America and settled in Philadelphia. He was trained as a jeweler and goldsmith. Smith first moved to St. Louis and then to Galena, Illinois, settling there in 1836. He was elected county treasurer in 1860 and held that position at the start of the Civil War. Smith served on Yates’ staff before recruiting and organizing the 45th Illinois. He became that unit’s colonel July 23, 1861. This unit was part of Col. W.H.L. Wallace’s 2nd Brigade of Brig. Gen. John McClernard’s 1st Division at Forts Henry and Donelson. At Fort Donelson, the 45th saw its first heavy combat. The regiment saw more hard fighting at Shiloh (suffering 1,740 casualties) and Corinth. Smith, who sometimes commanded the brigade, received a promotion to brigadier general Nov. 29, 1862. He became the only Swiss-born general officer in either army during the war. During the Vicksburg Campaign, He led a brigade in Brig. Gen. John Logan’s Division of McPherson’s XVII Corps. Late in the siege, Smith directed the 7th Division. He had the only XVII Corps division to fight at Chattanooga in November of 1863 and participated in the successful attack on Missionary Ridge. In the Atlanta Campaign, Smith’s division frequently guarded the supply and communications lines for the army. After Atlanta fell, Smith’s division became part of the advance and played a major role in the capture of Savannah, Georgia. Prior to the end of the war, Smith was breveted to major general, Jan. 12, 1865, and ended the war as commander of the District of Western Tennessee. He was mustered out of volunteer service in 1866, but joined the regular army. He received the rank of colonel of the 27th Infantry in July of 1866. In 1867, Smith received brevet promotions to brigadier general and major general in the regular army. After that, he served mainly on the frontier until his retirement May 19, 1881. Smith retired to Chicago, where he died Jan. 29, 1897. He was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Galena, Illinois.

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