SHORTEST LIVED MASON

SHORTEST LIVED MASON

General Thomas A. Smyth of the Civil War was raised in Washington Lodge No. 1 of Delaware on March 6, 1864. He was killed by a sniper’s bullet on April 9 and was buried by his lodge on April 17, 1864.

Bio from Wikipedia

Early life

Smyth was born in Ballyhooly in Cork County, Ireland, and worked on his father’s farm as a youth. He emigrated to the United States in 1854, settling in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He participated in William Walker’s expedition to Nicaragua. Smyth was employed as a wood carver and coach & carriage maker.^[1] In 1858, he moved to Wilmington, Delaware.

Civil War service

He enlisted in 1861 in the Union army in an Irish-American three-months regiment, the 24th Pennsylvania, and quickly made acaptain. He was later commissioned as major of the 1st Delaware Infantry, a three-years regiment. He served at the battles ofFredericksburg (following which he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and then to colonel) and Chancellorsville. During theGettysburg Campaign, he commanded the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division of the II Corps. During the Battle of Gettysburg, his men helped defend Cemetery Ridge and advanced to the area of the Bliss farm to oust enemy sharpshooters. Smyth was wounded on the third day of the battle and relinquished command briefly.^[1]

Smyth retained brigade command during the reorganization of II Corps before Grant’s Overland Campaign. He led the second brigade of the first division from March 25 to May 17, 1864. When Col Samuel S. Carroll was wounded, Smyth was transferred to his command, the third brigade of second division, the Gibraltar Brigade. In October 1864, Smyth was promoted to brigadier general during the Siege of Petersburg. He retained his brigade throughout the siege.

Early in the Appomattox Campaign, Smyth commanded the 2nd division of the corps until Francis C. Barlow was assigned to lead it. In April 1865 at Farmville, Virginia, Smyth was shot through the mouth by a sniper, with the bullet shattering hiscervical vertebra and paralyzing him. Smyth died two days later, concurrent with the surrender of Robert E. Lee and his army at Appomattox Court House. He was promoted posthumously to brevet major general. Smyth was the last Union general killed or mortally wounded during the war, and is buried in Brandywine Cemetery in Wilmington, Delaware.^[1]