Alfred T. Smith (November 25, 1874 – November 27, 1939) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, and World War I, he attained the rank of brigadier general and was most notable for his command of the Philippine Division (1935–1937) and the 3rd Infantry Division (1937–1938).

Early life

File:Alfred T. Smith (US Army brigadier general) 2.jpg

Alfred T. Smith was born in Washington, D.C., on November 25, 1874, the son of Theodore Smith (1846–1884) and Lydia Smith (1854–1918).{{cite web |url=https://www.ancestry.com |title=U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925, Entry for Alfred T. Smith |date=July 3, 1919 |website=Ancestry.com |publisher=Ancestry.com, LLC |location=Lehi, UT |access-date=February 13, 2021 |url-access=subscription}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ancestry.com |title=1890 United States Federal Census, Family Schedule for Lydia J. Smith Family |date=1890 |website=Ancestry.com |publisher=Ancestry.com, LLC |location=Lehi, UT |access-date=February 13, 2021 |url-access=subscription}} Smith's father was a first lieutenant in the 15th Infantry Regiment,{{cite book |last=Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy |date=1922 |title=Fifty-third Annual Report |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ksigAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA59 |location=Saginaw, MI |publisher=Seemann & Peters |page=59 |via=Google Books}} and Smith's desire for a military career was known among friends and family from an early age.{{cite news |date=September 22, 1894 |title=Enlisted in the Army: An Ambitious High School Boy Who Wants to Rise from the Ranks |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70341850/enlisted-army/ |work=The Evening Star |location=Washington, DC |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com}} He attended the public schools of Washington, and was an 1894 graduate of Central High School. While in high school, Smith joined the High School Cadets, an organization which took part in military drill and ceremony competitions.{{cite news |date=May 26, 1894 |title=The Prize Won: Company D of the High School Cadets the Victors |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70343915/company-d/ |work=The Evening Star |location=Washington, DC |page=7 |via=Newspapers.com}} He commanded the regiment's Company D with the rank of captain, and his company won the city's annual contest in May 1894.

Start of career

In September, 1894 Smith enlisted in the United States Army as a private with the intention of qualifying for an officer's commission. Assigned to Company H, 6th Infantry Regiment, Smith served at Fort Thomas, Kentucky and attained the rank of sergeant.{{cite news |date=July 23, 1896 |title=Washington Boy's Success |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70346829/washington-boy/ |work=The Evening Star |location=Washington, DC |page=12 |via=Newspapers.com}} He performed well on his 1896 competitive examination, and when he was nominated in 1897 for appointment as a second lieutenant, the members of his company demonstrated their esteem by presenting him with an officer's sword and the uniform insignia of his new rank.{{cite news |date=May 17, 1897 |title=Esteemed by His Men |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70347588/esteemed-men/ |work=The Evening Star |location=Washington, DC |page=11 |via=Newspapers.com}}

In May 1897, Smith received his second lieutenant's commission in the Infantry branch.{{cite news |date=June 3, 1897 |title=Army and Navy Orders |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70348593/army-orders/ |work=The Washington Times |location=Washington, DC |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com}} He was assigned to the 12th Infantry Regiment at Fort Niobrara, Nebraska. During the Spanish–American War, Smith served in Cuba with the 12th Infantry.{{cite news |date=February 11, 1899 |title=The Army: Brevet Appointments |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ltnbcGDOR4sC&pg=PA557 |work=Army and Navy Journal |location=New York, NY |page=557 |via=Google Books}} He took part in the Battle of El Caney and the Siege of Santiago. After the war, he received promotion to first lieutenant by brevet in recognition of his gallantry. He received promotion to permanent first lieutenant in March 1899.{{cite news |date=November 10, 1900 |title=Bravely Won His Straps |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70419419/bravely-won/ |work=The Evening Star |location=Washington, DC |page=28 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Continued career

After his service in Cuba, Smith was assigned to the 12th Infantry in the Philippines during the Philippine–American War.{{cite news |date=August 4, 1900 |title=A Filipino Police Force |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70418244/filipino-police/ |work=The New York Times |location=New York, NY |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}} His posting included leading the effort to reestablish civil government in San Miguel, Bulacan. During his service in the Philippines, Smith was commended twice for heroism and was recommended for promotion to brevet captain.

Smith was recommended for promotion to permanent captain in February 1902.{{cite news |date=February 18, 1902 |title=Appointed by the President |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70423432/appointed-president/ |work=The New York Times |location=New York, NY |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com}} He briefly commanded Company E, 12th Infantry at Fort Douglas, Utah and in May 1902 was transferred to command of the regiment's Company I at Fort Bliss, Texas.{{cite news |date=May 23, 1902 |title=Late Locals: Frank L. Winn and Alfred T. Smith |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70425866/late-number/ |work=Deseret News |location=Salt lake City, UT |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com}} In 1904, Smith commanded Company L when an ad hoc battalion of 12th Infantry units deployed for service in the Philippines.{{cite news |date=February 23, 1904 |title=Twelfth Infantry Leaves for Philippines |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70442357/12th-infantry/ |work=El Paso Herald |location=El Paso, TX |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com}}

After leaving the Philippines in 1906, Smith remained with the 12th Infantry, this time assigned to Fort Niagara, New York.{{cite news |date=June 7, 1906 |title=Mrs. Alfred T. Smith |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70446463/mrs-smith/ |work=The Evening Star |location=Washington, DC |page=5 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |date=October 14, 1906 |title=Capt. Alfred T. Smith |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70447074/capt-smith/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |location=Washington, DC |page=5 |via=Newspapers.com}} In 1909, Smith returned to the Philippines with the 12th Infantry.{{cite news |date=July 16, 1909 |title=Port of Honolulu: Passengers Arrived |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70449777/passengers-arrived/ |work=The Hawaiian Gazette |location=Honolulu, HI |page=8 |via=Newspapers.com}} This posting also included temporary detached duty in Nagasaki.{{cite news |date=April 24, 1910 |title=Transfers Army Men to Nagasaki |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70448952/transfer-nagasaki/ |work=San Francisco Chronicle |location=San Francisco, CA |page=58 |via=Newspapers.com}} By the time the 12th Infantry returned to the United States in 1912, Smith was serving as the regimental adjutant.{{cite news |date=February 3, 1912 |title=The Coming First U.S. Infantry and Its Officers |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70455011/coming-first-us-infantry/ |work=The Hawaiian Star |location=Honolulu, HI |page=7 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Smith remained with the 12th Infantry, this time assigned to the Presidio of Monterey, California.{{cite news |date=March 25, 1913 |title=Registered at Army Headquarters |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70460930/presidio-smith/ |work=The San Francisco Call |location=San Francisco, CA |page=18 |via=Newspapers.com}} In 1914, he was designated to take the course at the School of the Line at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.{{cite news |date=July 22, 1914 |title=Officers Are Assigned |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70462069/officers-assigned/|work=The Evening Star |location=Washington, DC |page=7 |via=Newspapers.com}} He graduated in 1914 and performed temporary duty with the 12th Infantry at the Presidio of San Francisco before returning to the School of the Line to serve on the faculty.{{cite news |date=July 28, 1914 |title=Army and Navy Changes of the Day |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70463073/army-changes/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |location=Washington, DC |page=4 |via=Newspapers.com}} He then returned to the 12th Infantry, this time on the Texas-Mexico border during the Pancho Villa Expedition.{{cite news |date=February 4, 1935 |title=Gen. Alfred T. Smith Arrives at Army Base |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70693223/smith-arrives/ |work=The Boston Globe |location=Boston, MA |page=24 |via=Newspapers.com}}

World War I

File:Alfred T. Smith (US Army brigadier general).jpg

In July 1916, Smith was promoted to major.{{cite news |date=July 26, 1916 |title=Show Big in the Army: Promotions Since July 1; In the Infantry |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70465500/in-the-infantry/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |location=Washington, DC |page=12 |via=Newspapers.com}} In September, he was assigned to Ohio State University as professor of military science.{{cite news |date=September 24, 1916 |title=Army Orders |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70466582/army-orders/ |work=El Paso Times |location=El Paso, TX |page=7 |via=Newspapers.com}}

From 1917 to 1919, Smith was the U.S. military attaché in Argentina, and was assigned to duty in Buenos Aires.{{cite news |date=November 28, 1939 |title=Brig. Gen. A. T. Smith Dies After Illness of Four Days |url=https://www.genealogybank.com |work=The Evening Star |location=Washington, DC |page=2 |via=GenealogyBank.com |url-access=subscription}} During the war, Smith was promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel, then temporary colonel.{{cite news |date=April 16, 1918 |title=Mrs. Lydia J. Smith Dead |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70476860/mrs-lydia-smith/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |location=Washington, DC |page=11 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |date=June 27, 1919 |title=Happenings in Society: Col. and Mrs. Alfred T. Smith |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70477783/brazilian-embassy/ |work=The Washington Times |location=Washington, DC |page=11 |via=Newspapers.com}} In 1919, he traveled to Europe and performed unspecified special duty in the Netherlands.{{cite news |date=August 22, 1919 |title=Col. A. T. Smith |url=https://www.genealogybank.com |work=The Evening Star |location=Washington, DC |page=8 |via=GenealogyBank.com |url-access=subscription}} After returning, he was assigned as commander of the 54th Infantry Regiment at Camp Grant, Illinois.{{cite news |date=July 31, 1920 |title=Personal Matters: Alfred T. Smith |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YFM-AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA125 |work=Army and Navy Register |location=New York, NY |page=125 |via=Google Books}}

Later career

In 1920, Smith was assigned as a student United States Army War College.{{cite news |date=May 30, 1920 |title=War College Orders |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70483906/war-college-orders/ |work=The Evening Star |location=Washington, DC |page=41 |via=Newspapers.com}} While taking this course, Smith reverted to his permanent rank of major, and was quickly promoted to permanent lieutenant colonel and permanent colonel.{{cite news |date=June 12, 1920 |title=Army Orders: Alfred T. Smith |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70484890/army-orders/ |work=New York Herald|location=New York, NY |page=15 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |date=March 7, 1928 |title=Colonel Smith to Command at Eustis |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70493585/smith-eustis/ |work=Daily Press |location=Newport News, VA |page=9 |via=Newspapers.com}} In 1921, he was assigned as a student at the United States Army Command and General Staff College.{{cite news |date=May 29, 1921 |title=Ordered to Kansas |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70486195/ordered-to-kansas/ |work=The Evening Star |location=Washington, DC |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com}}

After graduating from the Staff College in 1922, Smith was assigned to duty with the Organized Reserve Corps on the staff of the Third Corps Area at Fort Howard, Maryland.{{cite news |date=July 4, 1922 |title=Ordered to Reserves |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70487918/ordered-to-reserves/ |work=The Evening Star |location=Washington, DC |page=8 |via=Newspapers.com}} In 1928, Smith was assigned to command the 34th Infantry Regiment at Fort Eustis, Virginia.

Smith was chief of the War Department's Military Intelligence Division from January 3, 1931 to January 2, 1935.{{cite web |url=https://catalog.archives.gov/id/10511458 |title=Records, War Department Military Intelligence Division, 8/26/1918-4/19/1947 |website=National Archives Catalog |publisher=National Archives and Records Administration |location=Washington, DC |access-date=February 13, 2021}} He was promoted to brigadier general in January 1932.{{cite news |date=January 13, 1932 |title=Promote Officers |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70498804/promote-officers/ |work=Knoxville News Sentinel |location=Knoxville, TN |page=12 |via=Newspapers.com}} From February to May 1935, Smith was assigned to Fort Devens, Massachusetts as commander of the 18th Infantry Brigade, a unit of the 9th Infantry Division.{{cite news |date=January 19, 1935 |title=Army Orders |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70499580/army-orders/ |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |location=Honolulu, HI |page=5 |via=Newspapers.com}}

From June 1935 to January 1937, Smith commanded the Philippine Division. From July 1937 to January 1938, he commanded the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, Washington. Smith left the Army for disability in May 1938, a few months before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 64.

Later life

By virtue of his service in the Philippines, Smith was a member of the Military Order of the Carabao.{{cite news |date=February 9, 1930 |title=War Chiefs Meet at Carabao Dinner |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70496813/carabao-dinner/ |work=The Evening Star |location=Washington, DC |page=B2 |via=Newspapers.com}}

In retirement, Smith was a resident of Washington, D.C. He died at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on November 27, 1939. Smith was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Awards

Smith received the Citation Star for his heroism in Cuba. When the Army created the Silver Star decoration in 1918, Smith's award was converted to the new medal. He was also a recipient of the Order of the Crown of Italy (Commander), which was presented by the King of Italy to recognize his services on that country's behalf during World War I.

Family

On February 24, 1903, Smith married Annie Y. Pike (1879–1952),{{cite web |url=https://www.ancestry.com |title= Washington, D.C. Compiled Marriage Index, 1830-1921, Entry for Alfred T. Smith and Annie Y. Pike |date=February 24, 1903 |website=Ancestry.com |publisher=Ancestry.com, LLC |location=Lehi, UT |access-date=February 13, 2021 |url-access=subscription}} the granddaughter of Albert Pike. They were married until his death and had no children.

Smith had one sister, Frances (1877–1940). She was the wife of Army Colonel Glenn Hedges Davis (1869–1922).

References

External links

{{cite web |url=https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/#/arlington-national/search/results/1/CgVzbWl0aBIGYWxmcmVkGgF0/ |title=ANC Explorer |website=Arlington National Cemetery |publisher=Office of Army Cemeteries |location=Arlington, VA |access-date=February 13, 2021}}

Category:1874 births

Category:1939 deaths

Category:Military personnel from Washington, D.C.

Category:United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni

Category:United States Army War College alumni

Category:Recipients of the Silver Star

Category:Recipients of the Order of the Crown (Italy)

Category:American military personnel of the Spanish–American War

Category:American military personnel of the Philippine–American War

Category:United States Army personnel of World War I

Category:United States Army generals

Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery

Category:United States military attachés

Category:19th-century United States Army personnel