Joseph B. Smith
{{short description|American military officer (1826–1862)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{For|the first blind person to graduate from college in the United States|Joseph Brown Smith}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Joseph Bryant Smith
| honorific_suffix =
| image = Joseph B. Smith.jpg
| caption = Smith ({{circa|1861}})
| birth_date = {{birth date|1826|12|29}}
| birth_place = Belfast, Maine, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1862|3|8|1826|12|29}}
| death_place = off Newport News, Virginia, U.S.
| placeofburial = Oak Hill Cemetery
Washington, D.C., U.S.
| placeofburial_label =
| placeofburial_coordinates =
| nickname =
| birth_name =
| allegiance = United States of America
| branch = {{Flag|United States Navy|1861}}
| serviceyears = 1841–1862
| rank = File:USN lt rank insignia.jpg Lieutenant (navy)
| servicenumber =
| unit =
| commands = {{USS|Congress|1841|6}}
| battles = American Civil War
| battles_label =
| awards =
| relations =
| laterwork =
| signature =
}}
Joseph Bryant Smith (December 29, 1826 – March 8, 1862) was an officer in the United States Navy who was killed in action during the American Civil War.
Early life and education
Joseph Bryant Smith was born on December 29, 1826,{{Cite web |url=https://www.oakhillcemeterydc.org/app/themes/oakhill/assets/records/215.pdf |title=Oak Hill Cemetery, Georgetown, D.C. (North Hill) - Lot 215 (Smith Family Mausoleum) |website=Oak Hill Cemetery |access-date=2022-08-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308062133/https://www.oakhillcemeterydc.org/app/themes/oakhill/assets/records/215.pdf |archive-date=2022-03-08}} in Belfast, Maine, Smith was appointed midshipman on October 19, 1841. After graduating with the Class of 1847, he served at the Washington Navy Yard, in {{USS|Mississippi|1841|2}} and with the United States Coast Survey. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 1855, and soon afterwards was assigned to the steam frigate {{USS|Merrimack|1855|2}}, his station until 1857. Smith next had ordnance duty at the Washington Navy Yard, D.C.
Career
In 1860, he was ordered to frigate {{USS|Congress|1841|2}} as her first lieutenant. He was in acting-command of Congress on March 8, 1862, when she was attacked and destroyed by the Confederate ironclad, {{Ship|CSS|Virginia}}, and lost his life in the action. When his father, Captain Joseph Smith, heard of the surrender of Congress, he said, "Then Joe is dead," feeling that she never would have surrendered while his son lived.
Smith was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107752859/the-dead-hero-11-mar-1862-evening/ |title=The Dead Hero |date=1862-03-11 |newspaper=Evening Star |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2022-08-17}}{{Open access}}
Legacy
Two ships have been named, {{USS|Smith}} for him.
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See also
{{Portal bar|American Civil War}}
References
{{reflist}}
- {{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/s14/smith-i.htm}}
- {{NHC|article=Lieutenant Joseph B. Smith, USN, (1826-1862)|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-s/jb-smith.htm}}
External links
- {{commons category-inline}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Joseph B.}}
Category:United States Navy officers
Category:People of Maine in the American Civil War
Category:Union military personnel killed in the American Civil War