SMITH, William Farrar, soldier, born in St. Albans, Vermont, 17 February, 1824. He was graduated at the United States military academy in 1845, appointed to the corps of topographical engineers, and, after a year's service on lake survey duty, was assistant professor of mathematics at West Point in 1846-'8. He was then engaged in surveys in Texas for the Mexican boundary commission, and in Florida till 1855, when he returned to his former duty at the military academy. In 1853 he became 1st lieu-tenant of topographical engineers. He was placed on lighthouse construction service in 1856, became captain of topographical engineers, 1 July, 1859, and was engineer secretary of the light-house board from that year till April, 1861. After serving on mustering duty in New York for one month, he was on the staff of General Benjamin F. Butler in June and July, 1861, at Fort Monroe, Virginia, became colonel of the 3d Vermont volunteers in the latter month, and was engaged in the defences of Washington, D.C. He became brigadier-general of volunteers on 13 August, participated in the Virginia peninsula campaign, and was brevetted lieutenant-colonel, United States army, for gallant and meritorious service at the battle of White Oak Swamp, 30 June, 1862. He became major-general of volunteers, 4 July, 1862, and led his division at South Mountain and Antietam, receiving the brevet of colonel, United States army, 17 September, 1862, for the latter battle. He was assigned to the command of the 6th corps, and engaged at the battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia, in December, was transferred to the 9th corps in February, 1863, and became major in the corps of engineers on 3 March. The next day his appointment of major-general of volunteers, not having been confirmed by the senate, expired by constitutional limitation, and he resumed his rank of brig-adier-general in the volunteer service. He was in command of a division of the Department of the Susquehanna in June and July, 1868, became chief engineer of the Department of the Cumberland in October, and of the military division of the Mississippi in November, 1868. He was engaged in operations about Chattanooga, Tennessee, participating in the battle of Missionary Ridge. He rendered important services in carrying out the Brown's ferry movement, which made it possible not only to maintain the Army of the Cumberland at Chattanooga, but to bring Sherman and Hooker to its assistance. In his report to the joint committee of congress on the conduct of the war, General George H. Thomas said: "To Brig.-General W. F. Smith should be accorded great praise for the ingenuity which conceived, and the ability which executed, the movement at Brown's ferry. When the bridge was thrown at Brown's ferry, on the morning of the 27th October, 1863, the surprise was as great to the army within Chattanooga as it was to the army besieging it from without." The house committee oil military affairs, in April, 1865, unanimously agreed to a report that "as a subordinate, General William F. Smith had saved the Army of the Cumberland from capture, and afterward directed it to victory." He was confirmed as major-general of volunteers in March, 1864, and in May assigned to the 18th corps, which he commanded at Cold Harbor and at Petersburg till July, when he was placed on special duty. On 13 March, 1865, he received the brevets of brigadier-general, United States army, for "gallant and meritorious services at the battle of Chattanooga, Tennessee," and that of major-general for services in the field during the civil war. He resigned his volunteer commission in 1865, and that in the United States army in 1867. He became president of the International telegraph company in 1865, police commissioner of New York city in 1875, and subsequently president of the board. Since 1881 he has been a civil engineer. He was known in the army as "Baldy" Smith.