Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

William Ruthven Smith (April 2, 1868 – July 15, 1941) was a career

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

officer who commanded the 36th Division during its deployment in France during the final months of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. He later became

Superintendent of the United States Military Academy The Superintendent of the United States Military Academy is the academy's commanding officer. This position is roughly equivalent to the chancellor or president of an American civilian university. The officer appointed is, by tradition, a grad ...

West Point, New York West Point is the oldest continuously occupied military post in the United States. Located on the Hudson River in New York, West Point was identified by General George Washington as the most important strategic position in America during the Ame ...

Early life

William Ruthven Smith was born on April 2, 1868, in

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...

, son of Robert McPhail and Lititia (Trimble) Smith. The younger Smith attended

Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the school its initial $1-million ...

Texas State Historical Association, ''Handbook of Texas Online'' and was appointed to the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...

from his native state, graduating 10th out of 62 cadets in his class of 1892.Cullum, ''Biographical register'', #3459 His classmates included numerous men who would later attain

general officer A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED O ...

rank, such as

Charles Pelot Summerall General Charles Pelot Summerall (March 4, 1867 – May 14, 1955) was a senior United States Army officer. He commanded the 1st Infantry Division in World War I, was Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1926 to 1930, and was President of ...

Tracy Campbell Dickson Tracy Campbell Dickson (September 17, 1868 – May 17, 1936) was a United States Army officer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Biography Dickson was born in Independence, Iowa, on September 17, 1868. His father had served with the Nint ...

Frank W. Coe Frank W. Coe (November 27, 1870 – May 25, 1947) was a major general in the United States Army. He is notable for having served as the Chief of Coast Artillery. Early life Frank Winston Coe was born in Manhattan, Kansas on November 27, 1870. H ...

Julian Robert Lindsey Major General Julian Robert Lindsey (March 16, 1871 – June 27, 1948) was a United States Army cavalry officer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He served in the China Relief Expedition, the Pancho Villa Expedition and commanded a regim ...

James Ancil Shipton Brigadier General James Ancil Shipton (March 10, 1867 – February 15, 1926) was a senior United States Army officer. He served in the Philippine–American War and World War I, where he held various commands on the Western Front. Early life Jam ...

Louis Chapin Covell Louis Chapin Covell (June 22, 1875 – August 26, 1952) was a United States army officer and business. He served in the Spanish–American War and World War I, and later worked for several automotive companies, including General Motors. Early li ...

, Preston Brown,

George Blakely George Blakely (July 5, 1870 – November 16, 1965) was an army officer and an American Brigadier general active during World War I. Early life Blakely was born in Pennsylvania. In 1892 he graduated number four of sixty-two from the United Sta ...

, Robert Mearns, Peter Weimer Davison,

Howard Russell Hickok Howard Russell Hickok (November 26, 1870 – July 7, 1926) was a United States Army officer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He served in World War I, among other conflicts. Biography Hickok was born on November 26, 1870, in Florida, M ...

, Henry Howard Whitney,

John E. Woodward John E. Woodward (May 24, 1870 – August 4, 1944) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, Moro Rebellion, Pancho Villa Expedition, and World War I, he served from 1892 ...

, John McAuley Palmer and

George Columbus Barnhardt George Columbus Barnhardt (December 28, 1868 – December 10, 1930) was a United States Army officer who served during World War I.Marquis Who's Who, Inc. ''Who Was Who in American History, the Military''. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, 1975. P. 30IS ...

Military career

Smith's early postings alternated between garrison service in

field artillery Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, short range, long range, and extremely long range target engagement. Until the early 20t ...

and teaching at West Point as instructor of the separate subjects of

chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

ordnance Ordnance may refer to: Military and defense *Materiel in military logistics, including weapons, ammunition, vehicles, and maintenance tools and equipment. **The military branch responsible for supplying and developing these items, e.g., the Unite ...

, and

gun A gun is a ranged weapon designed to use a shooting tube (gun barrel) to launch projectiles. The projectiles are typically solid, but can also be pressurized liquid (e.g. in water guns/cannons, spray guns for painting or pressure washing, pr ...

nery. Made

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

of the new Coast Artillery Corps in 1901, he was a student of the school of submarine defense and commanded Fort Monroe in 1908. In the years preceding

, Smith commanded anti-submarine technology schools and departments, in early 1917 stretching "the first submarine net put down in America, 2000 yards long, 84 feet at deepest point, extending from Fort Monroe to Fort Wool and closing entrance to

Hampton Roads Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water in the United States that serves as a wide channel for the James River, James, Nansemond River, Nansemond and Elizabeth River (Virginia), Elizabeth rivers between Old Point Comfort and Sewell's ...

" Promoted to

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

of the Coast Artillery Corps in May, 1917, the month following the American entry into World War I, Smith was made a

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

of the National Army and assigned to train the 62nd Field Artillery Brigade, part of the 37th Division (Ohio National Guard). After training that command for nine months at

Camp Sheridan Camp Sheridan may refer to: * Camp Sheridan (Alabama), a WWI-era post in Alabama * Camp Sheridan (Nebraska), a post established in northwestern Nebraska * Camp Sheridan (Wyoming) Fort Yellowstone was a U.S. Army fort, established in 1891 at Mamm ...

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

, Smith traveled with the Guard unit to its embarkation for Europe, but was left on the docks when their ships departed on June 10, 1918, by order of the War Department. Smith was given command of the 36th Division and promoted to

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

of the National Army in the summer of 1918. After arriving in

Brest, France Brest (; ) is a port city in the Finistère department, Brittany. Located in a sheltered bay not far from the western tip of the peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French mi ...

, the 36th Division, Smith established a combat course for training at Bar-sur-Aube. In October, Smith led the 36th Division while with the 2nd Division it was attached to the French Fourth Army under Henri Gouraud on its push to the

Aisne River The Aisne ( , , ) is a river in northeastern France. It is a left tributary of the Oise. It gave its name to the French department of Aisne. It was known in the Roman period as Axona. The river rises in the forest of Argonne, at Rembercour ...

.White, ''36th Division in World War I'', Ch. VI Smith remained in command of the division's demobilization in June 1919, seven months after the Armistice with Germany, when his National Army rank dissolved, his rank reverted again to colonel, U.S. Army. For his service during the war he was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the citation for which reads: After promotion again to brigadier general, this time of the regular army, Smith served in several garrison commands in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

, Fort Sam Houston, Fort Monroe again, and

Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island o ...

, then returned to the United States Military Academy, this time to occupy the superintendent's billet, which he did from 1928 until 1932. During his tour as superintendent, Smith helped secure

Stewart Field Stewart Air National Guard Base, located in Orange County, New York, is the base of the 105th Airlift Wing (105 AW), an Air Mobility Command unit of the New York Air National Guard and "host" wing for the installation. The airport also host ...

in nearby Newburgh, New York as a base for the

Army Air Corps Army Air Corps may refer to the following army aviation corps: * Army Air Corps (United Kingdom), the army aviation element of the British Army * Philippine Army Air Corps (1935–1941) * United States Army Air Corps (1926–1942), or its p ...

and USMA pilot training.Bryant, ''A Gift for Giving'', p. 181 Also during this period, his aide-de-camp was

Floyd Lavinius Parks Lieutenant General Floyd Lavinius Parks (9 February 1896 – 10 March 1959) was a United States Army officer who served with distinction during World War II. During the war, he was chief of staff of the US Army Ground Forces and the First Allied ...

, who would later become a lieutenant general after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Civilian career

After retirement, Smith returned to his native state of Tennessee, settling in

Sewanee Sewanee may refer to: * Sewanee, Tennessee * Sewanee: The University of the South * ''The Sewanee Review'', an American literary magazine established in 1892 * Sewanee Natural Bridge * Saint Andrews-Sewanee School See also * Suwanee (disambiguati ...

where he became superintendent of the local military academy (now

St. Andrew's-Sewanee School St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School is a private, coeducational, Episcopal, boarding and day college preparatory school serving 216 students in grades six through twelve. It is located in Sewanee, Tennessee on the Cumberland Plateau between Nashville a ...

) and served in that capacity until his death.

Death and legacy

He died on July 15, 1941, in

. Battery Smith at Fort Miles, Delaware (also called Battery 118) was named for him, armed with two 16-inch guns.Battery 118 at FortWiki.com
/ref>

References

Bibliography

* * * * *

External links

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, William Ruthven United States Military Academy alumni United States Army Coast Artillery Corps personnel United States Army Field Artillery Branch personnel 1868 births 1941 deaths Superintendents of the United States Military Academy People from Nashville, Tennessee United States Army generals of World War I People from Sewanee, Tennessee Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) United States Army generals Vanderbilt University alumni United States Military Academy faculty Military personnel from Tennessee