Smith, D. Howard, 1821-1889.

Smith was born in Scott County, Kentucky in 1821. He attended Georgetown College and Miami (Ohio) University, and received a law degree from Transylvania University. Smith began a political career in the antebellum period and served in both houses of the Kentucky General Assembly. With the coming of the Civil War, Smith raised a cavalry unit (the Fifth Kentucky) to serve in the Confederate army, and was elected its colonel. Smith's unit was transferred to the command of John Hunt Morgan in 1863. He was captured with Morgan and others on the raid into Indiana and Ohio. Following imprisonment at Johnson's Island, the Ohio State Prison, and Camp Chase, he received his release in a prisoner exchange in February 1864. Smith rejoined Morgan, who had escaped from the Ohio State Prison. He accompanied the general on Morgan's last raid in Kentucky, which included the robbery of a bank in Mount Sterling by soldiers attached to Smith's unit. Smith was posted just outside Greeneville, Tennessee, when Morgan was killed in September 1864, but was unable to come to his commander's aid. After the war Smith returned to Kentucky and practiced law. In 1867 he won election to the office of Auditor of Public Accounts. He held that post for three consecutive terms and later held minor government offices as a state railroad commissioner and an assistant in the federal Internal Revenue Service. He died in 1889.

From the description of D. Howard Smith papers, 1854-1890. (Kentucky Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 41208656

Biographical note: D. Howard Smith was born in Scott County, Kentucky in 1821. He attended Georgetown College and Miami (Ohio) University, and received a law degree from Transylvania University in Lexington. Smith began a political career in the antebellum period and served in both houses of the Kentucky General Assembly. He married Josephine Lemon in 1842 and had a large family.

With the coming of the Civil War, Smith raised a cavalry unit (Fifth Kentucky) to serve in the Confederate army, was elected its colonel. Smith's unit was transferred to the command of John Hunt Morgan in 1863. He was captured with Morgan and others on the raid into Indiana and Ohio. Following imprisonments at Johnson's Island, the Ohio State Prison, and Camp Chase, he was released in a prisoner exchange in February 1864. Smith rejoined Morgan, who had escaped from the Ohio State Prison. He accompanied the general in Morgan's last raid in Kentucky, which included the robbery of a bank in Mount Sterling by soldiers attached to Smith's unit. Smith was posted just outside Greenville, Tennessee when Morgan was killed in September 1864, but was unable to come to his commander's aid.

After the war Smith returned to Kentucky and practiced law. In 1867 he won election to the office of Auditor of Public Accounts. He held that post for three consecutive terms and later held minor government offices as a State Railroad Commissioner and an assistant in the federal Internal Revenue Service. He died in 1889.

From the description of Papers, 1854-1890. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 191917562