Mathew C. Smith

Mathew C. Smith was born in Camden, Alabama on March 25, 1868, Mathew T. Smith was a Confederate veteran of the American Civil War, and later operated a successful wagon and carriage making business. He was assigned to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. ==Start of career==

Smith served at Fort Huachuca until October 1894, when he was posted to Fort Wingate, New Mexico. In August 1897, he was assigned to the West Point faculty as a professor of modern languages. After returning to the United States, he was assigned to duty at the Presidio of Monterey, California. Following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Smith was assigned to the Presidio of San Francisco and took part in recovery efforts. ==Continued career==

From June 1907 to July 1909, Smith commanded Troop K, 14th Infantry, first at Fort Boise, Idaho, then at Fort Walla Walla, Washington. He was assigned as regimental adjutant again in October 1909, and served at Fort Stotsenburg, Philippines until June 1911. From June 1911 to June 1913, Smith as a student at Fort Leavenworth, completing first the School of the Line (now the United States Army Command and General Staff College) as a Distinguished Graduate, then the Army Staff School (now the United States Army War College). From June 1913 to September 1915, Smith commanded Troop K, first at Fort Sam Fordyce near Havana, Texas, then at Rio Grande City, Texas. He was then assigned to Fort Riley, Kansas, where he attended the Mounted Service School. From December 1915 to January 1916, he commanded Troop K at Eagle Pass, Texas during the Pancho Villa Expedition. Smith was then transferred to the 9th Cavalry Regiment, with which he served at Camp Stotsenburg, Philippines until August 1917. He was promoted to major on July 1, 1917. ==Later career==

With the army expanding for World War I, Smith was promoted to lieutenant colonel on July 24, 1917, and temporary colonel on August 5. From February to August 1918, he commanded the 309th Cavalry Regiment, first at Camp Logan, then at Fort Sam Houston. From September 1920 to September 1921 he served in the office of the deputy chief of staff for Intelligence (G-2). He served in the Regulations Branch of the Personnel Division until July 1924. He was then posted to Fort Thomas, Kentucky, where he served as chief of staff for Fifth Corps Area until November 1924. From November 1924 to September 1925, Smith was assigned to assist with organizing and training the 83rd Division, an Ohio-based unit of the Organized Reserve Corps. From September 1925 to 1928, he was Fifth Corps Area's liaison officer to the Organized Reserve Corps. In April 1928, Smith was posted to Panama, where he served as commander of the Panama Pacific General Depot. After returning to the United States, he was assigned as Ninth Corps Area liaison officer to the Organized Reserve Corps. He remained in this post until retiring. ==Retirement and death==

Smith left the army upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 64 in March 1932. In 1930, the U.S. Congress enacted legislation permitting the general officers of World War I to retire at their highest wartime rank, and Smith was promoted to brigadier general on the retired list. In retirement, he was a resident of Beverly Hills, California. Smith died in Beverly Hills on March 11, 1941. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. ==Family==

In 1907, Smith married Celeste Yeteve Pickering, the daughter of Colonel Abner Pickering. James Smith was an army veteran of World War II and the Korean War and a longtime employee of a California freight service. Catherine Smith was a U.S. Marine Corps Women's Reserve veteran of World War II and career employee of the U.S. government. Matthew Comerford Smith was a career U.S. Army officer who served in World War II and the Korean War and retired as a colonel. ==References==