He enlisted in 1861 in the Union army in an Irish-American three-months regiment, the 24th Pennsylvania, and quickly made a
captain. He was later commissioned as
major of the 1st Delaware Infantry, a three-years regiment. He served at the battles of
Fredericksburg (following which he was promoted to
lieutenant colonel and then to
colonel) and
Chancellorsville. During the
Gettysburg campaign, he commanded the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division of the
II Corps. During the
Battle of Gettysburg, his men helped defend
Cemetery Ridge and advanced to the area of the Bliss farm to oust enemy sharpshooters. Smyth was wounded on the third day of the battle and relinquished command briefly. On March 18, 1867,
President of the United States Andrew Johnson nominated Smyth for posthumous appointment to the grade of
brevet major general of volunteers to rank from April 7, 1865, the date he was mortally wounded, and the
United States Senate confirmed the appointment on March 26, 1867. Smyth was the last Union general killed or mortally wounded during the war, and is buried in
Wilmington and Brandywine Cemetery in
Wilmington, Delaware. ==See also==