Algernon Smith

Who was Algernon Smith?

Algernon Emory Smith was an officer in the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment who was killed in the Battle of the Little Bighorn in the Montana Territory.

Smith was born in the state of New York, where he attended Hamilton College. In June 1862, during the American Civil War, he enlisted in Company K, U.S. 7th Infantry Regiment. He became a lieutenant in the 117th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment until October 1863 when he assigned to Maj. Gen. Alfred Terry as an aide-de-camp. He was severely wounded at Fort Fisher in January 1865. He was later breveted to major for his actions in the war.

After the war, in 1867, Smith joined the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment under George Armstrong Custer. He soon became friends with Custer, and was part of the so-called "Custer Clan" or "Custer Gang" of close-knit friends and relatives of the general. Custer called him "Fresh" Smith, the opposite of "Salty" Smith. He married Nettie B. Bowen on October 10, 1867, at her home in Newport, New York.

Smith served in the 1868 Washita Campaign, seeing his first action against the Native Americans. He was promoted to first lieutenant on December 5, 1868. He participated in most the 7th Cavalry's campaigns, including the 1873 Yellowstone campaign and as assistant quartermaster in the 1874 Black Hills expedition. Although the 1st lieutenant of Company A, Smith was named as assigned to command Company E, whose commander was at Fort Leavenworth, and was killed as a result in the Battle of the Little Bighorn.