~ Union Veteran of the Civil War ~

Major, U.S. Army

Captain [Bvt. Maj.], Co. C, 22nd U.S. Veterans Reserve Corps

Captain, Co. K, 27th New Jersey Infantry

Sergeant, Co. C, 1st New Jersey Infantry

*Early Life & Family*

James Kearny Smith [frequently referred to as J. Kearny Smith] was born on May 4, 1839, in Perth Amboy, Middlesex County, New Jersey. He was the fourth of seven children born to Dr. Charles McKnight Smith (B: Sep. 29, 1803, D: Feb. 3, 1874) and Gertrude Parker Kearny (B: Nov. 10, 1811, D: Jun. 20, 1900) and had three older sister, two younger sisters, and one younger brother. James Kearny Smith's maternal grandfather, James Hude Kearny (B: Dec. 27, 1768, D: Sep. 2, 1811), was a first cousin of Philip Kearny Sr. and Brevet Major General Stephen Watts Kearny. Through this familial relation, Union Major General Philip Kearny Jr., who was killed in action at the Battle of Chantilly on Sep. 1, 1862, was James Kearny Smith's second cousin once removed, but out of deference was referred to as his uncle.

The 1840 U.S. Census indicates that James, aged 1, his parents, and three older sisters resided a short distance away from Perth Amboy in North Brunswick, Middlesex Co., N.J. The 1850 Federal Census shows that James, aged 11, his parents, five of his siblings, his maternal grandmother, Catherine Montgomery Parker Kearny (B: Jan. 31, 1778, D: Jan. 24, 1863), his aunt [his mother's older sister], Ann Hude Kearny (B: 1810, D: Apr. 19, 1897), and three boarders resided in Perth Amboy. His father's occupation was listed as "doctor," with his real estate being valued at $6,000. Additionally, his grandmother's real estate was recorded as being valued at $5,500. The 1860 United States Census shows James, aged 21, still resided in Perth Amboy with his parents, six siblings, grandmother, and three boarders. James' occupation was listed as "clerk," and his father's as "physician." By 1860, his father's real estate value had risen to $13,000, and his personal estate was valued at $3,000. His grandmother's real estate had decreased to a value of $800, with her personal estate being valued at $4,000.

*Enlistment*

After the outbreak of the Civil War, James Kearny Smith enlisted in the Union Army as a Private on May 22, 1861, and was mustered into Company C of the 1st New Jersey Infantry Regiment that same day. A short time after being mustered in, James was promoted to the rank of Corporal and was then promoted once again to the rank of Sergeant on Jun. 7, 1861. On Jun. 28, 1861, the 1st New Jersey Infantry departed Camp Olden, located in Trenton, Mercer County, N.J., for Washington, D.C., where it was attached to the 2nd Brigade, Runyon's Reserve Division, McDowell's Army of Northeast Virginia.

*Service with the 1st N.J. Inf.*

Although Sergeant J. Kearny Smith was present at the First Battle of Bull Run on Jul. 21, 1861, the 1st N.J. Infantry was held in reserve and suffered no casualties. By August 1861, the 1st New Jersey Infantry was attached to the First New Jersey Brigade, which was commanded by Sergeant Smith's cousin, Major General Philip Kearny Jr. The next significant engagement Sergeant James Kearny Smith fought in with the 1st N.J. Infantry was the Battle of Gaines' Mill on Jun. 27, 1862, where the regiment "was heavily engaged… enduring a 'leaden hail of an often-unseen foe,' according to Brig. Gen. [George William] Taylor, and suffered 152 casualties." Sergeant Smith was one of these casualties, as he "received a ball in his mouth which came out his neck. He was then taken prisoner and confined at Libby Prison and Belle Isle until the autumn [most likely September] of 1862."

*Service with the 27th N.J. Inf.*

On Oct. 9, 1862, after he had been released from Confederate custody, James Kearny Smith accepted a commission as a 1st Lieutenant and the Adjutant of the 27th New Jersey Infantry Regiment, a nine-month regiment comprised of eleven companies. The 27th N.J. Infantry was trained at Camp Frelinghuysen in Newark, Essex Co., N.J., before being sent to join the Army of the Potomac in Washington, D.C., where it was attached to the 2nd Brigade of Brigadier-General Silas Casey's Division.

On Nov. 11, 1862, Smith was promoted to the rank of Captain and given command of Company K, 27th N.J. Infantry. In early December 1862, the 27th N.J. Infantry moved to Fredericksburg, Virginia, and was then attached to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, of the Army of the Potomac. The 27th New Jersey Infantry fought in the Battle of Fredericksburg, which unfolded over five days, from Dec. 11 thru 15, 1862. On Dec. 13, 1862, the third day of the battle, while "leading his company [K] of men in an uphill charge" on Marye's Heights, Captain James Kearny Smith was wounded in both his chest and one of his legs. Due to his wounding, Captain Smith resigned from his commission on Dec. 22, 1862.

*Recovery & Marriage*

J. Kearny Smith would never fully recover from the wounds he received at Fredericksburg. Both wounds were severe enough that it was believed that he would either die or need to have his leg amputated. However, Smith would keep his leg, and after over a year spent recovering from his wounds, would join the 22nd U.S. Veterans Reserve Corps. On Dec. 17, 1863, James Kearny Smith, aged 24, married Anna Mary Bacon (B: Aug. 23, 1838, D: Sep. 6, 1914), aged 25, at the historic Episcopal Grace Church in Manhattan, New York City, [located at 132 East 14th Street, between Third and Fourth Avenues] with the ceremony officiated by Reverend Alexander Jones. Two of Anna Bacon's brothers also served in the Civil War, one [Francis Hawke Bacon] serving in the Union Navy with the other [George Jones Bacon] being killed in action at the First Battle of Bull Run while serving with Company C of the 71st New York State Volunteer Infantry. It was also claimed that Anna was of partial Mohawk Indian descent.

*Service with the 22nd V.R.C. and Regular Army*

On Jan. 12, 1864, James Kearny Smith accepted an appointment as Captain of Company C of the 22nd U.S. Veteran Reserve Corps Regiment, which had been organized in Washington, D.C., and formed through the consolidation of surviving soldiers from the "decimated 74th, 91st, 122nd, 126th, 130th, 134th, 175th, 183rd, 184th and 192nd Companies, 1st Battalion." On Feb. 6, 1864, he was mustered into the 22nd V.R.C. Regiment. On Mar. 13, 1865, Smith received the rank of the Brevet Major. He served with Co. C, 22nd V.R.C. Regiment until the end of the war. Upon the conclusion of the Civil War, the regiment was mustered out by detachments from Jul. 1 to Nov. 19, 1865. After the war had ended, James Kearny Smith accepted a promotion to the full rank of Major and served with the U.S. Regular Army for approximately one year, finally returning to Perth Amboy after being mustered out on Oct. 19, 1866. Smith had served in the Union Army for 5 years, 4 months, and 27 days.

*Post-War Life*

After returning to civilian life, J. Kearny Smith worked as a city inspector in Perth Amboy. He and his wife Anna Bacon Smith would have three children; one son, Charles McKnight Smith (B: Oct. 1, 1865, D: c. 1921), and two daughters, Georgianna Bacon Smith (B: Dec. 1868, D: c. 1940), and Sarah Louise Smith (B: Dec. 16, 1873, D: Oct. 11, 1960). The 1870 U.S. Census shows Smith, aged 31, his wife, his son, his oldest daughter, and two boarders resided in Perth Amboy. Smith's occupation was listed as "inspector," and the value of his personal estate was listed as $1,000. James Kearny Smith filed for his invalid pension on Jan. 19, 1876.The 1877 U.S. Register of Civil, Military, and Naval Service indicates that J. Kearny Smith worked as a "Deputy Collector" for the Customs Service of the U.S. Treasury Department in Perth Amboy. His "compensation," or salary, was listed as $1,200. The 1879 Register shows that Smith had been advanced to the position of "Special Deputy Collector" for the Customs Service in Perth Amboy, but his salary remained $1,200. The 1880 U.S. Census indicates that James Kearny Smith, aged 41, his wife, his son, his two daughters, his aunt, Sarah Louisa Smith Powell, and two servants were living on Water Street in Perth Amboy. Smith's occupation was listed as "Deputy Collector of Customs." The 1881 Register of Civil, Military, and Naval Service once again recorded J. Kearny Smith as the "Special Deputy Collector" for the Customs Service in Perth Amboy, with a salary of $1,200. The 1885 New Jersey State Census shows that Smith, aged 46, his wife, three children, and one servant were still residing in Perth Amboy. In 1887, James Kearny Smith joined Major James H. Dandy G.A.R. Post #43 in Perth Amboy. The 1890 Veterans Schedules of the U.S. Federal Census shows Smith as residing in Perth Amboy, and under remarks, it was written that he was "wounded in head" and "was taken prisoner."

*Death & Burial*

James Kearny Smith never fully recovered from the wounds he received at the Battles of Gaines' Mill and Fredericksburg, and the complications of these severe injuries worsened as he aged. As a result, on Aug. 18, 1896, Smith was admitted to the Southern Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in Hampton, Virginia. Records describe J. Kearny Smith as 57 years old, 5 feet 6 ½ inches tall, having a florid complexion, gray eyes, and brown hair at the time of his admittance. His religion was recorded as Protestant, and his occupation was listed as "clerk." His mother was shown as his "nearest relative." Additionally, his "rate of pension" was shown as $14. At 10:50 PM on May 11, 1897, just a week after turning 58 years old, James Kearny Smith died at the Southern Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. The cause of death was listed as "gangrene of lung." After his death, Smith's body was transported from Virginia to Perth Amboy, where he was buried in Saint Peters Churchyard. Smith's widow filed for his pension on Jul. 27, 1897, and was buried alongside him after her death on Sep. 6, 1914.

*The bio information of this memorial page was compiled from various sources by Robert Mayer III.