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THBVirginia Governor and CSA General William "Extra Billy" Smith, Salted Paper Photograph, Ca 1862
About Seller
6270 Este Ave.
Cincinnati , OH 45232
United States
With offices in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Denver, Cowan’s holds over 40 auctions each year, with annual sales exceeding $16M. We reach buyers around the globe, and take pride in our reputation for integrity, customer service and great results. A full-service house, Cowan’s Auctions specializes in Am...Read more
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About Auction
LiveJun 22, 2018
Cowan’s American History: Premier Auction, scheduled for June 22, 2018 is comprised of early photographs, documents, manuscripts, broadsides, flags, and more dating from the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, Late Indian Wars, World War I and II and beyond. Cowan's Auctions dawnie@cowans.com
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- Lot Description
Oval salted paper photograph of William "Extra Billy" Smith in a CSA coat with general's collar badge, 5.25 x 7.5 in., mounted to 8.5 x 11.25 in.
William "Extra Billy" Smith (1797-1887) led an intriguing life full of entrepreneurial, political, and military ventures, most of which were successful. A Virginia native, Smith began his professional career by practicing law in Culpeper County, starting in 1818, just two years before his marriage to Elizabeth Hansbrough Bell. Bell expanded his professional scope in 1827 when he established a system of mail and passenger postal coaches throughout the state, expanding the network to include Georgia and the Carolinas in the next four years. Smith's efforts attracted national attention, including that of President Andrew Jackson's administration, from whom Smith received a contract to deliver mail between Washington, DC and Milledgeville, GA. Smith's ingenuity led him to capitalize on this deal by creating extended routes from which he could extract extra fees. It is this practice that earned him the nickname "Extra Billy."
Smith took his talents to the political arena when he was first elected to the Senate of Virginia (1836-1841) then Congress (1841-1843). In December of 1845, Smith was nominated as Governor of Virginia, becoming the state's 30th (and later 35th) gubernatorial head. He furthered his political career by serving four more Congressional terms before joining in the Confederate fight as a colonel with the 49th Virginia Infantry. Though he stopped serving on the battle front to serve in the CSA Congress in 1862, his tenure in the military was still impressive, with action at battles such as First Bull Run, Seven Pines, Sharpsburg, Gettysburg, and others. He was promoted to brigadier general in January of 1863, and major general in August of that year. Despite his early successes, Smith's military reputation came under fire when he refused to pursue the Union's 11th Corps at Gettysburg, leading to missed opportunities for the Confederate forces at the famous battle, and Smith's resignation on July 10, 1863.
Though Smith's participation in war ended without triumph, he was re-elected as Governor of Virginia, taking office in January of 1864 as the Civil War raged on. He used his power as governor to recruit soldiers and secure supplies for the people of Virginia. When Jefferson Davis evacuated to Danville in 1865, Smith followed, but turned himself in to Union authorities at that point, resulting in his arrest on May 9 of that year. His post-war involvement in politics included his election to the Virginia legislature in 1877 and an unsuccessful campaign for US Senate. Smith died on May 18, 1887, leaving behind accomplishments and legacies in an array of sectors, including his distinction as the oldest Confederate to hold field command during the Civil War.
A large, important photograph of a remarkable Confederate general.
photograph with some fading and discoloration at edges, mount with soiling, moisture staining, and wear/brittleness at edges.Condition
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