Early Life and Mexico
Smith was born in Georgetown, Kentucky, and was a brother-in-law of Horace Randal and a distant relative of John Bell Hood. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point as a brevet second lieutenant in 1842. Smith finished eighth out of 56 cadets while at West Point. He entered the Army Corps of Engineers afterward, and was promoted to second lieutenant on January 1, 1845.
Smith fought in the Mexican-American War, winning two brevet promotions for his actions there. On April 18, 1847, he was appointed brevet first lieutenant for the Battle of Cerro Gordo, and on August 20, 1847, brevet captain for the Battle of Contreras. On March 3, 1853, Smith was promoted to first lieutenant. After serving in the Mexican War, he resigned his commission on December 18, 1854, to become a civilian engineer in New York City, and was Streets Commissioner there from 1858 to 1861.
Read more about this topic: Gustavus Woodson Smith
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