Thomas Smith was born 1832 in Hixtown, Georgia which was the site of the first Gold Rush in Georgia around 1826. (Hixtown was physically moved and renamed Villa Rica in 1881.) Later his family moved to Iuka, Mississippi. Thomas married Amy Louhaney Millsapps on Dec. 23, 1852. They had four children before and during the Civil War. Thomas supposedly found a Yankee's soldier's horse wandering near his home in 1862. He corralled it in a secluded place until he joined Nathan Bedford Forest's famed Cavalry Corps. He became a corporal in the 4th Cavalry which later became the 11th Cavalry in Co. "B". His military service record states that he was captured near Huntsville, Alabama, on 23 December 1864, by forces under the command of Major General Thomas, Department of the Cumberland. In Charles Rice's paperback book2 about the Civil War in North Alabama there is a brief account of a skirmish near Huntsville on Indian Creek on 23 December 1864, where 48 Confederates were captured. Unfortunately Thomas R. Smith was one of the captured Confederates. In this fight he had his right eye put out by a Yankee pistol butt in a bitter struggle. Rice's book says, "The wounded men were badly cut up with saber cuts, as it was a hand-to-hand fight, and the enemy says the young Rebels fought bravely".
He was first sent to a Civil War prison in Louisville, Kentucky, and then in January 1865 to Camp Chase, Ohio (Columbus). He was paroled on 13 June 1865 after taking an oath of allegiance to the United States. He reached his home in Iuka, Mississippi on June 23, 1865.
He was first sent to a Civil War prison in Louisville, Kentucky, and then in January 1865 to Camp Chase, Ohio (Columbus). He was paroled on 13 June 1865 after taking an oath of allegiance to the United States. He reached his home in Iuka, Mississippi on June 23, 1865.
Thomas Smith was born 1832 in Hixtown, Georgia which was the site of the first Gold Rush in Georgia around 1826. (Hixtown was physically moved and renamed Villa Rica in 1881.) Later his family moved to Iuka, Mississippi. Thomas married Amy Louhaney Millsapps on Dec. 23, 1852. They had four children before and during the Civil War. Thomas supposedly found a Yankee's soldier's horse wandering near his home in 1862. He corralled it in a secluded place until he joined Nathan Bedford Forest's famed Cavalry Corps. He became a corporal in the 4th Cavalry which later became the 11th Cavalry in Co. "B". His military service record states that he was captured near Huntsville, Alabama, on 23 December 1864, by forces under the command of Major General Thomas, Department of the Cumberland. In Charles Rice's paperback book2 about the Civil War in North Alabama there is a brief account of a skirmish near Huntsville on Indian Creek on 23 December 1864, where 48 Confederates were captured. Unfortunately Thomas R. Smith was one of the captured Confederates. In this fight he had his right eye put out by a Yankee pistol butt in a bitter struggle. Rice's book says, "The wounded men were badly cut up with saber cuts, as it was a hand-to-hand fight, and the enemy says the young Rebels fought bravely".
He was first sent to a Civil War prison in Louisville, Kentucky, and then in January 1865 to Camp Chase, Ohio (Columbus). He was paroled on 13 June 1865 after taking an oath of allegiance to the United States. He reached his home in Iuka, Mississippi on June 23, 1865.
He was first sent to a Civil War prison in Louisville, Kentucky, and then in January 1865 to Camp Chase, Ohio (Columbus). He was paroled on 13 June 1865 after taking an oath of allegiance to the United States. He reached his home in Iuka, Mississippi on June 23, 1865.
