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As we know, U.S. Grant was involved in a number of shadowy operations during the early months of the War of the Rebellion: a supposed pursuit of Missouri Rebels in order to relieve an endangered 16th Illinois Infantry Regiment; the occupation of Paducah Kentucky (asserted by General Grant to have occurred without authorization from Major General Fremont); and the unauthorized visit to Nashville following General Grant’s success at Fort Donelson. Seldom considered is U.S. Grant’s role in facilitating the death of General Charles Ferguson Smith. Don’t think so? Consider this: Until mid-March 1862, Smith was Expedition Leader tasked with breaking Confederate railroads within reach of Savannah Tennessee. But Brigadier General Smith was superseded on 17 March 1862 when Major General Grant arrived at Savannah and took charge of the five divisions then present in the immediate vicinity. And U.S. Grant came face to face with an ailing, bed-ridden Charles Smith, whose leg had suffered serious injury through misadventure in boarding a small boat. It is accepted that General Grant was not a trained physician, and likely had no appreciation for the dire nature of Smith’s condition, for the first day or two after he arrived. However, trained medical officers were on the Staff of both Grant and Smith. And with all reports indicating that “General Smith remained upstairs in his bedroom at the Cherry Mansion” during the entire time General Grant operated from Savannah and Pittsburg Landing, it would be impossible NOT to notice that Charles Smith was failing to improve. General Grant's own Headquarters were at the Cherry Mansion, permitting daily interaction with C.F. Smith. One month after Grant arrived at Savannah, Major General Henry Halleck completed his own journey from St. Louis; and he immediately took notice of Smith’s shocking condition. So obvious was the poor state of General Smith’s health, that Halleck arranged for transport north on a steamer, soon as General Smith was well enough to travel. And health professionals were placed on standby to accompany Smith to Philadelphia, soon as possible. But this arrangement for medical evacuation occurred four weeks too late: C.F. Smith never made the trip. [By reason of comparison: On 22 March 1862 Colonel Michael K. Lawler of 18th Illinois Infantry was granted leave by Major General Grant to return home and recuperate from wounds incurred at Fort Donelson. It could be argued that a similar leave could have –SHOULD have -- been arranged by Grant for General Charles F. Smith.] References: Papers of US Grant vol.4 pages 381, 491 IRT Colonel Michael Lawler. Autobiography of Lew Wallace vol.1 page 445 describes the manner in which Brigadier General C.F. Smith injured his leg one March evening in 1862 (believed to be 12 March 1862.) See Emerging Civil War “General Grant loses a Resourceful Subordinate” of 19 FEB 2018. Personal Memoirs of Surgeon John H. Brinton (1914) page 152, 159, 160 in which Surgeon Brinton admits to being called to Savannah Tennessee by General Grant in late April “to see to General Smith, who had been very sick.” Brinton reached the Cherry Mansion early on 25 April, “found General Smith sinking, moribund, unconscious. That afternoon of 25 April 1862, at 4 p.m. he died.” Medical Histories of Union Generals by Dr. Jack Welsh (1996) page 308, indicates C.F. Smith’s injured leg became infected. General Smith “was a cripple, upstairs in the Cherry Mansion” when the Battle of Shiloh took place. He continued to sink, and died 25 April 1862. His body was removed to Philadelphia for burial at Laurel Hill Cemetery.