Smith, Edmund Kirby (16 May 1824–28 March 1893), soldier and educator, was born in St. Augustine, Florida, the son of Joseph Lee Smith, a lawyer, soldier, and judge, and Frances Kirby. Both of the future Confederate general’s parents were originally from Connecticut. In childhood the precocious lad, who was known as “Ned” or “Ted,” was tutored by his older sister Frances Smith. Smith’s father was compelled to resign his federal judgeship in 1832 as a result of political pressures, and family finances grew increasingly strained. The decision was eventually made to prepare Smith for a career in the army, and he was sent to a private academy in Alexandria, Virginia, where he stayed from 1836 to 1841....
