Alexander Smyth
Portrait of Alexander Smyth
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromVirginia's22nd district
In office March 4, 1827 – April 17, 1830
Preceded by	Benjamin Estil
Succeeded by	Joseph Draper
In office March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825
Preceded by	Hugh Nelson
Succeeded by	Benjamin Estil
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's6th district
In office March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1823
Preceded by	Daniel Sheffey
Succeeded by	George Tucker
Member of theVirginia House of Delegates fromWythe County
In office 1826 Alongside Montgomery Friel
In office 1816 Alongside Jacob Fishback
In office 1804–1807 Alongside Joseph Crockett and Samuel Graham
In office 1801 Alongside Daniel Sheffey
In office 1796 Alongside Francis Carter
In office 1792 Alongside William Caffee
Personal details
Born	1765 (1765) Rathlin Island,County Antrim,Kingdom of Ireland
Died	April 17, 1830(1830-04-17) (aged 64–65) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Resting place	Congressional Cemetery, Washington, D.C.
Party	Jacksonian
Other political affiliations	Democratic-Republican
Spouse	Nancy Binkley
Children	Malvina Smyth
Occupation	Lawyer,politician
Military service
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1808 – 1813
Rank	Brigadier General
Commands	Regiment of Riflemen
Battles/wars	War of 1812 Battle of Queenston Heights Battle of Frenchman's Creek

Alexander Smyth (1765 – April 17, 1830) was an Americanlawyer,soldier, andpolitician fromVirginia. Smyth served in theVirginia Senate,Virginia House of Delegates,United States House of Representatives and as ageneral during theWar of 1812.Smyth County, Virginia, is named in his honor.

Smyth was born onRathlin Island inCounty Antrim (part of theKingdom of Ireland). He immigrated to the United States with his father, Rev. Alfred Smythe at the age of 10, and settled inBotetourt County, Virginia, in 1775 where he completed preparatory studies. He studiedlaw, and was admitted to thebar and commenced practice inAbingdon, Virginia.

Smyth moved toWythe County, Virginia, and was a member of theVirginia House of Delegates in 1792, 1796, 1801, 1802, and from 1804 to 1808. He served in theVirginia Senate in 1808 and 1809.

Smyth served in the United States Army from 1808 to 1813.Commissioned as acolonel in 1808, he served asInspector General to William Eustis, the acting War Secretary.

Shortly after the outbreak of theWar of 1812, Smyth was promoted tobrigadier general on July 6, 1812. During theBattle of Queenston Heights he refused to support his commander, GeneralStephen Van Rensselaer, amilitia commander with no experience. After Van Rensselaer's disgrace, Smyth was given command and proved himself equally inept. His plan to invade Canada started with theBattle of Frenchman's Creek but was then abandoned because of problems due to poor organization.^[1]

After the failed attack on Canada, Smyth was insulted by Brigadier GeneralPeter B. Porter, who accused Smyth of cowardice.^[2] Smyth challenged Porter to a duel, but both men went unscathed. The historian John R. Elting wrote of the duel, stating, "Unfortunately, both missed."^[3] In the wake of his failure, Smyth's name was removed from the U.S. Army rolls.^[4]

After the war, Smyth resumed thepractice of law, and again became a member of the Virginia House of Delegates in 1816, 1817, 1826, and 1827. He was elected to theFifteenth United States Congress and reelected to theSixteenth,Seventeenth, andEighteenth Congresses, serving from March 4, 1817, to March 3, 1825. He was elected again to theTwentieth andTwenty-first Congresses, serving again from March 4, 1827, until his death.

Smyth died inWashington, D.C., and was interred in the United StatesCongressional Cemetery.Smyth County, Virginia, is named after him.

• 1817; Smyth was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives with 66.99% of the vote, defeating Federalist Benjamin Estill.
• 1819; Smyth was re-elected unopposed.
• 1821; Smyth was re-elected unopposed.

• List of members of the United States Congress who died in office (1790–1899)

Notes

Bibliography

• Elting, John R. (1991).Amateurs, to Arms! A Military History of the War of 1812. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. p. 51.ISBN 0-306-80653-3.
• Quimby, Robert S. (1997).The U.S. Army in the War of 1812: An Operational and Command Study. East Lansing, MI: Michigan State University Press.ISBN 0-87013-441-8.

• United States Congress."Alexander Smyth (id: S000646)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.[1]

• Media related toAlexander Smyth at Wikimedia Commons

• 1765 births
• 1830 deaths
• American people of Scotch-Irish descent
• Inspectors general of the United States Army
• Irish emigrants to the United States
• Members of the Virginia House of Delegates
• United States Army generals
• Virginia state senators
• United States Army personnel of the War of 1812
• Burials at the Congressional Cemetery
• Virginia lawyers
• Politicians from Abingdon, Virginia
• Democratic-Republican Party United States representatives from Virginia
• Jacksonian United States representatives from Virginia
• American duellists
• People from Botetourt County, Virginia
• 18th-century American lawyers
• 19th-century United States representatives
• 18th-century members of the Virginia General Assembly
• 19th-century members of the Virginia General Assembly

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from November 2020
• Commons category link from Wikidata