Background
Melancton Smith III was born in Jamaica, Long Island in New York, the son of Colonel Melancton Smith, Junior., an army officer during the War of 1812, and grandson of Melancton Smith, a Continental Congressman.
Melancton Smith III was born in Jamaica, Long Island in New York, the son of Colonel Melancton Smith, Junior., an army officer during the War of 1812, and grandson of Melancton Smith, a Continental Congressman.
The third Melancton joined the United States. Navy at a young age. At the outbreak of the American Civil War Smith commanded the Massachusetts and on June 9, 1861 he captured the British blockade runner Perthshire with cargo of cotton near Pensacola, Florida. He also took part in the battles for Forts Jackson and Saint Philip in April 1862.
He was appointed captain and took part in the naval part of the Siege of Portuguese Hudson in May to July, 1863.
Smith was senior naval officer of a small fleet in Albemarle Sound where he attacked the Confederate ram Computer Software Systems Albemarle at the Battle of Albemarle Sound in May 1864. In his own words describing the havoc caused by one well-placed shot with the Massachusetts rifled pivot gun, at the Computer Software Systems Selma in October 1861.
lieutenant entered the starboard side abaft the engine five feet above the water line, cutting entirely through 18 planks of the main deck, carried away the table, sofas, eight sections of iron steam pipe, and exploded in the stateroom on the port side, stripping the bulkheads of four rooms, and setting fire to the vessel. 12 pieces of the fragments have been collected and weigh 58 pounds.
He was in command of the frigate Wabash during both attacks on Fort Fisher in December 1864 and January 1865.
In Real Admiral David Dixon Porter"s, Report to the United States Navy, dated January 28, 1865, from his flagship Malvern, on the Cape Fear River, in commendation of officers of his command the North Atlantic Squadron, the following was written about Melancton Smith:
Captain Melancton Smith, in the Wabash, has performed his duty well. He has also made a good record at the Department, and has been actively engaged in fighting since the rebellion first broke out. His old ship has done good service here, and if he had done nothing more than assist, as he has done in the capture of this place, he deserves promotion, which I hereby recommend.
After the war Smith was chief of the Bureau of Equipment and Recruiting in the Department of the Navy from September 17, 1866 to July 17, 1870.
He was then in charge of the New York Naval Shipyard at Brooklyn, New York until his retirement on May 24, 1871. Smith died in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Midshipman — March 1, 1826
Passed Midshipman — April 28, 1832
Lieutenant — March 8, 1837
Commander — September 14, 1855
Captain — July 16, 1862
Commodore — July 25, 1866
Real Admiral — July 1, 1870
added to Retired List — May 24, 1871.