SMITH, Persifer Frazer, soldier, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in November, 1798; died in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 17 May, 1858. His grandfather, Colonel Robert Smith, was an officer in the Revolution, and his maternal grandfather, Persifer Frazer, was a lieutenant-colonel in the same army. Persifer was graduated at Princeton in 1815, studied law under Charles Chauncey, and settled in New Orleans, Louisiana At the beginning of the Florida war, being adjutant-general of the state, he volunteered under General Edmund P. Gaines as colonel of Louisiana volunteers and served in the campaigns of 1836 and 1838. He was appointed colonel of a rifle regiment in May, 1846, commanded a brigade of infantry from September of that year till the close of the war with Mexico, and received the brevet of brigadier-general, United States army, for his service at Monterey, and major-general in the same for Churubusco and Contreras, 20 August, 1847. The official report of the latter battle records " that he closely directed the whole attack in front with his habitual coolness and ability." He also fought at Chapultepec and at the Belen gate, and in the latter battle is described by General Winfield Scott as "cool, unembarrassed, and ready." He was commissioner of armistice with Mexico in October, 1847, afterward commanded the 2d division of the United States army, became military and civil governor of Vera Cruz in May, 1848, and subsequently had charge of the departments of California and Texas. He was brevetted major-general, United States army, in 1849, appointed to the full rank of brigadier-general, 30 December, 1856, and ordered to Kansas. Just before his death he was placed in command of the Utah expedition.--His cousin, Persifer Frazer, lawyer, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1808; died in West Chester, Pennsylvania, 17 May, 1882, was graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1823, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1829, became clerk of the orphan's court of Chester county, Pennsylvania, in 1835, prosecuting attorney for Delaware county in 1839, served in the Pennsylvania legislature in 1862-'4, and became state reporter in 1865. He published " Forms of Procedure" (Philadelphia, 1862), and "Reports of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania" (32 vols., 1865-'82).