SMITH, Robert, clergyman, born in Londonderry, Ireland, in 1728; died in Rockville, Pennsylvania, 15 April, 1798. His father emigrated to this country when the son was seven years of age, settling in Chester county, Pennsylvania Robert received a classical education from Reverend Samuel Blair at Fogg's Manor school, Chester county, Pennsylvania, was licensed to preach in 1749, and from 1751 till his death was pastor of the Presbyterian church in Pequea, Pennsylvania, a part of the time supplying the church at Leacock. Shortly after his settlement in Pequea he founded a classical and theological seminary, which enjoyed a high reputation, and was one of the most popular schools in Pennsylvania and Maryland. He received the degree of D.D. from Princeton in 1760, was an overseer of that college from 1772 till his death, and in 1791 was second moderator of the general assembly of the Presbyterian church in the United States. In 1749 he married Elizabeth, sister of Reverend Samuel Blair.--Their son, Samuel Stanhope, clergyman, born in Pequea, Pennsylvania, 16 March, 1750; died in Princeton, New Jersey, 21 August, 1819, was graduated at Princeton in 1769, became an assistant in his father's school, was tutor at Princeton in 1770-'3, while studying theology there, and in 1774 was ordained to the ministry of the Presbyterian church. He labored as a missionary in western Virginia for the next year, became first president of Hampden Sidney college in 1775, and held office till 1779, when he accepted the chair of moral philosophy at Princeton. At that date the college was in a deplorable condition from the ravages of the Revolution; the students were dispersed and the buildings were burned. Dr. Smith made great exertions and many pecuniary sacrifices to restore it to prosperity. He accepted in 1783 the additional chair of theology, and in 1786 the office of vice-president of the college. He was a member of the committee to draw up a system of government for the Presbyterian church in 1786, and in 1795 succeeded Dr. John Witherspoon (o, e of whose daughters he had married) as president of the college, holding office till 1812. Yale gave him the degree of D. D. in 1783, and Harvard that of LL. D. in 1810. As a preacher Dr. Smith was popular and eloquent. He published "Essay on the Causes of the Variety of Complexion and Figure of the Human Species" (Philadelphia, 1787); "Sermons" (Newark, 1799); "Lectures on the Evidences of Christian Religion" (Philadelphia, 1809); "Lectures on Moral and Political Philosophy" (2 vols., Trenton, New Jersey, 1812) ; and " Comprehensive Views of Natural and Revealed Religion " (New Brunswick, New Jersey, 1815). After his death appeared six of his sermons with a brief memoir (2 vols., Philadelphia, 1821).--Another son of Robert, John Blair, clergyman, born in Pequea, Pennsylvania, 12 June, 1756; died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 22 August, 1799, was graduated at Princeton in 1773, studied theology under his brother, Samuel S., at Hampden Sidney, Virginia, and in 1779 succeeded him as president of that college. He soon became celebrated for his pulpit oratory. Dr. Addison Alexander says of him:" In person he was about the middle size, his hair was uncommonly black, divided at the top and fell on each side of his face. His large blue eye, of open expression, was so piercing that it was common to say, ' Dr. Smith looked you through.'" He was called to the 3d Presbyterian church of Philadelphia in 1791, and thence to the presidency of Union college upon its foundation in 1795, but in 1799 returned to his former charge in Philadelphia, where he died of the epidemic that was then raging. He published "The Enlargement of Christ's Kingdom," a sermon (Albany, New York, 1797).--John Blair's grandson, Charles Ferguson, soldier, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 24 April, 1807; died in Savannah, Tennessee, 25 April, 1862, was the son of Dr. Samuel Blair Smith, assistant surgeon, United States army. His maternal grandfather, Ebenezer Ferguson, of Pennsylvania, was a colonel in the Continental army. He was graduated at the United States military academy in 1825, became 2d lieutenant in the 2d artillery, and was promoted 1st lieutenant, 30 May, 1832, and captain, 7 July, 1838, in the same regiment. He served at the military academy from 1829 till 1842, as assistant instructor of infantry tactics in 1829-'31, adjutant in 1831-'8, and as commandant of cadets and instructor of infantry tactics till 1 September, 1842. He was with the army of General Zachary Taylor in the military occupation of Texas in 1845-'6, and was placed in command of four companies of artillery, acting as infantry, which throughout the war that followed was famous as "Smith's light battalion." When in March, 1846, Gem Taylor crossed Colorado river, the passage of which, it was believed, would be disputed by the Mexicans, this battalion formed the advance. He was present at the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, and for "gallant and distinguished conduct" in these two affairs he received the brevet of major. At the battle of Monterey, Major Smith was in command of the storming party on Federation hill, which, in the words of General Worth, was "most gallantly carried." For his conduct in the several conflicts at Monterey he received the brevet of lieutenant-colonel. He was present at Vera Cruz, Cerro Gordo, San Antonio, and Churubusco, and in these operations he commanded and directed his light battalion with characteristic gallantry and ability. For his conduct in the battles of Contreras and Churubusco he received the vet of colonel, 20 August, 1847 He was present at the storming of Chapultepec and the assault and capture of the city of Mexico, and was again honorably mentioned iii despatches. In 1849-'51 he was a member of a board of officers to devise a complete system or' instruction for siege, garrison, sea-coast, and mountain artillery, which was adopted, 10 May, 1851, for the service of the United States. He was promoted major of the 1st artillery, 25 November, 1854, and in 1855, on the organization of the new 10th regiment of infantry, he was made its first lieutenant-colonel. He commanded the Red river expedition in 1856. engaged in the Utah expedition in 1857-'61, and for a time was in command of the Department of Utah. At the beginning of the disturbances that preceded the civil war he was placed in charge of the city and department of Washington, D. C. On 1 August, 1861, he was appointed brigadier-general of volunteers, and ordered to Kentucky. The next month he became colonel of the 3d United States infantry, and was placed in command of the National forces then at Paducah. He acquired reputation as an adroit tactician and skilful commander in the operations about Fort Henry and Fort Donelson. In the severe fight for the possession of Fort Donelson he commanded the division that held the left of the National investing lines, and, leading it in person, he stormed and captured all the high ground on the Confederate right that commanded the fort. He was then ordered to conduct the new movement up Tennessee river, arrived at Savannah, about 13 March, with a large fleet, took command of that city, and prepared the advance upon Shiloh. On 22 March, 1862, he was promoted major-general of volunteers, but the exposure to which he had been already subjected aggravated a chronic disease, which ended his life soon after his arrival in Savannah. General William T. Sherman says of him in his "Memoirs" : "He was adjutant of the military academy during the early part of my career there, and afterward commandant of cadets. He was a very handsome and soldierly man, of great experience, and at the battle of Donelson had acted with so much personal bravery that to him many attributed the success of the assault."