Although largely forgotten today, during a long and active life William "Extra Billy" Smith was one of the best known men in Virginia.
A businessman and lawyer, two term Governor of Virginia, and member of the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia State Senate, he was in the US and CS Houses of Representatives for a total of six terms, served as a Colonel and then a General in the Confederate army, and lived for three and a half years in California during the gold rush.
Confederate artilleryman Richard Stiles wrote: "I grew well acquainted with glorious old 'Extra Billy' Smith, soldier and governor by turns, a very different and very racy character, who was a good deal talked about. He was one of the best specimens of the political general, rising ultimately to the rank of major-general; a born politician, twice Governor of the Commonwealth, already beyond the military age, yet one of the most devoted and enthusiastic soldiers in the service. As a soldier he was equally distinguished for personal intrepidity and contempt for what he called "tactics" and for educated and trained soldiers, whom he was wont to speak of as 'those West P'int fellows'."
Counterfeit Confederate
Don't believe everything you see on the internet. There are several sites (including one historic society, a reenactment unit, and a university) that are identying this photo as being of Extra Billy Smith. I am contacting them and trying to get this identification changed. Do you know who this actually is?
I found the photo that this is copied from in the Library of Congress web site. Here is the photo, of a much better quality, that is portrayed on the various web sites.
Just so that there is no question that this is the same person here are the web photo and a blowup of the head from the LC photo. Note the lock of hair over the forehead, the back of the chair behind both shoulders, the jowls over the collar and the creases in the face. the patch of white hair on the left side of the head, the mark under the left eye, etc...
There is no question that the photo appearing on the web pages is a poor quality copy of the Library of Congress photograph. So what does the Library of Congress say about this item?
"Portrait of Rear Admiral Charles Wilkes,
officer of the Federal Navy.
Brady National Photographic Art Gallery
(Washington, D.C.), photographer.
Between 1860 and 1865 - Wilkes is not in uniforn
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
LC-B8172- 1371 A (P&P)"
Its Charles Wilkes, the Union naval officer who almost started a war between the U.S. and the United Kingdom when he removed Confederate commissioners Mason and Slidell from the British mail ship "Trent" on the high seas.
In case there is still any doubt, here is an engraving of Wilkes in uniform made from the same photo. Oh the shame of it all, a Yankee sailor being mistaken for a fine southern soldier. The internet doesn't always get things right, so beware of anything you read on the web, including this site, although I'm doing my best to keep everything accurate. Check the sources.
In 2011 the City of Fairfax celebrated the 150th anniversary of the skirmish at Fairfax Courthouse, in which Extra Billy took a leading part, with a program in the Courthouse and a re-enactment on the site of the engagement. They produced a 21 minute video of these events.
The following pages will introduce you to Extra Billy. His own words are in bold print while other's quotes are in quotation marks " ". Some of the quotes have been condensed, but without changing the meaning in any way. The pictures can be enlarged by clicking your mouse on the picture. Some videos have been added to the "Modern Extra Billy" and "Links and Resources" pages. Any questions or comments can be directed to extrabillysmith@hotmail.com
