John Eugene Smith was born on August 3, 1816, in the canton of Berne in Switzerland. He immigrated as a baby with his parents to Philadelphia and grew up in Pennsylvania. In 1836, Smith moved to Galena, Jo Daviess Co., Illinois, and married the French-Swedish immigrant Aimee Annette Massoit. He was serving as Treasurer of Jo Daviess County when the American Civil War broke out, and Smith became Governor Richard Yates' aide-de-camp in 1861 and organized the 45th Illinois Infantry Regiment. He fought in the Battle of Shiloh and took part in the capture of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson before being promoted to brigadier general on November 29, 1862. Smith then engaged in the Battle of Lookout Mountain and marched with General Sherman to the sea among other Union victories and campaigns. After honorably mustering out of volunteer service in April 1866, Smith joined the regular army and became colonel of the 27th U.S. Infantry stationed at Fort Philip Kearney in the Dakota Territory. He was promoted to brigadier general in 1867 and brevet major general in 1869. Smith remained at Fort Kearney until its abandonment in the summer of 1868. He was transferred to the 14th U.S. Infantry in 1870 and also served at Fort Laramie in the Wyoming Territory; Fort C. F. Smith in the Montana Territory; and Fort Douglas in the Utah Territory. Smith retired from the army in 1881 and settled in Chicago until his death on January 29, 1897, at the age of 80.