Green Clay Smith

Biography

Green Clay Smith (1826–1895) combined a general’s discipline with a statesman’s resolve, serving as an officer in the Civil War before entering politics as a congressman and later championing moral causes in public life. He became known for his earnest advocacy of temperance and religious conviction.

After a lifetime of public service, Smith retired to a quieter existence, yet his steadfast principles remained a model for others, and Arlington National Cemetery now holds his grave in lasting tribute to his multifaceted career.