▁officer ▁at ▁the ▁fort ▁was ▁the ▁young ▁Smith s ' ▁uncle . ▁Web ster ▁later ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Mexican – American ▁War ▁and ▁died ▁of ▁yellow ▁fe ver ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 3 , ▁when ▁station ed ▁on ▁the ▁Texas ▁front ier ▁at ▁Fort ▁Brown . ▁ ▁Military ▁education ▁and ▁career ▁On ▁July ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 8 4 1 , ▁Kir by ▁Smith ▁entered ▁West ▁Point ▁and ▁graduated ▁four ▁years ▁later ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 5 , ▁ranking ▁ 2 5 th ▁out ▁of ▁ 4 1 ▁cad ets . ▁While ▁there ▁he ▁was ▁nick named ▁" Sem in ole ", ▁after ▁the ▁Sem in ole ▁people ▁of ▁Florida ▁who ▁had ▁successfully ▁resist ed ▁removal ▁by ▁the ▁US . ▁He ▁was ▁commission ed ▁as ▁a ▁bre vet ▁second ▁lieutenant ▁in ▁the ▁ 5 th ▁U . S . ▁Infantry ▁on ▁July ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 8 4 5 . ▁Smith ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁second ▁lieutenant ▁on ▁August ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 8 4 6 , ▁now ▁serving ▁in ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁U . S . ▁Infantry . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁Mexican – American ▁War , ▁Smith ▁served ▁under ▁General ▁Zach ary ▁Taylor ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Pal o ▁Al to ▁and ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Res aca ▁de ▁la ▁Pal ma . ▁He ▁served ▁under ▁General ▁Win field ▁Scott ▁later , ▁and ▁received ▁bre vet ▁prom ot ions ▁to ▁first ▁lieutenant ▁for ▁Cer ro ▁G ordo ▁and ▁to ▁captain ▁for ▁Con tr eras ▁and ▁Ch ur