John Bull Smith Dimitry | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | December 27, 1835 Washington, DC |
| Died | September 7, 1901 (aged 65) New Orleans, LA |
| Resting place | Metairie Cemetery |
| Alma mater | Georgetown University |
| Occupation(s) | Professor Author |
| Spouse |
Adelaide Stuart Dimitry
(m. 1871–1901) |
| Parents |
|
| Relatives | Marianne Celeste Dragon Michel Dragon Ernest Lagarde Charles Patton Dimitry |
| Family | Dimitry Family (Creoles) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  Confederate States of America |
| Branch | Confederate States Army |
| Rank | Color Guard |
| Unit | Crescent City Native Guards |
| Battles / wars | Battle of Shiloh |
John Bull Smith Dimitry (December 27, 1835 – September 7, 1901) was an American author, professor, and Confederate soldier. Despite his mixed heritage, (octoroon), he is one of the few people of color venerated by the Confederacy. As the son of the author Alexander Dimitry, John was selected to write the Confederate Military History around the same period as Plessy v. Ferguson. John wrote for several news publications and published several of his own books.[1][2][3]
John was born in Washington D.C. while his father worked as the principal clerk for the Southwest postal department. The family moved to New Orleans when he was a young age. His father was a notable author and heavily involved in education. He was appointed superintendent of public education in the state of Louisiana from 1847 to 1854. John was raised in a highly educated household and his father was a prominent member of that community. The Dimitry family endured some hardships as people of color due to their positions in the local community. His first cousin George Pandelly was involved in an incident dealing with his African heritage in the 1850s.[4][5][6]
By the 1860s, John and other prominent members of the family participated in the American Civil War fighting for the Confederacy. Afterward, he wrote for the New Orleans Times in the mid-1860s early 1870s. He was a professor at the Colegio Caldas Barranquilla, Colombia during the mid-1870s and by the 1880s he wrote for The New York Mail Express for ten years in New York City. He was honored by the Association of the Army of Tennessee which he was an honorary member. He was awarded $500 by the Swinton Story Teller for his short story Le Tombeau Blanc. He died at 65 years in New Orleans, LA.[7][8]
- ^ Duke & Barlow 1901, pp. 68–69.
- ^ Pecquet du Bellet 1907, pp. 141.
- ^ Beach et al. 1888, p. 10.
- ^ Johnson & Brown 1904, p. 31.
- ^ Fiske & Wilson 1888, pp. 179–180.
- ^ Chambers 1854, pp. 357.
- ^ Fitzgerald 2007.
- ^ Alderman, Smith & Metcalf 1901, p. 120.