Robert Smith was a Patriot officer who served as a captain in the 4th North Carolina Regiment of the Continental Line from 1776 to 1777. He later served as a captain in the Mecklenburg County Regiment of the North Carolina Militia from 1779 to 1780 and as a lt. colonel in the Lincoln County Regiment of the North Carolina Militia from 1780 to 1781. In 1781 he became the colonel of the North Carolina Legion.