On 02 Mar 1772 Cornelius Smelt (age 23) was promoted to Lieutenant of the 14th Regiment of Foot.

On 09 Jul 1776 Cornelius Smelt (age 27) was gazetted to the 35th (Royal Sussex) Regiment of Foot with whom he saw action in various campaigns during the American War of Independence.

On 17 Jul 1787 Cornelius Smelt (age 38), as a captain, was assigned as Deputy Governor of Southsea Castle [Map].

After 1797. All Saints Church, Thirkleby [Map]. Grave slab of [his wife] Mary Trant Otley (age 34), wife of Cornelius Smelt (age 48), aunt of Dorothy Smelt Lady Thirkleby (age 47).

On 15 Jun 1805 Cornelius Smelt (age 56) served as Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man, which positin he held for life, the longest governorship in the history of the Island.

On 10 Aug 1826 Cornelius Smelt (age 78) attended a meeting at the George Inn, Castletown, there being present some of the highest officials then residing in Castletown, Chairman of the meeting being Colonel Mark Wilks. At the meeting a resolution was passed to commission a portrait of Governor Smelt by Thomas Barber (age 55). The portrait was purchased by Captain Caesar Bacon, husband of Smelt's daughter, and was placed in his home at Seafield, Santon. The portrait stayed in the family until 1925 when it was presented to the Manx Museum.

Around 1985 St Mary's Church, Castletown [Map] was deconsecrated. The remains of Cornelius Smelt were exhumed and reinterred in the Bacon family vault alongside his daughter at St Peter's Church in Onchan.