CIVIL WAR SOLDIER FROM OHIO

From the rural area of Delaware County in Ohio was born William Henry Harrison Smith. The date of his birth, August 10, 1840, matched with the run for the presidency by William Henry Harrison, known as the "Man of the People". Harrison won the election by a landslide and became the 9th US President. Many American sons received a similar name at that time period. William H. H. Smith grew to a height of 5' 11" as a young man, quite tall for males of mid-1800's. He had blue eyes, brown hair and was light in complexion. In his youth he was a lumberjack in the woods of Ohio. He also was a farmer as was his father, Almond Smith, who had died when William was only seven years old. As a young man of 21 years he lived in Johnsville in Morrow County, Ohio. But this was 1860 and the flames of war were being fueled in many areas of the United States. The attack and taking of the Federal military post at Ft. Sumter in South Carolina on April 12, 1861 would change his life for the next several years. The War Between the States would soon affect every family in every state.

Young men were enlisting in the Union Army, especially as special voluntary groups were formed from various areas in Ohio. John Sherman, a Senator from Ohio and brother of General William T. Sherman formed the 64th and 65th Ohio Voluntary Infantry regiments on October 3, 1861. These two regiments were each other's support and were together for the entire length of the Civil War. William Henry Harrison Smith (known as William H. H. Smith) joined in Westfield, Ohio the 65th Ohio Voluntary Infantry, Company "D" as a private on October 27, 1861. He enlisted to serve 3 years. Before he went off to serve his homeland he married Evaline Terry, who was from Cardington, Ohio. They were married in Morrow County on October 31, 1861. William's older brother, Reuben Potter Smith, also enlisted in Company "D" of the 65th Ohio Voluntary Infantry on October 27, 1861. But Reuben's military service was short as he was discharged on a surgeon's certificate of disability in June of 1862.

The 65th OVI regiment was mustered into service on December 1, 1861 and proceeded into Kentucky under Colonel Charles G. Harker. William was made a 1st Corporal before the regiment left, on November 26, 1861 and then a 5th Sergeant by November 30th. They marched into Tennessee during February and March of 1862. Between April 6 - 7 the regiment was at the Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee but did not see action. Later that month they were in the siege of Corinth, Mississippi. During the summer months the regiment was in Booneville and along the Memphis and Charleston Railroad in Alabama.

Just as many soldiers did during the war, they wrote letters home and kept a diary. William was one to write many letters to his new bride and to his mother and other siblings. He kept a small daily pocket diary for 1862, 1863 and 1864 while he was in the service.

It was near the end of summer, August 21st - September 26th in 1862 that the 65th OVI traveled in pursuit of General Bragg's Confederate forces into Kentucky. William was not well during several months of September and October of 1862 and spent time at the hospital in Cave City, Kentucky while the rest of the unit was out in the field. He was able and much improved in his health by December of 1862 to rejoin his Company "D". From there they went into Nashville, Tennessee and then to Murfreesboro, Tennessee right after Christmas of 1862.

William H. H. Smith was with his Company "D" one mile south of Bowling Green, Kentucky with the New Year of 1863. He wrote in his diary, "snow about fifteen inches deep, very cold and disagreeable." His company marched out on January 5th headed for Murfreesboro to catch up with the regiment. They arrived late on January 7th and remained on picket duty for 48 hours. He wrote that time was spent setting up camp, arranging the leaves on the ground and hunting for game to eat. By January 12th they must prepare rations for an expedition. The weather had improved with temperatures warmer and they were able to march 24 miles on January 13th.

His regiment remained in the Murfreesboro area, paroling the woods until June. They continued training while in camp but had few encounters with the enemy. The company leaves Murfreesboro for Manchester, Tennessee and then Hillsboro. The weather was warmer but there were now heavy rains. Part of their journey had them walking through "swamps knee deep - a hard time on soldiers" as described by William in his diary. They were kept on picket (parole) for long periods of time. On July 4, 1863, William wrote in his diary, "I was arrested this morning for neglect of duty on picket, but was reprieved in the evening."

There were times of illness, called, "camp cholick" that William wrote of, where a soldier would be excused from duty for a day or two. The best times were when the mail arrived. Letters from friends and relatives meant so much to each soldier. The next best times were when the paymaster was in camp. Pay was never received on a regular basis. They could go months at a time without any pay. Typical for William in mid-July of 1863 for 4 months back pay was $68.00. William usually sent as much money home as he could. On July 28, 1863 he sent $46.00 to his family.

W.H.H. SMITH and his wife, EVALINE TERRY SMITH (abt. 1862-1863)

      

      

In November of 1863, dysentery caused William to be admitted to a hospital for a while. His return and improved health had him back with the 65th Ohio Voluntary Infantry as a 1st Sergeant up until early 1865. He had reenlisted for an additional 3 years on June 1, 1864 while in Tennessee. This entitled him to a $160 bounty as a veteran who was enlisting again. That extra money wasn't paid until February of 1865.

It was from June 1864 that William became sick again and had to be admitted to a hospital. From July to September of 1864 he was then sent to be in a convalescent camp located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The 65th OVI along with other Ohio regiments, the Army of the Cumberland and the Army of Tennessee traveled with General William T. Sherman on his Atlanta campaign between July and September 1864. His health improved and he returned to his Company "D".

William's health improved enough so he was able to remain with the 65th OVI regiment for the next 13 months. At a battle for Kennesaw Mountain the former colonel of the regiment, General Harker was killed. As General Sherman moved beyond Atlanta, the 65th OVI moved north into Franklin and Nashville, Tennessee during November and December of 1864. There had been some bloody fighting at the battle of Franklin but William remained unharmed. By April 6, 1865 William was promoted to 1st Lieutenant. From there they marched towards New Orleans and then into Texas to help defeat the last of the Confederate armies, one led by General Richard Taylor in Louisiana and one by General Edmund K. Smith in Texas. Their surrender came in May of 1865. From August 21, 1865 to September 31, 1865 William was on special assignment with Company "H" to be responsible for government property. William returned to Company "D" by October 1865 and remained with the regiment until it was mustered out on November 30, 1865 from Victoria, Texas.

William made it back to Ohio and to his family after being gone over 4 years. He was now 25 years old and seen a fair amount of the country during the war. He was fortunate not to have suffered from any gunshot wounds in all his travels with the 65th OVI. But he may have suffered from some chronic illnesses like diarrhea, hernia, heart and lung problems in his later years due to his sleeping out in the rain, marching through swamps and his problems with dysentery. William was able to return to his wife, Evaline and they soon started a family. Evaline died in 1870 and William was a widower. He married Mary Hoke Newlon (who had a young son). William had two living children with his first wife, Evaline and then four sons with Mary. It was the 257 other soldiers of the 65th OVI or the total of over 620,000 men from North and South who never returned home that lost their opportunity of a full and happy life.