R. J. Higgins of Coal Grove, Ohio, recently came into possession of the sword of Capt. Wm. Smith, who was shot in a battle in the Shenandoah Valley, four miles from Winchester. At the time Capt. Smith was shot, Mr. Higgins, who was the color bearer of his company, had his cap knocked off by the sword of Capt. Smith as he fell.
The ball entered the head just above the ear. As it was known to be a mortal wound, Levi Jacks was detailed to take Capt. Smith home. He died at Parkersburg en route to his home and his body was sent on to his home at Aid, Ohio. He was about 35 years of age at the time of his death. The sword came into the possession of James Jenkins, a brother-in-law of Capt. Smith, who turned it over to Mr. Higgins because of his intimate associations with him just prior to his death.
Capt. Smith was a son of Arch Smith, a resident of Aid Township, Lawrence County, Ohio. It will be remembered that Capt. Uriah Payne and Capt. Smith recruited Company H, of the Ninth W. Va. Infantry in 1861 and was stationed at Guyandotte, W. Va., and was captured in October 1861. Capt. Smith had gone home the day before the battle and was not captured as Capt. Payne was captured, Capt. Smith, then a Lieutenant, the command of the company fell to him and was commanded by him until his death.
The company numbered about thirty-five men the morning Capt. Smith was killed. Rube Shattuck and Ed. Brown were also killed. In forty years, the number has gone down from fifty-three to a very few.
The names of the ones living are
- Sergeant R. J. Higgins,
- Sergeant Amos Lambert,
- Joseph Fitzer,
- E. Woods,
- William Hankins,
- John Willis,
- L. Massie,
- Gains Massie,
- M. A. Smith, brother of Capt. Smith,
- Abner Anderson,
- David Gossett,
- George Faulkner,
- James Darling,
- James Craig.
SOURCE: Ironton Register, 11 October 1906, Thursday.
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