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Confederate (CSV)

Captain

Benjamin Hodges Smith, Jr.

(1836 - 1920)

Home State: Virginia

Command Billet: Battery Commander

Branch of Service: Artillery

Unit: Richmond Howitzers, 3rd Company

Before Sharpsburg

From Richmond, he enlisted 21 April 1861 as Second Sergeant in the Richmond Howitzers, but was promoted Lieutenant the same day. He was appointed Captain of the Battery in August 1862 on the promotion of Captain Edgar F Moseley (to Major, First Virginia Artillery Battalion).

On the Campaign

He commanded the battery in Maryland.

The rest of the War

Shortly after the Maryland Campaign, on 16 October, he was wounded near Charlestown (WV) and captured. He was exchanged, but had a foot amputated as a result of the wound. He was in action in command of the Battery at Gettysburg (June-July 1863). In January 1864 he was courtmartialed, charged with "misbehavior before the enemy" at Gettysburg, but was acquitted. He was again captured in action at Spotsylvania Courthouse on 10 May 1864, imprisoned at Ft. Delaware until paroled on 14 Sept 1864. He briefly commanded the Battalion (Jan-Feb 1865), and was present at the surrender at Appomattox on 9 April 1865.

References & notes

His life dates from his gravesite listing. Service dates from the roster in Contributions1 and Wallace2, Gettysburg organization in Eicher.

Birth

11/17/1836 in VA

Death

12/23/1920; Augusta, GA; burial in Magnolia Cemetery, Augusta, GA

Notes

1 Richmond Howitzer Association, and Carlton McCarthy, editor, Contributions to a History of the Richmond Howitzer Battalion, 4 pamphlets, Richmond: Carlton McCarthy & Co, 1883, pg. 286 [AotW citation 1125]

2 Wallace, Lee A., The Richmond Howitzers, Lynchburg (Va): H.E. Howard, Inc., 1993, pg. 157 [AotW citation 1126]

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