Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-23

Of 1899 he secured an appointment in the
regular army, and in undergoing an exami-
nation for commission made one of the best
records in the history of such examinations
In the fall of last year he was ordered to
the Philippines, and within few weeks
after reporting to his regiment was NOR
tally injured. having been shot through the
bowels during the action at Pavia. His
death occurred in the hospital at Iloio the
next day, twenty-five hours after he was
shot.
Prior to his service in the District regf-
ment Lieut.. Smith had been in the employ
of the Southern railway in this city, and
was we'll known and unusually opuler
The story of the mortal wounding Of
Lieut.. Smith shows that the fatal shot was
received while he was heroicaIly serving
with his company in action. and his death
added another name to the list of Washing
ton boys who gave up their lives so gall
lantly in the service Of their country.
Tribute to His vnIor.
Captain c. B. Hardin, commanding the
company to which Lieutenant Smith was
assigned gives the following account of the
affair:
Il did not see Lieutenant Smith until a
few minutes after he was shot. I was
hurry1ng two companies from the reserve
to relieve the firing line, when. in passing
the dressing station, Smith heard my voice
and called to me. l ran over to him. but
could only stop for a word. He said moth
Ing to me as l stopped over him, merely
looking satisfied to have some one he knew
near him. The surgeon was dressing his
wound and l could see that it was in
dangerous place, but Smith looked so strong
and his voice was so strong and steady
that 1 had hopes for him. But I felt very
weak as l gazed at him. for had taken
very strong liking Cor the boy. All who
knew him will understand my feelings
when 1 learned of his death, as 1 did on
the evening of the ODD.
ION the firing line he was inst what one
would have expected of man of his noble
and unseltish character. Through hard
fight early in the morning near Jaro. and
almost through second hard fight at Pavia
about noon the same day, he walked the
line of his company, calmly looking after
his men and having no thought of self.
His company in attacking the works at
Pavia had to emerge from a patch of tim
Der into perfectly open ground and within
300 yards of the works. The company lost
heavily in going over this ground. Smith
fell about thirty yards from the timber.
THAT is about all know of the partcu-
lars, as l was commanding the ID Bat
TALON, which was in reserve, while Smith
in the LIST Battalion. He was brave to
the very last. but this will be no surprise
to any of you who knew him. The 18th In
fantry had only known him for one short
week, but he had already made the same
impression on others as he did on us.
Lieutenant Hirsch of our regiment was
with him when he died, and to him Smith
gave the address of his brother. to whom
he asked that his personal effects here
might be sent
Statement by Brother Officers.
Captain Hardin and First Lieutenant o.
E Hunt of Lieutenant Smiths company
have forwarded the following statement to
Lieutenant Smiths friends in this city:
I'VE hope to convey to you our deepest
feelings of regard for our friend and your
dear brother We had not known him long
H,,,, ,tafr ,for hao MO
all sailed together, the 9Th day of last Oc-
tober from the sight Of our native land.
He was pure. noble, jealous. We loved
him for his qualities of manhood. Every
one with whom he came in contact shared
with us this feeling. The impression of
him among the officers of his regiment was
most favorable. The undersigned were not
alone in this feeling of sincerest regard
He died as becomes a brave man..
Manly and Frank.
In a letter from Fort Santiago, Manila,
Lieut.. W. N. Hughes. jr.. 18th United
States Infantry, made the following refer
ence to Lieutenant Smith:
ION my arrival here recently l was great
ly shocked to hear of Lieutenant Smiths
death, for we were friends and thought
much of him as an officer and as a friend.
He was such a manly fellow and so frank
and open-hearted.
ut was the universal opinion of the older
officers that he was Jealous in the per
Torrance of his duty. Before leaving the
Preside I heard Major Coles. commander
of the camp. say he was enc of the best
drill instructors he had ever seen. He is a
loss to the service well as to his friends.
"A soldier of his regiment told me this
morning how bravely he had faced death.
and ended with tears in his eyes by say
ing: He was a plucky little fellow
TT is comforting to know he died a SOL
dier's death-the highest sacrifice man
can make-and was given military fu-
neral the highest honor the nation can
bestow.''