Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-06
.CHAS. H. SMITH DEAD
Noted Veteran of Civil War and
Prominent Mason.
HIS YEARS OF SUFFERING
Four Times Wounded in Battle of Get
tysburg.
LEFT THE HOSPITAL IN 1884
The Case Called to Attention While
President Garfield Was Under
Treatment.
HIS YEARS OF SUFFERING
LEFT THE HOSPITAL IN 1884
The Case Called to Attention While

Department yesterday afternoon. His de-
mise was SO sudden that friends who went
into his room thought that he had fallen
asleep.
Mr. Smith lived with his wife, at 725 Goth
street northwest. He had been a clerk in
the Treasury Department since the civil
war. He was so badly wounded at the bat
tie of Gettysburg that physicians of world
wide repute wondered that he ever lived.
The funeral service will take place Mon
day afternoon at 2 o'clock In the Vermont
Avenue Church. DR.. Powers officiating, and
will be conducted by the Masons. Burnside
Post of the @. A. r. will attend in a body.
The interment will take place In Arlington
cemetery.
Corner hewitt was called upon to view
the body and give the necessary death GER
tiffcate. He learned that Mr.. Smith had
suffered attacks Of acute indigestion upon
a number of occasions and had been at
tended by physicians in the department. His
fatal Illness was diagnosed as an attack of
the complaint stated and a certificate was
given accordingly.
MIR. Smith was prominent member of the
Masonic fraternity, having been past
master Of Washington Centennial Lodge
No. IA. F. A. A. NJ; past high priest Of
Mount Vernon Chapter. No 3, r. A. M: was
in line in Washington Commandery, No. l.
X. t.. and past grand high priest of the
Grand Chapter of the District
desperate COQQ1t10U.
Smith was living mystery of the civil
war. He served as a 81 200 clerk In the
stationery division of the Treasury Depart
ment. this city, and missed but little time
from his duties because Of physical indis-
position. Physicians and surgeons who saw
the actual condition of this veteran won
dered that he lived, and Smith was him
self puzzled at times that he managed to
get around as lively as he did. And yet
he enjoyed life and looked as healthy as
almost any man of hts age.
Smith obtained the consent Of his mother
to enter the Union army when he was lust
sixteen years old. He went from Decatur
N. Y, his home. and at Cherry Valley was
mustered into the 10Th New York Regi-
ment, Company K. His regiment partici-
pated in all the early fighting. and con-
tinued IN the thick of the fray right up to
the battle of Gettysburg. On the first day
Of that historical conflict the 10Th New
York was stationed ON the extreme right
of the field, assisted by the seth Pennsyl-
vania. the 147th New York and 9th New
York regiments. The four federal regiments
were attacked in a corn field by the 5Sth
North Carolina Regiment and three Missis-
sippi regiments. There was great slaughter
on both sides.
Wounded Four Times.
Smith went down with ball In his left
thigh and one in his left groin, the latter
passing through his body and coming out
at the right hip. Men were lying dead and
wounded on all sides of Smith. but before
he could realize what had happened the
contending armies had drawn apart and
away in the rear Smith saw his own COM
pany and recognized his captain Arising
from the recumbent to a sitting position
Smith waved to his captain, hoping to at
tract attention and be taken care Of Just
as he did so another ball struck him lust
above uoof ha
intestines, touching the spinal column and
passing out the right side. The shot had
been fired by a picket who had moved up
when his army went back That didn't
complete Smiths wounds, for as he fell
over upon his face shell burst above him
and tore out a good portion of his anatomy
near his right hip
Smith tainted away and was dead to the
world for hours. When he revived and
opened his eyes he heard some confederate
officers passing through the field where the
dead and wounded lay picking their way
TO avoid their horses trampling on the bod
les lying thick on all sides.
Here Is where they locked bayonets'
one young officer spoke to the general, but
Smith says the fighting regiments did not
get close enough to each other to close with
the bayonet.
Smith realized that he was desperately
wounded. and when the confederates had
passed on he felt that it might be a long
time before any help would come He
thanked heaven that he had some water in
his canteen, and took a drink from IL
Feeling faint, he placed the canteen under
his right arm and lay upon the arm to rest
Some time afterward a struggling soldier
came along and reached for the canteen
Vaguely conscious that the sweetest thing
he had with him was being taken away
Smith aroused himself and said: Don I
take my water; it IS all / have" The con-
federate replied, We'll, my boy, you won't
need it long" and passed on.
1ata
Smiths own reckoning, when the federal
army found time TO look after it's dead and
wounded. Smith did not see another living
soul after the confederate had passed Part
of the time he was unconscious. The fear
fully hot July sun beat down upon him
Between intervals of consciousness Smith
managed TO pun up a few stalks of Young
corn and molsten his mouth with It. About
the second day some cherry stones C me
out of the wound in the left side and
Smith remembered that early in the morn
ing before the battle he had stolen some
cherries out of tree. and that was the
only food he had had for several days.
Relief Comes at Last.
1t was the night OF July when Smiths
comrades went over the field searching for
the dead and wounded. They found few
living and many dead. AS Smith was taken
off the battlefield he remembered noticing
near where he had lain the body of a SOL
der swollen TO enormous proportions Smith
was taken, along with other wounded to
what was known the battlefield as the
Mcpherson barn His clothing was re-
moved he was wrapped in blanket and
laid in the cowshed. Surgeons who passed
around examining the wounded looked at
Smith and said there was no use wasting
time with him. They found that the large
intestine had beea cut at least twice and
that from the wound in the left side would
come whatever food was taken. In addition
they found that the bladder had been pune
tured and that 1t was unable to fully per-
form its duties.
Smith discovered the morning of the 9TH
that he was almost drowned in ooze from
the cowshed. his wounds being covered with
il. lie remained that way until afternoon
being too Ill 10 complain and caring little
what happened. The doctors We're surprised
that he was not dead. and passed on TO the
other wounded His comrades finally got
the surgeons TO again examine his wounds
and among them was the regifnental sun