The Republican journal., 1910-11-24
LIST OF SPECIFICS.
HAS A MEDAL OF HONOR.
c. E. Smith of Bangor, a Native of Lib
erty. His War Record.

erty. His War Record.
Among the loads of boughs that came
into Bangor to be sold for banking Thurs
day was one driven by man approach
ing 70 years of age, with curly gray locks,
with shoulders slightly bent and with the
step of one who has seen much service in
this work-a-day world. But his eye was
bright and clear and out of it shone the
spirit of an unbroken man. This driver,
as hard working man of his age as
there is in Penobscot county, no doubt,
was C. E. Smith of Hermon, a lifelong
farmer. But he is something else than
farmer He is a G. A. R. veteran and
the possessor of solid bronze medal of
honor, awarded to him by the Congress
of the United States in 1868 for gallant
and meritorious service on the battlefield
in the Civil war.
Mr.. Smith was born in the town of
Liberty, Waldo county, So years ago and
enlisted in Bangor on September 9, 1861,
becoming member of Co. /, Ninth Msine
infantry. 1t was not long before his COM
pany left for the front and a year or two
of marches and diminishing, with many
a sharp rifle tilt, followed, down in the
southern States. During part of this
time he was in the saddle, for with e
others he was detached for special cav
airy service and this little company, all
by its lonesome, secured Georgia four
days, pillaging and burning and offering
trouble to the enemy in many ways.
1t was at Fort Wagner, South Carolina,
that the battle came wherein he perform
ed the service which won for him the
recognition of Congress rarely given. The
Union forces landed on Morris island,
wherein was Fort Wagner, on July 10,
1868. On the morning OF the 18th the
Ninth Maine and the 10th Pennsylvania
! charged on Wagner. The two regiments
could not take the fort, but they gained
the top, and here the Ninth Maine club
bed rifles over the walls. From that day
until the 7th of September the Union
troops besieged Fort Wagner. On the
latter date two brigades charged the
fort, but failed to take it. 1t was in this
charge that COL Shaw was killed and it
was in this charge, too, that Mr.. Smith
Won his medal OF honor. The 54th Mas
sachusetts was cut up and put to flight,
and the regimental flag went down. Mr..
Smith picked it up and carried it through
the fray, finally bringing it to camp
safely after the charge.
Department Commander Quincy A.
Gilmore, who afterwards commanded
the 10th corps in the Grant campaign of
"a, was the corps commander on this
day. He happened to see the brave act
of Smith in getting the flag, and in after
wards defending it with his life. 1t was
he, unbeknown to the Bangor man, who
recommended to Congress that a medal
of honor be given to Mr.. Smith, and, ac-
cordingly, the latter received it in due
time He has it now at his Rermon
home, and it is needless to say that he
values it. 1t is made from a bit of cap
tured bronze cannon, as all Civil war
medals of honor are. On one side ap-
pears Fort Sumter in relief, with the
words. Fort Sumter as it looked in
August, 1861" and on the reverse, "for
gallant and meritorious conduct in front
of the enemy"
Mr.. Smith saw much duty on the field
aside from this. He was i'll the charge
upon Fort Greg, and it was in front of
Greg that Capt. Scolly D. Baker of Co.
| was killed. Capt. Baker was a Bangor
man, and the company, by the way, was
always known as the Bangor Tigers. -
Mr.. Smith was right beside Capt. Baker
when he fell, almost cut in two by a
shell. Mr.. Smith was himself wounded
in the breast at Petersburg on the Both
of July, in ga, on the memorable occasion
of the springing of the mine by Grant.
He came home as soon as he was able
and stayed until October 18th, when he
returned to the front. He was mustered
out with his regiment at Raleigh, N. c.,
July Is, 1865. He has lived here ever
since. He is a member of the Beale
Post, G. A. R., and is one of the best
known Civil war veterans in Bangor OR
its uicinitu -Ranunr Commercial