Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1922-04-21
CIVIL WAR HEROINE
BURIED At MOSCOW
Mrs. Alwilda smith Enlisted as Reg
uIar Union Soldier During Civil
War-Pullman Friends At
tended Services

Several local members OF the w
r. C. and Rebekdh organizations
went 70 Moscow, Idaho, last fl.}sy
to attend the funeral services 1or
Mrs Alwilda smith who suc.umbed
there Wednesday Concerning inc
history Of Mrs Smith which was
mentioned I'm brief in The Herald
last week, the Moscow Sar-Nirror
OF last Saturday had The following,
Friday afternoon marked The
funeral services OF the last OF the
regularly enlisted army nurses @.
the civil war.
Mrs Alwilda Patton Smith widow
of Lindol Smith. a resident of Latah
county since 1889, the first presi-
dent of the Idaho state Women's
Relief Corps, a charter member of
the Rebekah lodge and the president
of the first Idaho Rebekah assembly
at Pocatello in 1921, was laid to
rest in the Moscow cemetery Friday
afternoon
Mrs Smith was so years of age
and leaves a memory of a long and
useful life devoted to the service of
others. She was lovely mother
and woman. one of the foremost
women leaders Of the state, and was
as faithful in her ministration of
service to others in all the days of
her life as she was in the trying days
of the civil war.
Enlists i'm 1862
It was in 1862 that she enlisted as
a regular Union soldier in order to
be with her wounded husband. She
served all during the war as a regu-
lar army nurse and for several years
afterwards in the Union convalescent
hospital at Indianapolis, The his
tory of her enlistment and service
in the Union army is a story of I'M
flinching and heroic devotion to her
country and her husband
Her husband, Lindol Smith. en-
listed in the 73rd Indiana regiment.
In April 1852. he was wounded and
took pneumonia Upon receipt of
word from Mr.. Smith, Mrs Smith
left at once for Indianapolis where
she was stopped by the order that
no civilians would be allowed with
in the Union lines She appealed to
Levi p. Morton, war time governor
of Indiana. for assistance. Governor
Morton was a personal friend and
informed Mrs. Smith that in order
to reach her husband she must en-
list as a regular Union soldier. The
answer was typical:
MAKE out your papers. I will
sign them
Matron of Union Hospital
Her hardships in the service were
equal to the hardships OF the men.
Her marked ability made her matron
OF the Gallatin, Tenn, hospital where
she served until the end of the war.
From Gallatin she and her wounded
husband were transferred to the
convalescent hospital at Indianapolis
and were among the last to be hon
orably discharged from the Union
ranks.
Mrs. Smith was born in Cass coun-
ty, Indiana. On January 10. 1861,
she married Lindol Smith and it was
the following August that Mr. Smith
Joined the ranks of the Union.
After discharge from the army the
Smiths returned to Indiana where
they established their home. They
remained there until 1882 when they
moved west finally settling in Mos
COW. Mr.. Smith was engaged in car
penter work and operated planning
mill. He was contractor for the
first University of Idaho administra-
tion building.
Advocate of Suffrage
Mr.. Smith, who died some years
ago, was prominent Odd Fellow
and Mrs. Smith took an equally ac-
tive part in the Rebekah lodge, They
We're both charter members of the
local Moscow lodges In addition to
her active work with the Rebekah
lodge Mrs. Smith was the first presi-
dent Of the Women's Relief Corps
and was one of the most active of
western workers for the cause Of
woman's suffrage.
In the spanish-American war both
her sons were prompt to enlist and
one son Leo Smith, served during
the World war in the American air