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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Sergeant · U.S. Army

David Lafayette Smith

Sergeant David Lafayette Smith, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on April 6, 1862 in Warwick Courthouse, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War April 6, 1862

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Sergeant David Lafayette Smith received the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 6, 1862 in Warwick Courthouse, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Battery E, 1st New York Light Artillery. Smith was 26 years old.

3 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on August 6, 1906, 44 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of First Lieutenant.

Smith was born on May 1, 1835 in Cameron, Steuben County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to Bath, Steuben County, New York. Smith died on June 8, 1916 in Orlean, New York, at the age of 81. He is buried at Pleasant Valley Cemetery in Orlean, New York.

Smith is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 678 credited to New York.

Official Medal of Honor citation

This soldier, when a shell struck an ammunition chest, exploding a number of cartridges and setting fire to the packing tow, procured water and extinguished the fire, thus preventing the explosion of the remaining ammunition.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Timeline

  1. May 1, 1835
    Born in Cameron, Steuben County, New York
  2. April 6, 1862
    Act of valor — Warwick Courthouse, Virginia
    Age 26. Battery E, 1st New York Light Artillery
  3. August 6, 1906
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. June 8, 1916
    Died in Orlean, New York
    Age 81.
  5. Resting place
    Pleasant Valley Cemetery
    Orlean, New York

Also honored for actions on April 6, 1862

JM John Wade McDonald Private · Army Civil War · 1862 Edward Burson Spalding Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862 EW Elwood N. Williams Private · Army Civil War · 1862

More Civil War recipients from New York

Henri Le fevre Brown Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 CR Charles Robinson Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1862 FM Frank W. Mills Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862 JC James A. Campbell Private · Army Civil War · 1865 LS Lebbeus Simkins Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864 Benjamin Franklin Tracy Colonel · Army Civil War · 1864
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.