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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

William Smith

Private William Smith, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on October 20, 1869 in Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona Territory during the Indian Campaigns.

Indian Campaigns October 20, 1869

Private William Smith, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on October 20, 1869 in Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona Territory during the Indian Campaigns. At the time he was serving with Company G, 8th U.S. Cavalry. Smith was about 21 years old.

32 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on February 14, 1870.

Smith was born in 1848 in Lapeer, Lapeer County, Michigan. His Medal of Honor is credited to San Francisco, San Francisco County, California. He is buried at Idaho.

Smith is one of 426 Medal of Honor recipients from the Indian Campaigns and one of 142 credited to California.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Gallantry in action.

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

Timeline

  1. 1848
    Born in Lapeer, Lapeer County, Michigan
  2. October 20, 1869
    Act of valor — Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona Territory
    Age about 21. Company G, 8th U.S. Cavalry
  3. February 14, 1870
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. Resting place
    Idaho

Also honored for actions on October 20, 1869

JC John Carr Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 CD Charles H. Dickens Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 JD John L. Donahue Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 EE Edwin L. Elwood Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 JG John Georgian Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 MH Mosher A. Harding Blacksmith · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 FJ Frederick Jarvis Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 BK Bartholomew T. Keenan Trumpeter · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 CK Charles Kelley Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 NM Nicholas Meaher Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 EM Edward Murphy Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 FO Francis Oliver First Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869

See all 33 recipients for October 20, 1869 →

More Indian Campaigns recipients from California

TH Thomas P. Higgins Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1868 RH Richard Heartery Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1881 PB Patrick J. Burke Farrier · Army Indian Campaigns · 1868 JB James Brophy Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1868 JL James Lawrence Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1868 GC George Carter Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1868
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.