Class of 1853

Benjamin Franklin Smith: Born Nov. 25, 1831, Trenton, NJ.

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, Jul. 1, 1849, to July 1, 1853, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Bvt. Second Lieut. of Infantry, July 1, 1853.

Served: in garrison at Ft. Columbus, N. Y., 1853; on frontier duty at Ft. McIntosh, Tex., 1854, — Ft. Clark, Tex., 1854; Scouting, 1854, being engaged in a Skirmish with Comanche Indians, near Nueces River, July 5, 1854, — Ft. Clark, Tex., 1854‑55, — Ft. Duncan, Tex., 1855, — Ft. Kearny,

(Second Lieut., 6th Infantry, Mar. 3, 1855)

Neb., 1855‑57, — March to Bridger's Pass, Utah, 1857, — Ft. Leavenworth,

(First Lieut., 6th Infantry, Dec. 24, 1856)

Kan., 1857, — quelling Kansas Disturbances, 1857‑58, — Convoying supply train to Utah, 1858, — Ft. Bridger and Mormon Expedition, Utah, 1858, — March to California, 1858, — San Francisco, Cal., 1858‑59, — Ft. Gaston, Cal., 1859, — and on Navajo Expedition, 1859; in garrison at San Francisco, Cal., 1859, — and Newport Barracks, Ky., 1860; on Wagon Road Expedition from Ft. Benton, Mon., to Ft. Walla Walla, Wash., 1860; and on frontier duty at Ft. Churchill, Nev., 1860‑61.

Served during the Rebellion of the Seceding States, 1861‑66: On Mustering

(Captain, 6th Infantry, May 14, 1861)

duty at Philadelphia, Pa., Aug.‑Sep., 1861; in command of Regiment (Army of the Ohio), in the Tennessee Campaign, Nov., 1861, to

(Colonel, 1st Ohio Volunteers, Oct. 12, 1861, to May 1, 1862)

May, 1862, being engaged in the March to Pittsburg Landing, Ten., Mar.‑Apr., 1862, — Battle of Shiloh, Apr. 7, 1862, — and Advance upon

 p564  (Bvt. Major, Apr. 7, 1862,
for Gallant and Meritorious Services at the Battle of Shiloh, Ten.)

Corinth, Apr. 9‑30, 1862; with 6th Infantry (Army of the Potomac), in the Virginia Peninsular Campaign, May to Aug., 1862, being engaged in the Battle of Gaines's Mill, June 27, 1862, — and Battle of Malvern Hill, July 1, 1862; in the Northern Virginia Campaign, Aug.‑Sep., 1862, being

(Colonel, 126th Ohio Volunteers, Sep. 10, 1862)

engaged in the Battle of Manassas, Aug. 29‑30, 1862; in command of Regiment, Oct. to Dec., 1862, — of Brigade, Jan. to July, 1863, — and of Regiment, July, 1863, — in Western Virginia Operations, being engaged in the Action at Martinsburg, June 14, 1863; in command of Brigade (Army of the Potomac), in Operations in Central Virginia, July, 1863, to Apr., 1864, being engaged in Pursuit of the enemy (retreating from Pennsylvania) to Warrenton, Va., July, 1863, — and Action of Locust Grove and Mine Run, Nov. 26‑27, 1863; in the Richmond Campaign (Army of the Potomac), May to July, 1864, being engaged in the Battle of the Wilderness, May 5‑6, 1864, — Battles of Spottsylvania C. H., May 9‑20, 1864, — Battle of Tolopotomy, May 30, 1864, — Battles and Actions of Cold Harbor, June 1‑13, 1864, — and Siege of Petersburg, June 17 to July 5, 1864; on sick leave of absence, July 5 to Oct., 1864; on Board to visit the Military Hospitals of the State of Missouri, Oct. to Dec., 1864; in command of Brigade, 6th Corps (Army of the Potomac), in the Richmond Campaign, Dec., 1864, to Apr., 1865, being engaged in the Siege of Petersburg, Dec., 1864, to Apr. 2, 1865, participating in the Assault and Capture of the enemy's intrenched picket line, Mar. 26, and of main lines, Apr. 2, 1865, — pursuit of the Rebel Army

(Bvt. Brig.‑General, U. S. Volunteers, Mar. 26, 1865,
for Gallant and Meritorious Conduct before Petersburg, Va.)

(Bvt. Lieut.‑Col., Apr. 2, 1865,
for Gallant and Meritorious Services in front of Petersburg, Va.)

to Jetersville, Apr. 2‑5, 1865, — and Convoying 1,600 Prisoners of War to City Point, Apr. 6‑8, 1865; on March to Danville, Va., May, 1865;

(Mustered out of Volunteer Service, June 25, 1865)

and in the Department of South Carolina, Sep., 1865, to Aug. 15, 1866, being Provost Marshal General of the Department, Oct. to Dec., 1865, — in command of the Sub-District of Georgetown, S. C., Dec. 20, 1865, to Apr. 25, 1866.

Served: as Acting Asst. Commissioner of Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, Dec. 20, 1865, to Aug. 15, 1866, — and in command of the Post of Georgetown, S. C., Apr. 25 to Aug. 15, 1866; on Recruiting service, Aug. 20, 1866, to Apr. 30, 1867; on frontier duty

(Major, 27th Infantry, July 28, 1866)

at Ft. Philip Kearny, July 3, 1867, to June, 1868, — and Ft. Reno, Dak., to June 22, 1868.

Died, June 22, 1868, at Ft. Reno, Dak.: Aged 37.

Buried, Fort Reno Post Cemetery, Sussex, WY.