Benjamin Franklin Smith, (CSA)

When Benjamin Franklin Smith was born in 1843 in Louisa, Virginia, his father, John Ballard Smith, was 25 and his mother, Mary Jane Grove was 20. He married Maria C. Mccoy on April 4, 1871. They had four children during their marriage. He died on December29, 1895, in Fishersville, Virginia, at the age of 52, and was buriedin Waynesboro, Virginia.

He was just 18 when he enlisted in the Civil War for Virginia, the 2nd Co.B,52nd Va.Inf.Regiment [http://civilwarintheeast.com/confederate-regiments/virginia/52nd-vi...] on 15 Jul 1861 and mustered out the next year on 3 Mar 1862. However he then re-enlistedin Company F of Virginia 1st Cavalry Regiment [http://civilwarintheeast.com/confederate-regiments/virginia/1st-vir... on 28 Jan 1864. His father, at age 44, also enlisted as an officer. Both survived the war. He married Maria C. Mccoy after the war on 04 Apr 1871 • Staunton, Augusta, Virginia. They had four children, three lived to adulthood.

1. Nancy Smith Bush 1872–1926
2. J Frank Smith 1874–1880
3. Thos. Edwin Smith 1876–1906
4. Harry Stuart Smith 1879–1879 He died 29 Dec 1895 and was buried in Riverview Cemetery, Waynesboro.

Research Notes: There is a Benjamin F Smith of Staunton Virginia whose age and physical description is similar. He signed up for Illinois on the Union Side 17 Sep 1862,(after he would have left the Virginia Infantry.) He was captured and taken prisoner at Carroll Station Tennesse on Dec 19, 1862 and deserted at St Louis Missouri Jan 1, 1863. Source: Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls Name: Benjamin F Smith Rank: Private Company: G Unit: 106th Illinois Infantry Height: 5' 8 1/2 Hair: LIGHT Eyes: DARK Complexion: FAIR Marital status: Single Occupation: Farmer Birth Date: Abt 1842 Birth Place: Staunton, Augusta CO, VA War: Civil War War Years: 1861-1865 Service Entry Age: 20 Service Entry Date: 5 Aug 1862 Service Entry Place: Lincoln, IL Joined By Whom: BENJ WILLIAMS Period: 3 YRS Muster In Date: 17 Sep 1862 Muster In Place: Lincoln, ILRemarks: TAKEN PRISONER AT CARROLL STATION TENN DEC 19, 1862 DESERTED AT ST LOUIS MO JAN 1, 1863

The dates work, but don't know how to determine if this is the same person. I looked for another Benjamin F Smith born that year in Louisa or Augusta County, but found no one. If so, he served three times for Union and Confederate forces.

Sources

Ancestry.com 1870 United States Federal Census Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2003.Original data - United States. Ninth Census ofthe United States, 1870. Washington, D.C. National Archives and Records Administration. M593, RG29, 1,761 rolls. Minnesota. Minnesota Census Schedu;

The Virginia Regimental Histories SeriesName: Benjamin Franklin Smith Residence: Waynesboro, Virginia Occupation: Student Age at Enlistment: 18 Enlistment Date: 15 Jul 1861 Rank at enlistment: 4th SergeantEnlistment Place: Waynesboro, Virginia State Served: Virginia Survived the War?: Yes Service Record: Enlisted in Company B, Virginia 52nd Infantry Regiment on 15 Jul 1861.Mustered out on 03 Mar 1862.Enlisted in Company F, Virginia 1st Cavalry Regiment on 28 Jan 1864. Description: height: 5 ft. 8 in., dark complexion, blue eyes, light hair.

• Year: 1870; Census Place: District 2, Augusta, Virginia; Roll: M593_1634; Page: 319A; Family History Library Film: 553133
• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com :accessed 17 March 2019), memorial page for Benjamin Franklin Smith (4Feb 1843–29 Dec 1895), Find A Grave Memorial no. 13994797, citing Riverview Cemetery, Waynesboro, Waynesboro City, Virginia

2nd Co.B,52nd Va.Inf.Regt.;Co.F,1st Va.Cav.Regt.-CSA* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jan 4 2023, 1:09:51 UTC