| According
to his Declaration for Pension, Corporal
Alvin Smith was born on the 17th of
August 1837 in Niskayuna, New York which
is situated in the southeast corner of
Schenectady county, its unusual name
roughly translating to "Extensive
Corn Flats" or "Land of Much
Corn." By 1860 Alvin and his
parents, Thomas P. Smith and Harriet
(Gilman), had removed to Troy in
Rensselaer county so it is unclear why
Alvin enlisted as a private in Co. G of
the 68th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry
on the 18th of August 1862. Although not
fully equipped and only partially
uniformed, the regiment was commanded by
Colonel Andrew H. Tippen who had previous
experience as a lieutenant in the Mexican
War.
The 68th
Pennsylvania regiment was one of three units known
as the Scott Legion in honor of General
Winfield Scott who had commanded many of
the veteran soldiers of the Mexican War,
including Colonel Tippin. They were mustered in and
soon after departed for Washington where
they camped at Arlington Heights. In
early October they were sent to guard
Conrad's Ferry on the upper Potomac
river. A detachment of about forty men
who had been sent out to guard regimental
baggage were captured. Noting that
Alvin's company muster roll indicates he
was absent for November and December of
1862 because he was "captured at
Mount Gilead, Virginia and since paroled
at Camp Parole in Annapolis,
Maryland" it might be speculated
that he was among those who had been
detached.
Mount
Gilead, as noted here, refers to the area
near the Mount Gilead House which had
been built by Joel Beach (who had named
it such) and had at one time been used as
a tavern. During the Civil War it became
headquarters for Confederate General
Joseph Johnston whose Southern troops of
more than 40,000 were camped in the
Centerville area.
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 On December 13th, Alvin's
regiment experienced its first battle in support
of artillery at Fredericksburg. During the battle
Major Hawksworth was mortally wounded, Lt. Joseph
E. Davis was killed and about forty of the
enlisted men were killed or wounded. At
Chancellorsville they also met with severe
fighting. From here they reached Gettysburg from
Emmittsburg on the evening of July 1st and took
position just east of the Peach Orchard where
they were exposed to continuous artillery fire
the following day. At sunset they were involved
in fighting on Sickles' front, but were able to
retreat to Little Round Top where the regiment
was held in reserve. The battle resulted in four
officers killed or mortally wounded, thirty-four
men killed or mortally wounded, nine officers and
one hundred and seventeen men wounded, and
thirteen men captured. Upon their return to Virginia the
regiment was engaged at Wapping Heights and on
October 14th, at Auburn. Colonel Tippen was taken
prisoner to Libby Prison where he remained for
nine months. During this time the regiment was
commanded by Lt. Colonel Robert E. Winslow. After
Tippen was exchanged, he resumed command on June
26th.
In April the 68th
were selected as provost guard at the
headquarters of General Meade, under the
immediate command of the Provost General of the
Army, but became the last charge of enemy lines
at Petersburg. They lost Major John C. Gallagher
who was mortally wounded, along with a number of
officers and men. At Sailor's Creek, the
Confederate General Ewell and his force were
captured and the 68th was detailed to guard the
prisoners and proceed with them to City Point.
While en route the prisoners were informed that
their General Lee had surrendered, and soon after
the regiment was sent to Hart's Island Prison
camp near New York for guard duty. It was during
this time that Alvin was promoted as a corporal
of his company at the age of twenty-five. He
would remain here with the regiment until they
were mustered out on June 9th 1865.
After the war
Alvin resided in St. Louis, Missouri where he was
married to Sarah "Sadie" Jane Hill in
1867. He then lived in Michigan, Indiana,
Wisconsin, and eventually Chicago, Illinois. He
worked as an iron moulder and he and Sadie became
the parents of seven children - all of which were
listed in his pension records.
Alvin died at his
son's home in Oak Park on 15 Nov 1913. He died
from pneumonia after years of chronic bronchitis
and was laid to rest on the 18th of November at
Forest Home Cemetery in Cook Co., Illinois.
Sources: Pension
records of Alvin Smith provided by Carolyn
Eccles; Philadelphia in the Civil War 1861-1865
by Frank H. Taylor, published Philadelphia 1913;
History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-65,
Harrisburg, 1868-1871 by Samuel P. Bates.
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