African American Eyewitness to Shiloh Earned

Medal of Honor

by Park Ranger Charlie Spearman

     Andrew Jackson Smith was born a slave in Lyon County Kentucky in 1843. In early 1862, when his master returned from the Confederate Army to take him back, Smith ran away with another slave and reached Union lines near Smithland, Kentucky. By that time, the Union First Confiscation Act was in effect directing that slaves not be returned to their masters who were in Confederate service. Smith became a servant to Major John Warner of the 41^st Illinois. He accompanied that unit and Major Warner during the battles of Fort Donelson and Shiloh. 

     During the Battle of Shiloh, near the Peach Orchard, the 19-year old Smith was given the responsibility of caring for Warner’s wounded horse behind the Union lines. When a second captured horse was also wounded Warner handed it over to Smith as well and told him to keep back out of danger. A short time later Smith received a gunshot wound to the head.

     After the battle, Smith accompanied Warner back to his home in Clinton, Illinois where he recovered from his wound and continued to act as a servant. In 1863, he learned that Colored Units were being raised in Massachusetts. With transportation money provided by Major Warner, Smith traveled to Boston where he joined the 55^th Massachusetts Colored Infantry. He served with the 55^th at the Battle of Honey Hill in South Carolina on November 30, 1864. During the battle his unit suffered heavy losses attacking a Confederate defensive position, including the color bearer who was hit by an artillery shell. Andy caught the falling Color Sergeant Robert King with one hand and grabbed the flag with the other. Lieutenant Ellsworth, who was the commander at the time, screamed at Smith, “For God’s sake, save the flag!” Smith carried the colors through the rest of the battle.

     Smith would eventually be nominated for the Medal of Honor in 1916 for his bravery in saving the colors. Dr. Burt G. Wilder, the regimental surgeon for the 55th Massachusetts, began a lifelong correspondence with Andrew J. Smith in hopes of securing the Medal of Honor for his Andy’s bravery at Honey Hill. So many of the officers including its colonel, had been wounded during the battle, that Andrew Jackson Smith’s brave deed was not well documented.  In addition, the proposal came at a time of increasing racial prejudice as African-Americans were being denied the right to serve as combat troops in World War I.

Among the letters written to support Corporal Smith’s application was one written by Major Warner’s son to Dr. Wilder on March 10, 1917:

Dear Sir:

            Mr. Andy Smith of Grand River, Kentucky, having asked me to write you what I remember in relation to a wound he received at the battle of Shiloh, I will state that for some time before that battle he had been a servant of my father, who was the Major and afterwards Lieutenant Colonel in command of the 41^st Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and when the battle opened, my father told Andy to keep him in sight with a canteen of water, and if he, my father, should fall, to come to him with the water.

            That sometime after my father’s regiment became engaged the horse on which he was mounted was wounded and my father was dismounted and turning found Andy standing close to him and giving the wounded horse to Andy, told him to take it to the rear and stay there.

            A short time afterwards a horse from which some Confederate had been shot, galloped out between the lines and my father rushed out, caught and mounted him.

            Soon afterward this second horse was wounded and my father again dismounted and turning, found Andy standing close to him again and handing the second horse to Andy, told him to take it back and keep out of danger, and just then Andy received a gun shot wound in the head from the enemy.

            The above is all I remember of the matter.  Andy was certainly a brave and loyal boy. 

                                    Yours truly,

                                    Vespasian Warner

    In spite of this and other letters of recommendation the application was denied for lack of documentation by the army. Smith moved back to Kentucky after the war, and would pass away on March 4, 1932, at the age of 88.  

    On January 16, 2001, Smith’s Medal of Honor was awarded and presented to his 93 year old daughter Mrs. Carew Smith Washington in a ceremony at the White House by President Bill Clinton. This veteran of the Battle of Shiloh finally received his Medal of Honor 137 years after his brave actions at the Battle of Honey Hill, South Carolina.

    In honor of Black History Month 2013, children are invited to visit Shiloh National Military Park, and receive their own Andrew Jackson Smith trading card. Any child who has read about Smith through this article, and discusses Smith’s actions with a park ranger will earn a free card. This card along with four other trading cards, depicting Shiloh veterans, is available at the visitor center during regular business hours. For more information about the cards please call the park at 731-689-5696.