William Earl Smith
1853?-1909
Frontier soldier
- About the creator
Born in Peoria, Illinois circa 1853. Enlisted in the Army in 1876 and served for 18 months in Company E, 4th Cavalry. Was General Ranald S. Mackenzie's orderly during the Sioux campaign of 1876 and thereafter promoted to trumpeter. Promoted to the rank of corporal in 1878. Participated in General Mackenzie's border raid into Mexico in 1878. Deserted October 1878. Court-martialed on desertion charges on April 11, 1879 and sentenced to a three-year imprisonment at Fort Leavenworth. Afterwards, he returned to Illinois and worked for the Rock Island Railroad. Died in Chicago in 1909.
- About the collection
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Diary covering the period November 1, 1876-January 6, 1877. Entries include information about the movement of the 4th Cavalry under Mackenzie and details of the battle with the Cheyenne on November 25, 1876. Also included are Smith's observations of the territory covered and his fellow soldiers.
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