Charles Smith Sr.

Born: 1801 in Virginia

Died: 17 May 1878 in DeKalb County, Tennessee

Company C, 1st Tennessee Mounted Infantry

21 Oct 1863-13 Dec 1864

Charles is the son of George Smith and Silvia Hairston.  He married Didama Vance about 1830 and they had eight kids before the war in the 1830s and 1840s. We don't know who her parents were. Didama died on 13 Dec 1847. Not waiting very long, he then married Isabelle Hargett on 24 Dec 1847.  They had seven kids from 1847 to 1859. Isabelle was the daughter or Holden Hargett and Anna Helms.

Charles enlisted at Carthage, Smith County, Tennessee on 21 Oct 1863 with his son, Mansfield. The 1st Tennessee Mounted Infantry was organized in early 1864 but not completed until towards the end of 1864. Charles' service record does not indicate when he was mustered in or out. The regiment served principally in the northeastern part of Middle Tennessee, where it had frequent and severe encounters with guerrillas. It was mustered out by companies, at different dates, from 13 Dec 1864, to 22 Jul 1865, by reason of expiration of term of service. It is likely that Company C was mustered out on 13 Dec 1864 as that is in Mansfield's service record.

As far as we know, Charles never applied for an invalid pension. Isabelle drew a widow's pension on Charles' service after his death. All his children were past 16 when he died so there was no pension for them.

Charles and Isabelle are buried in the Holley-Lafever Cemetery (FAG name) in Silver Point, Putnam County, Tennessee. We do not know where his first wife, Didama, is buried.