A veteran of Gen. George Washington's Commander-in-Chief's Guards, more commonly known as the Life Guards, an elite corps of from 50 to 100 soldiers selected from all the colonies and charged with protecting the life of Gen. Washington. They also actively took part in major Revolutionary War battles under Washington's command. Several Guards veterans at the times of their deaths were purported to be "last survivors" of the unit, including Smith, but surviving official pension records show while he was among the oldest surviving members, he was not the oldest. In 1775, Smith lived in Lincoln and belonged to a company of Minutemen. On April 19, he answered the alarm call and participated in the running fight from Concord to Cambridge. On April 21, he enlisted for eight months and participated in the Battle of Bunker Hill. When his enlistment ran out, he re-enlisted into the Continental Army and was drafted into Washington's First Foot Guards. In December 1776 he re-enlisted again in Washington's First Horse Guards. He left the army before the war's end and came to Salem where he served on a privateer. He was captured, and served out the rest of the war in Mill Prison. He became a shipmaster in civilian life. He was the husband of Sarah 'Sallie' Grant (January 15, 1761 - August 21, 1840). She is buried beside him. The cause of his death is recorded as fever.
A veteran of Gen. George Washington's Commander-in-Chief's Guards, more commonly known as the Life Guards, an elite corps of from 50 to 100 soldiers selected from all the colonies and charged with protecting the life of Gen. Washington. They also actively took part in major Revolutionary War battles under Washington's command. Several Guards veterans at the times of their deaths were purported to be "last survivors" of the unit, including Smith, but surviving official pension records show while he was among the oldest surviving members, he was not the oldest. In 1775, Smith lived in Lincoln and belonged to a company of Minutemen. On April 19, he answered the alarm call and participated in the running fight from Concord to Cambridge. On April 21, he enlisted for eight months and participated in the Battle of Bunker Hill. When his enlistment ran out, he re-enlisted into the Continental Army and was drafted into Washington's First Foot Guards. In December 1776 he re-enlisted again in Washington's First Horse Guards. He left the army before the war's end and came to Salem where he served on a privateer. He was captured, and served out the rest of the war in Mill Prison. He became a shipmaster in civilian life. He was the husband of Sarah 'Sallie' Grant (January 15, 1761 - August 21, 1840). She is buried beside him. The cause of his death is recorded as fever.
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