This is one of the more unusual veteran’s badges we have seen, both in design of the badge, and in the veteran’s name “Major R. S. Smith” who served in the 12^th Maine Infantry as a private in Company K, though we might well assume he enjoyed misunderstandings of his name, since he abbreviated his first name as “Maj.” which hardly clears up anything. The white-metal badge is quite striking on its own, with Smith’s name professionally engraved in script on the pin-back top bar, from which hangs at center a bugle, a straight bugle, but a bugle nonetheless, indicating infantry, with “12” in raised numerals on a central disk with stippled ground. From the left down-curling arm of the top bar hangs a miniature pinecone emblematic of Maine, and from the arm on the right hangs the badge of the 19^th Army Corps.

Smith was born Feb. 25, 1847, at Limerick, York County, Maine, the son of David and Mary Smith. He enlisted in the army on March 21, 1865, less than a month after his eighteenth birthday, so he was likely waiting for the opportunity, and mustered into Co. K of 12^th Maine as a private. He mustered out with the company on April 18, 1866.

The regiment had organized in November 1861 and in early 1862 were attached to Butler’s forces in the Department of the Gulf, eventually posted to New Orleans and Baton Rouge, and in 1863 took part in the Port Hudson Campaign, Bayou Teche, and the eventual siege of Port Hudson. In mid-1864 they moved to Viriginia fought in Sheridan’s Valley Campaign, seeing action at Opequon, Winchester, Fisher’s Hill, and Cedar Creek. When Smith joined the unit they were stationed at Savannah, with the re-enlisted veterans formed into four companies and Smith with other recruits organized into six new companies for one year of service, with the companies mustering out beginning in February and March.

He returned home to Maine and in 1870, at age 23, is working on the family farm in Buxton. He married twice. In 1880 he is listed as a farmer, married, with two daughters. His first wife died in 1885 and his second wife in 1897. By 1900 he is widowed, still in Buxton, with four daughters and two sons. He passed away June 27, 1914. He received a government headstone commemorating , like the veteran’s badge, his service in Co. K of the 12^th Maine.  [sr] [ph:L]

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