Larry A. Smail's Blog

Memorial Day causes me to ponder on the reasons of war and those involved. My father, Allen K. Smail instilled a deep respect and honor towards are veterans. He was in the European theater during WWll. He saw concentration camps and other many sites most of us would cringe in terror over seeing.

I have been searching for details of my ancestors of the Blystone side of my family who fought in that great and bloody Civil War! Also, this year is the 150th anniversary of that conflict where brothers fought against brothers.(That equals three 50 year life spans. Not very long ago in this comparison!) My grandmother on my father’s side was a Blystone. She married, my grandfather, Alpha Kline Smail. Her father (my great grandfather) was Archibald Blystone.

My great-great grandfather, John Blystone married a full-blooded Seneca (not-confirmed yet) named Anna Fultz. Their lives and their families resided in the Indiana and Armstrong County areas of Pennsylvania. They had 15 children.  Of these six males (possibly seven) were involved in the Civil War.

names on Armstrong County War memorial

Simon Blystone enlisted in 1861 in the 63rd, Company G, Pennsylvania Volunteers. (later that year brothers, William and George enlisted to.) Simon was in Gettysburg. If my memory serves me his name, at least, is on the Pennsylvania monument there at the battlefield. I found information where he was mustered into service in 1864. This confused me for Gettysburg was in 1863. Further searching proved he had renlisted in January 1864. He was killed in the Battle of the Wilderness in May of 1864. He is buried in a mass grave. There is a photo reportedly of Simon Blystone. I have only seen a poor quality reproduction.

William Blystone enlisted in the same outfit as Simon 1861 and , he too, reenlisted in 1864. William was wounded in the leg at Petersburg, Virginia and died during a leg amputation. He is buried in grave # 985 at City point National Cemetery.

George Blystone enlisted in the same outfit as Simon and William. He was wounded in the upper leg and spent the remaining war in various hospitals. He died in a mining accident in 1895.

Henry Blystone was in Company I, 46th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteers.  He was with General Sherman’s “March to the Sea.”  There is a photo of an aged, white-bearded Henry in the early 1900 era. He had his uniform on with medals. He, and his descendents used the name Sherman to name sons. He died in 1912.

Henry Blystone is second from left. (Front row)

John Blystone was in the POT., Company E, 54th regiment of the Pennsylvania Infantry.  He is listed as to being in the war only a few months. I would like to know the reasons for this.

Archibald Blystone, as I stated earlier, was my great-grandfather. I have found two reports as his units. One was the 102nd, company H, Pennsylvania Infantry and the other listed as Company K, 107th. He was wounded at Dabney Mills, Virginia. The wound was a bullet graze across the crown of his head. The scar was permanent. He died in 1899.

Walter Blystone is the man with some unknowns. He died of typhoid fever either while joining the war effort or after. His date of death is listed at one site as “around 1860”.  Another site claims his death to be in 1861.There is one report discovered stating three of the Blystones boys died in the Civil war. Walter may be, indeed, the third.

I am humbled and proud of these ancestors. Although I may never be able to pull enough information together to tell their complete stories I intend to look for details.

REMEMBER MEMORIAL DAY AND ESPECIALLY OUR VETERANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!