William Crawford Smith was born on November 26th, 1837, in Petersburg, Virginia, and recieved his early education in the schools of Petersburg. He joined the Virginia Militia in 1859, becoming a member of the "Petersburg Greys", being present in 1859 at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. However he left Virginia later in the year and moved to Nashville, Tennessee.

With the secession of the Southern State in 1861 he returned to Virginia and enlisted and was mustered into service as a Private in the 12th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment on May 10th, 1861, at Norfolk, Virginia. He was later promoted to Sergeant and Regimental Color Sergeant during the war, and served throughout the campaigns of the Army of Northern Virginia with his regiment. He was wounded in action on September 14th, 1862, at South Mountain, Maryland, and again on May 6th, 1864, at the Battle of the Wilderness, Virginia. He surrendered with his regiment on April 9th, 1865, at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia.

With the close of the Civil War he returned to Nashville, Tennessee, on December 13th, 1866, and opened an office as an Architect, being engaged in that business from 1866 to 1898. In 1867 he married Miss Rachel Mathias in Nashville, Tennessee, and the couple had two children.

With the outbreak of the Spanish American War he enrolled and was mustered into service as Colonel of the 1st Tennessee Volunteer Infantry Regiment, U.S. Volunteers, in May of 1898, for two years service. He led his regiment to California where it then went to the Philippine Islands to see active service. In one of the regiments first engagements of the regiment Colonel Smith led the men forward near Manila on February 5th, 1899, while on the firing line he suddenly fell from the saddle of his horse and was lowered to the ground, he shortly thereafter died as a result of apoplexy (sudden internal bleeding) that was brought on as a result of heat exhaustion.

His remains were returned home to Tennessee, and he was buried with full honors at the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee.

William Crawford Smith was born on November 26th, 1837, in Petersburg, Virginia, and recieved his early education in the schools of Petersburg. He joined the Virginia Militia in 1859, becoming a member of the "Petersburg Greys", being present in 1859 at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. However he left Virginia later in the year and moved to Nashville, Tennessee.

With the secession of the Southern State in 1861 he returned to Virginia and enlisted and was mustered into service as a Private in the 12th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment on May 10th, 1861, at Norfolk, Virginia. He was later promoted to Sergeant and Regimental Color Sergeant during the war, and served throughout the campaigns of the Army of Northern Virginia with his regiment. He was wounded in action on September 14th, 1862, at South Mountain, Maryland, and again on May 6th, 1864, at the Battle of the Wilderness, Virginia. He surrendered with his regiment on April 9th, 1865, at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia.

With the close of the Civil War he returned to Nashville, Tennessee, on December 13th, 1866, and opened an office as an Architect, being engaged in that business from 1866 to 1898. In 1867 he married Miss Rachel Mathias in Nashville, Tennessee, and the couple had two children.

With the outbreak of the Spanish American War he enrolled and was mustered into service as Colonel of the 1st Tennessee Volunteer Infantry Regiment, U.S. Volunteers, in May of 1898, for two years service. He led his regiment to California where it then went to the Philippine Islands to see active service. In one of the regiments first engagements of the regiment Colonel Smith led the men forward near Manila on February 5th, 1899, while on the firing line he suddenly fell from the saddle of his horse and was lowered to the ground, he shortly thereafter died as a result of apoplexy (sudden internal bleeding) that was brought on as a result of heat exhaustion.

His remains were returned home to Tennessee, and he was buried with full honors at the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee.