The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to

David Lafayette Smith Buried: Olean, NY

Rank: Sergeant Organization: Battery E, 1st New York Light Artillery Place: At Warwick Courthouse, Virginia Date: 6 April 1862 Entered service at: Bath, NY Born: 1 May 1835 at Cameron, NY Died: 8 June 1916

Citation:

This soldier, when a shell struck an ammunition chest exploding a number of cartridges and setting fire to the packing tow, procured water and extinguished the fire, thus preventing the explosion of the remaining ammunition.