Smith Hugh Hastings

Ordered to abandon the guns, he fought on and saved them all!

Smith H. Hastings saved artillery pieces after being ordered to abandon them. A captain in Company M, 5th Michigan Cavalry, he commanded a rear-guard squadron at Newbys Crossroads, Virginia, on 24 July 1863.

When the field guns were endangered, Hastings received orders to give them up. He instead kept his command in the fight and helped repel the Confederate attack, allowing the guns to be saved. His decision and conduct under pressure earned him the Medal of Honor.

Medal of Honor Citation (condensed)

Commanding the rear guard at Newbys Crossroads, Hastings disregarded an order to abandon endangered field guns and helped repel the attack, saving the artillery.

Born at Quincy, Michigan, on 27 December 1843, Hastings eventually attained the rank of colonel. He died in Denver, Colorado, on 13 October 1905 and was buried in Riverside Cemetery there.