William P. Smith

Born free in 1837 in Middlefield, Connecticut, William P. Smith became an influential figure in Wallingford after working as a farmer and trapper in Middlefield and Wallingford. In early 1863, after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, he enlisted in the 54th Massachusetts Volunteers, the first black regiment in New England, and took part in the charge against a major Confederate emplacement during the Second Battle of Fort Wagner on July 18, 1863. Shot three times in the assault, he survived and continued serving in Florida in 1864 before returning to Wallingford. In recognition of his valor, he received 26 acres of land near Community Lake, where he lived until his death at age 78 in 1916. His legacy in Wallingford also included founding the Dred-Nots, the first black fife and drum corps in Connecticut, serving for many years as bass drummer in the Wallingford National Band, organizing Connecticut's first fife and drum convention, and founding and captaining the short-lived Jackson Blues colored baseball team in the 1870s. On May 2, 2008, Wallingford declared William P. Smith Day in honor of his bravery and lasting impact.

Wallingford Center, Connecticut · United States