When the Civil War began, I was eighteen years old; I tried to enlist, but the Glass Company blocked my game, for I was their bound apprentice.  But in 1862 came the call for 300,000 volunteers from President Lincoln and on August 6th I enlisted in the 139th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers.  I took the pledge to serve my country for three years or during the war, received my fifty dollars bounty, and was told to report next morning.  One week later I was sent to Camp Howe for two weeks to learn the use of the gun and to drill.  The last part of August I got a furlough to see my mother and that was the first time she saw me in blue as a soldier.  Saturday night of that week I received word to report to camp Monday morning to take the train for Washington, D. C.  The next day, Sunday, I went to the farm to see my girl and the Bock family.  We had a nice time that last day on the farm, but as the time came to say good-bye, it was sad.  Father Bock went part of the way down the lane with me and he gave me some good advice on camp life.  I am glad that I obeyed him.  I loved Father Bock.

~ Conrad Smith¹⁾My Early Life and the Civil War, Conrad Smith, 1920, pages 19-20