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Sudden Soldiering: Abandoning Pregnant Wife for the Civil War

On Aug. 25 1864, Henry Whitaker, a 20 year old central Pennsylvanian, left his home after the evening meal and enlisted in the Union Army. He served as a corporal in the 205th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, until his discharge in early June of 1865. During those nine months, Whitaker wrote dozens of poignant letters to the wife he left behind. Peggy Sheets Manning edited and published the correspondence in "Lancaster County Heritage," a local magazine-of genealogy and history. Anyone interested in the Civil War and human nature, would enjoy these letters. They tell much about Whitaker, a fledgling-minister, and his wife, Kate, whose side of the correspondence- we do not see. Here are a few representative excerpts: Aug.28, 1864 - Camp Curtin. Now seat myself on a Knapsack write you a few lines to let you know that I am Soldiering now dear Kate. I don't want you to think it hard of me for going and not telling you. I did not take the notion till a Thursday dinner time to go and as they were going to start right away had not time to come over to see you before I started. Rev. Henry Whitaker was active in the ministry of the Church of God for 58 years, and a veteran of the Civil War died Sunday Afternoon at 1:20 o’clock, June 7, 1927 at the home of his son-in-law Harry Heistand Swarr., 439 West Walnut Street, Lancaster, PA. Rev. Henry Whitaker was born in Blair County, PA December 30, 1843. In May of 1864 he married Miss Catherine Miller they celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary at Mt. Carmel in May 1914. Mrs. Whitaker died November 1920. Mr. Whitaker enlisted for service in the Civil War August 25, 1854. He served as corporal in Company C, 205th Regiment of PA Volunteer Infantry, and was honorably discharged June 2, 1865, at Alexandria, Virginia. He began his long work in the ministry in 1859 and held charges in the following places: Harrisburg, Mt. Carmel, Elizabethtown, Landisville, Rohrestown, Smithyille, New Providence, Bambridge and Rowenna in PA. His last charge was at the Second Church of God, Lancaster, PA. He was commander of the George H. Thomas Post, 84, G. A. R. of Lancaster and a member of the Lancaster Monumental Association. He was appointed by Governor Edwin Stuart a member of the battlefield commission which erected the Pennsylvania monument at Fort Mahone, VA., in 1909. An American flag, threadbare, its crimson red stripes dimmed by age, was carried at the head of Lancaster's Flag Day parade by the Rev. Henry Whitaker, as Lancaster celebrated the one hundred and forty fifth anniversary of the birth of the flag. Despite his advanced age, the Rev. Mr. Whitaker covered the entire route of parade on foot, scorning an opportunity to ride, and then when the men in khaki were drawn up in military formation in Buchanan park, (Lancaster, PA) the veteran with the old flag flying proudly from its staff, parades in front of the long line of veterans and thousand of citizens who lined the banks overlooking the parade ground. It was a stirring and patriotic program. Rev. Whitaker had the following brothers and sisters: Professor Joseph T. Whitaker, George Whitaker, Reuben Whitaker, Susan Whitaker, Ellen Whitaker, Mrs. John Shoenfelt and Mrs. Harriet Bollinger who resided in Hagerstown, Maryland. Rev. and Mrs. Whitaker were the parents of four children: Nancy, who died in infancy; Robert M., born 1861 and died 1921; Harry A. who lived in Prowls Valley; Susan born 1812 and died 1954. It was at Susan’s home that Rev. Whitaker died. Susan Whitaker married Harry H. Swarr and had the following children: Marion Heistand Swarr married William B. Shenk; Ellen Jane Swarr married John Dennis; Kathryn Swarr married Robert F. Frey; Harold Whitaker Swarr married Helen Goda and Walter Whitaker Swarr married Elva Marie Wenger.

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