Lancaster News

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.

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