Here is an article that appeared in the Lancaster New Era in 1985 about my gg grandfather Henry Whitaker. He served in the Civil War (Union Army) and spent the rest of his life as a minister. This article gives a few excerpts from letters he wrote his wife Catherine (Kate) during the war. Virginia Swarr Youmans ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- LANCASTER, PA , NEW ERA TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1985 The Scribbler Sudden Soldiering Abandoning Pregnant Wife for the Civil War On Aug. 25 1864, Henry Whitaker, a 20 year old central Penn- sylvanian, 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. His great-granddaughters, Jane Shenk Riutzel, 500 Stony Battery Road, and Mrs. Kenneth Helm, 1983 Sterling Place, kept the letters. Peggy Sheets Manning edited and published the correspondence in the latest issue of her 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. I now seat myself on a Knapsack to 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. Sept. 10, 1864 - Arlington Heights (Va.). We lay close to Washington City we can see all over the city. I was in the United States Capitol once Wednesday morning... It would take me a week to tell you all I seen but if I live to get home I will tell you all I seen well, dearest wife. Sept. 22, 1864 - Bermuda Hundred (Va.): We have plenty of hard tack and meat and sugar and coffee and beans and onions and dried peaches and if you come down to our house we will give you your dinner and we will make good coffee for you. Bring your sewing along and stay all day. When you come it is only about six hundred miles. You could go home after supper. Well Kate I must stop writing foolishness. Oct. 14, 1864- Battery Walker (Va.). If I live to get home nothing but death will part us. I would not have left you in the condition you was in for? the world. But I could see no other way to get clear of the draft. But I hope you will take care of yourself and try and do the same. Dec. 15, 1864 - Hancock Station (Va.). I should like very much to be with you to see the baby but I am glad to hear you are stout and when this letter comes to hand I hope you will take care of yourself and the baby until I come home... Kiss the baby for me. Jan. 1, 1865 - Hancock Station. If I must name It call it Nancy and tell Nan if ever she has one and it is a female she must call it after me. March, 1865-~ Hancock Station. Well Kate I must tell you we was in a fight last Saturday morning. The Rebels had taken two of our forts.... We drove them out of the forts and took about three thousand prisoners and two battle flags. March 5, 1865- Hancock Station. Well you say Nancy can laugh and play. Oh but I would like to see her that was such pretty hair you sent. I am going to keep it till I get home. April 12,1865 - Burkeville Station (Va.). General Lee has surrendered my... I tell you there is much rejoicing in the army after so much fighting and blood shedding to hear that this Civil War is over. May 17, 1865- Alexandria (Va.). It was with sorrow that I received a dispatch this morning that our dear child was so very sick. And I put in immediately for a furlough to come home; But I don't know whether will be granted or not. May 18, 1965- Alexandria. ...I am very sorry to say that I can't get a furlough to come home. Oh dear Kate it almost breaks my heart when I think of it. June 1; 1865- Alexandria. I received your letter this evening and oh how sorry I was to hear our dear little baby was dead. I would have liked so much to see it but it pleased God to take it away from us. It is better off then. Henry Whitaker was discharged the day after writing that letter. He and Kate had three other children and celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1914. Whitaker's last pulpit was at the Second Church of God in Lancaster. He served as commander of the George H. Thomas Post 84, G.A.R. and was a member of the Lancaster Monumental Association-. In 1921, at the age of 78, he carried the flag at the head of Lancaster's parade celebrating 145 years of independence. He died in l927.