Daniel S. White was born March 12, 1837, in Reading, Vermont, the son of Calvin and Charlotte White. He enlisted as a sergeant in Company I, 2nd Vermont Volunteers on May 7, 1861 in Cavendish, Vermont. He was promoted to lieutenant January 8, 1863... Show moreDaniel S. White was born March 12, 1837, in Reading, Vermont, the son of Calvin and Charlotte White. He enlisted as a sergeant in Company I, 2nd Vermont Volunteers on May 7, 1861 in Cavendish, Vermont. He was promoted to lieutenant January 8, 1863 and was commissioned as captain on January 26, 1863. White was discharged on October 24, 1864 because of wounds received at the Battle of the Wilderness on May 5, 1864. He died in June, 1912 in Chicago, Illinois. White's correspondence consists of seven letters written to Maria E. Howe of Ludlow, Vermont, the daughter of Gardner I. and Mariah (Sawtell) Howe. Daniel and Maria married March 8, 1864, in Ludlow, Vermont. The letters describe events such as the execution of a soldier for murder and the taking of civilian prisoners. He also writes about the tragedy of the Civil War and about the fear of dying in battle. The final letter on May 10, 1864 describes a wound he received at the Battle of the Wilderness. Show less
Topics include the witnessing of a hanging execution of a man from the New Hampshire 2nd Regiment who had killed an innocent woman (wife of a rebel soldier), his reaction to the hanging, of military tactics to deter the rebels advance, of breakfast awaiting consisting of fried pork bread and coffee.
