History Packet No. 4

Era 5: Civil War and Reconstruction - 1850 to 1877

The Civil War Diary of Wyman S. White

Wyman S. White was one of many residents of Cheshire County who went to fight in the Civil War in 1861. A native of Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire, White enlisted in the Union Army's 2nd United States Sharpshooter Regiment. After the war, he returned to Fitzwilliam where he stayed for several years working as a granite cutter and served his community by holding public office. He later settled down in Massachusetts.

His diary contains this biographical sketch about his life as well as accounts of his entire war experience.

My Life

Born August 11th, 1841, Son of Silas and Faustina Bowen White, being a grandson of Stephen White, he being a Revolutionary Soldier and descendant of William White of the Mayflower, by my best information and belief. My birth place was Fitzwilliam New Hampshire. My Education was in the public schools, being about 16 or 18 weeks each year, until my fifteenth year. I also attended one term of high school in Marlboro, N.H. The term was for 11 weeks, being taught and owned by Henry C. Tenny in the fall of 1860. My school education was very limited and I hope has been some what strengthened by observation.

Occupied in Farm end Shop work until my enlistment in the Union Army, November 13th, 1861. Mustered into service as a private in Company F., 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters, November 26th, 1861.

In my service I was engaged in every battle of the regiment excepting Antietam and South Mountain, giving me 68 days in Battle or Skirmish, beside being under Rebel fire in front of Petersburg Virginia, from June 17th 1864 until March 7th, 1865. Our regiment was disbanded early in 1865 and men from New Hampshire were transferred to the 5th New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry and I was discharged from U.S. Service from the regiment, March 6th, 1865, being a supernumerary Sergeant. At that date I was almost totally disenabled by Army bilious and stomach trouble, which had brought my weight down from l80 pounds to 125 pounds. My trouble had been of several months duration before my discharge, but I had refused to go to the hospital and did my duty with my company even to a 12 day campaign in February at Hatches Run Va., only giving up full duty when we were transferred to the New Hampshire regiment.

Leaving the Army and camp at the front of Petersburg, Virginia, March 7th, 1865, I arrived at my father's home in Fitzwilliam, N.H., March 12th, 1865, making that my home, being unable to do much work for 6 months time. But through the care and skill of our family doctor, Dr. Cummings, I partially regained my health so that the winter following, I did work cutting timber in the woods and followed out of door work for about two years. On September 26th, 1867, I married B. Grace Reed and October 1st, 1867, I ate dinner for the first time at my own table and entered upon a years apprenticeship in the granite cutters trade, following that business for the next ten years. I have never taken much part in politics but in 1874 I was elected Selectman of my native town and was reelected the two following years, 1875 and 1876. Also elected and served as assessor and overseer of the poor, for the same period. In the year 1871, I bought a 7 acre farm on the road between the village and the Depot in Fitzwilliam, making it my home until 1877 when I sold my little farm in Fitzwilliam, buying a farm of 23 acres in Sterling, Massachusetts, making farming my business the next three years. I sold the farm in 1881 and moved to Worcester Mass., and again took up my trade of granite cutting in the employ of Almond G. Mann, doing about four years work in his employ. In 1885, on account of disability, I accepted an appointment on the Worcester Police' Force, serving same over seven years as patrolman, leaving the force in 1892.

From the time of leaving the Police, I did business as insurance broker until the year 1900. I also served the city as assistant assessor of taxes in ward eight for the years: 1894-l895-l896-l897-l898-1899. In the year 1890, I purchased two building lots on Townsend Street, building two three flat tenement houses on the lots. Making my home in one of them until 1900, then selling them and buying a tract of 20 acres of land at Oxford Plain. I moved to that town in May and built a modern eight room cottage, also a barn and other out buildings. I did gardening for about 15 years when bodily infirmities caused me to sell one of the most comfortable homes ever conceived. I immediately bought a cottage at 40 Fairhaven Street, Worcester, moving there in September, 1915. I made quite an addition to the cottage and did some gardening until the spring of 1919 when we sold our home. Then building a modern cottage on Burncoat Street, Number 309. At this time, March 21st, 1921, I am doing no business except cultivating a home garden in our back yard.

In politics, I am a Republican. My first vote for a president was for Abraham Lincoln in 1864 in front of Petersburg, Virginia. Our regiment being under arms for 36 hours, the Rebels threatening to attack at that time to prevent the Yankees from voting. They did not attack.

In religion, I am a Unitarian. Believing in one God only. The Great Power and Wisdom that created and controls the Universe. No child of Virgins. No Fairy Stories. Jesus, the man of good precepts. Only one God.

(This sketch was found among Wyman's possessions, which are held by John R. White and it was copied just as it was written.)

The editor also added the following sketch to help complete the picture of Wyman's life:

Wyman grew up at the family home in the west part of Fitzwilliam. As the signs of conflict began to appear more urgent, he thought of enlisting. His father felt that he was needed at home, for he was about to make a change in their home property, and relocate on Laurel Lake, south of the Village. Wyman was working at the Bowker Mill in 1861, in Bowkorville. A Recruiter came to the mill and he tried out for the Sharpshooters and made the required score easily. He enlisted on November 13, 1961. Shortly thereafter he departed his home for service. At the time of enlistment he was 20 years of age. He weighed 180 pounds and was 5 foot 10 1/2 inches tall. His coloring was fair, his hair light brown and he was habitually clean shaven. After his return from service and recovery of his health, he took some time to establish himself. He was known as an upright good living man. He had no use for alcoholic beverages in any form. Neither did he use tobacco. He was considered quite straight laced and did not resort to swearing or low jokes. It has been apparent that his sense of duty and justice, evident in his manuscript during his days of service in the Civil War, served him well throughout the remainder of his life. The fact that he served his community as Selectman, Assessor, Policeman and Insurance Broker, indicates that he was industrious and a trusted citizen to the end.

Wyman S. White died just about two years after writing the above story of his life, on May 4, 1923, at the age of 81 years, 9 months and 19 days. He died in Worcester, Mass., and was returned to Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire for burial in the family plot in the Fitzwilliam Cemetery, where on September 21, 1931, his faithful wife Betsey joined him.

Wyman White's diary chronicles his experiences throughout the war. In one of his accounts he recalls his enlistment:

My Enlistment

There was being raised at that time a corps of Sharpshooters by a Colonel Berdan for service in the Army of the Potomac and a recruiting officer came to our town with his target rifle looking for recruits who could make the prescribed "string" which was not more than forty-five inches in ten shots fired off hand at two hundred yards distance.

The way the string was measured was from the center of the bull's eye to the center of the bullet's hole. He came to the place where I was working soon after noon one day. He had already enlisted four of my friends in town, so he came to see me with great hopes of getting me to enlist. He said that the Sharpshooters would not have any picket duty to do, would never have to fight in line of battle, and would be armed with the Sharps, breech loading rifles of target make and set trigger, with no bayonets.

He made it appear that all they would have to do would be to pick off rebel officers and other troublesome rebels. How these promises were kept, I shall speak of hereafter.

I heard what he had to say and accepted his invitation to make a string. We went to a place called the "Turkey Range" where the local sportsmen had their turkey shoots and where I had often attended and got my turkey.

We set up our target. I commenced firing and when my string was completed, I had just twenty inches in the string, just half an inch more than half the limit. That settled it. My mind was made up. The officer filled out the papers and I signed them. I gave my age as twenty years but he inserted it as 21 for reasons known best to himself.

After the papers were signed, he very quickly invited me to go before a justice of the peace who swore me into the service of the State of New Hampshire. His object was to make it more difficult to back out of the enlistment.

I then returned to the place where I was employed and when my employer arrived home at night, I told him that I had been playing truant, and also that I had enlisted and was going to war. He said he was sorry to have me leave him but he would excuse my truancy for it had been in a good cause.

That night I went to my home. My mother, brother, and sisters were very much taken back, as they had hoped that I had stood out so long and should not enlist. My father's look showed his displeasure and he said he was about to trade for a farm and was expecting me to assist him in carrying it on. He objected no further.

My mother and sisters saw that I was in earnest and really going and began to get things in shape for my comfort. They fitted me out with nice heavy flannel shirts, night cap, gloves, housewife or needlebook, and many other things which they thought would be needed. I had stationery, pocket ink stand, good home-made woolen stockings, supplies of pills and other medicines.

These preparations were hastily made for I was expecting orders to report at Concord, N.H. any day. On November twenty-second, I received orders to report at the place the next day, so the eight men recruited in that town for the Sharpshooters were at the Depot at the appointed time. We were met there by one Horace Caldwell from Headquarters to conduct us to the place of rendezvous at Concord. Caldwell was a man of fine physique, being over six feet in height, straight as and arrow, broad shoulders, weight about two hundred pounds, and had a healthy, ruddy complexion. He was the brother of our future captain and was to be orderly sergeant of the company after its formation.

Wyman S. White died just about two years after writing the above story of his life, on May 4, 1923, at the age of 81 years, 9 months and 19 days. He died in Worcester, Massachusetts and was returned to Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire for burial in the family plot in the Fitzwilliam Cemetery, where on September 21, 1931, his faithful wife Betsey joined him.

These excerpts come from The Civil War Diary of Wyman S. White, First Sergeant of Company "F" of the United States Sharpshooter Regiment (New Hampshire Men) in the Army of the Potomac 1861-1865. Edited and reproduced by Russell C. White, and containing Wyman S. White's original manuscripts held by John R. White. This manuscript is available for study at the Historical Society of Cheshire County.