2025-01 Raynors Historical Collectible Auctions
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/25/2025
Four page, color printed “Rception of the State Colors, At Philadelphia, July 4, 1866...” printed by King & Baird. The Programme provides the order of the procession .. “A procession will be formed under the direction of Major General Winfield Hancock ...” Continues with a listing of the Regiments, The Militia, The route, and the closing ceremonies. Perhaps the uniqueness of this centers on the Committee Chairman, Harry White. White served in the 67th PA Infantry, ultimately earning the rank of Brevet Brig General. But what a story of his capture and escape. At the date of his capture all exchange of prisoners had stopped, and Major White was sent with other prisoners to Libby at Richmond. I did so, and found there a communication stating that Col. Harry White, commanding one of the Pennsylvania regiments, had disguised himself as a surgeon and was then on board my boat. I immediately directed the prisoners to be drawn up in line on the shore and made them an address, in which I recounted the efforts I had made to secure the immunity of their class, and stated that an officer of the line, not entitled to exchange or release, was among them, disguised as a surgeon. I then raised my voice and shouted, ‘Colonel Harry White, come forth.’ He stepped in front at once, and in a few words claimed that he had a right to resort to any stratagem to effect his release. I replied that I was not there to dispute r affirm what he had said but that he must return to Richmond under arrest. On his return to Libby, Harry White was put into one of the famous dungeons at that place and his experience there would too much extend he story of his imprisonment. On Christmas Day, 1863, he was taken from Libby and under guard sent to Salisbury (N.C.) prison, with the following order from General Winder, the commandant of Rebel Prisons: “I send you Major White of the 67th Pennsylvania. An important prisoner. You will deprive him of all money and valuables and place him in close, separate and solitary confinement.” In May he was started with other prisoners for Andersonville, but at Chester, S.C., escaped with some fellow prisoners from the train and after recapture was sent to Columbia S.C., to the penitentiary there. Towards the latter part of June he was started again with others for Andersonville, and again escaped, but was recaptured. About the first of July he was again started for Andersonville, but at Greens Cut, some miles below Augusta, Ga., cut his way at night out of the car and was out this time twenty-nine days. Traveling only at night through the country in the direction of General Sherman’s army, then on his Atlanta campaign, he lived only among the negro slaves, and on the 29th of July he was recaptured in Greene county, Ga., by bloodhounds, and carries the marks of their teeth on his arm. After his recapture he was taken back to Macon, Ga., and then to Charleston, S.C., and put in the workhouse there with others under the fire of our batteries on Morris Island, where that famous gun called the “Swamp Angel” was shelling the city of Charleston. Harry White, by a ruse, got out of prison with these officers and was taken back to Macon, and thence with others marching to Rough and Ready, ten miles below Atlanta, got over into the Union lines, and after sixteen months of imprisonment, breathed in Atlanta the atmosphere of liberty.
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