Thursday, March 21, 2013

William H. Whitcomb 5TH., New York Cavalry.

WHITCOMB, WM. H.—Age, 21 years. Enlisted, October 1,1861, at Catskill j mustered in as corporal, Co. L, October 31, 1861, to serve tbree years; re-enlisted, as private, January 1,1861; transferred and appointed sergeant, Co. M, also first sergeant, no dates; mustered in as second lieutenant, Co. K, September 1, 1864; mustered in as first lieutenant, Co. L, November 14, 1864; mustered out with company, July 19, 1865, at Winchester, Va. Commissioned second lieutenant, July 30, 1864, to rank from May 20, 1864, vice Black, promoted; first lieutenant, November 15, 1864, to rank from November 14, 3864, vice Waugh, term of service expired.

The following was taken from the New York Cavalry Regimental History.

Sergeant Wm. H. Whitcomb, Co. M, was captured, but escaped through dint of Yankee ingenuity " The Rebels had stripped off his arms and were using the corus language with which the Yankee prisoner is usually saluted," when he informed them that they had been pursued by only a dozen Yankees whom they might all capture by dashing back upon them. They charged back, were scattered, and some of them captured by our boys, and Whitcomb escaped.

Sergeant William H. Whitcomb had two horses killed under him in action and six mortally wounded.

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