Freelance Historian

Henry Sumner White

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Henry White became chaplain of the 5th Rhode Island Heavy Artillery in 1863, replacing the previous chaplain who was retiring due to health reasons:

The health of Chaplain Noyes failing, he resigned August 15th and was succeeded by Rev. Henry S. White, whose watchful care for the men made him particularly acceptable as their spiritual adviser. While on a visit to Rhode Island in May, 1863, he obtained contributions of money amounting to nearly fifteen hundred dollars, besides numerous miscellaneous donations of articles convenient for camp and hospital use. With the money a varied cargo, including one hundred tons of ice, was purchased and conveyed to New Berne for the comfort of the Regiment.

On May 5, 1864, he was captured by Rebel troops at Croatan, NC:

The rebels violated the terms of capitulation in every particular but one, and that was, that the little garrison should march out with the honors of war. This was done to the tune of ” Yankee Doodle.” The men and
officers were afterwards shamefully robbed of their private property. Captain Aigan and Chaplain White, (who had been on a visit to the post,) were permitted at first to retain their swords, but in less than an hour they were taken away by General Dearing’s order. The Chaplain found it difficult to retain his spurs and gauntlets, and his horse that had been shot in action was stripped of all the accoutrements, including the Chaplain’s blanket, while officers high in rank insisted that Captain Aigan should give up his dress coat. The treatment of the prisoners on the march, and in the prisons at Kinston, Macon and Andersonville, was inhuman in the extreme. Of the fifty-one captured, thirty-two died in prison, seven died elsewhere, and one was shot in attempting to escape. Captain Aigan was taken to Charleston with other officers to be placed under fire, and was moved thence to Columbia, S. C. After several attempts to escape, he finally succeeded February 14, 1865, and on the 19th of the same month came within the Federal lines. January 26, 1865, he was promoted to be Major “for gallant services during the war.” Chaplain White and Lieutenant William H. Durfee were exchanged in 1864. The former spent a short time at the north to recuperate, and returned to duty with the regiment at New Berne, November 30th.