David Burr Vance

A 19 year old farmer from Brownstown, he mustered as Private, Company F, 27th Indiana Infantry on 12 September 1861.

He was among the small group of soldiers who discovered Confederate General Lee's Special Orders No. 191 in a field near Frederick, MD on 13 September 1862. He was wounded by gunshot to the right hand and left knee in action at Antietam on 17 September 1862.

He was treated at hospitals in Boonsboro and Frederick, MD, then transferred to Philadelphia. He was discharged for wounds on 18 December 1862 from Satterlee Hospital in Philadelphia. He helped organize a company of troops and was commissioned First Lieutenant, Company G, 117th Indiana Infantry on 12 August 1863 and promoted to Captain on 19 September. He mustered out on 25 February 1864 in Indianapolis.

He married his childhood sweetheart Sarah E. Brown (1845-1923) in November 1864 and they lived in Illinois to about 1871, when they returned to Indiana. He was in the brick and tile, hardware, furniture, and undertaking businesses at various times, and served as Brownstown Postmaster 1889-93 and as Town Clerk 1904-1910. He then ran and bought an interest in the Water and Light plant.

His service from Brown1 and the Historical Data Systems database. His wound and hospital detail from Nelson.2 Further details from a story about his 50th Anniversary in the Brownstown Banner of 25 November 1914. His gravesite is on Findagrave.

02/16/1842; Washington County, IN

09/23/1917; Brownstown, IN; burial in Fairview Cemetery, Brownstown, IN