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Federal (USV)

Private

William E. Van Auken

(c. 1841 - 1864)

Home State: New York

Branch of Service: Infantry

Unit: 107th New York Infantry

Before Antietam

A 21 year old clerk, he enlisted at Elmira and mustered in as Private, Company D, 107th New York Infantry on 7 August 1862.

On the Campaign

He was with his Company in action at Antietam on 17 September 1862 and wrote

That was an awful day. I was nervous to get into the fight but I would give my old hat and boots if I had been out of it. I tell you that it’s bad to see your companions dropping on every side of you ...

The rest of the War

He was promoted to Corporal by 10 April 1863 and to Sergeant on 5 March 1864, but was killed at Dallas, GA on 25 May 1864.

References & notes

His service from the State Adjutant General1 and his muster roll extract, online from fold3, both as William E Vanauken. The quote here from a letter he wrote home 10 days after the battle, posted and transcribed by William Griffing on Spared & Shared; the original letter from the collection of Richard Weiner. Personal details from family genealogists. His gravesite is on Findagrave; his stone has him as W.E. Nanauken. Thanks to J.O. Smith for the pointer to Vanauken and that letter.

Birth

c. 1841; Chemung County, NY

Death

05/25/1864; Dallas, GA; burial in Marietta National Cemetery, Marietta, GA

Notes

1   State of New York, Adjutant-General, Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of New York [year]: Registers of the [units], 43 Volumes, Albany: James B. Lyon, State Printer, 1893-1905, For the Year 1903, Ser. No. 34, pg. 156  [AotW citation 29129]