Through my research over the years I had surmised that his name was William Henry Harrison Dell, and that he was the son of Nicholas and Barbara Dell, but I had never been able to prove it. I had located his Civil War service records and learned that he had been wounded at Antietam and had died 3 months later of disease, but there were very few details in the records.
About a year ago I learned that William Henry Harrison's mother had applied for a widow's pension. I knew from experience that Civil War pension files can be loaded with information. However, those files are kept at the National Archives in Washington. I added a trip to Washington to my genealogy "to do" list, but I knew it might be months or years before I could arrange a trip there.
A few days ago I got an e-mail from Ancestry.com about a special offer. Another genealogy website called Fold3 was offering an annual membership to Ancestry members for just $39.95 a year. Fold3 specializes in military records, and the price was right, so I signed up today.
After I signed up with Fold3 I went to their home page to see what they had to offer. They claimed to have Civil War pension files, so I decided to check it out. The database was searchable by state, then Arm of Service, then Regiment, then company.
I worked my way through the links to Company E and waited for a list of names to come up. When the names appeared I could not believe my eyes. There were only 5 men listed, but the second name on the list was William Henry Harrison Dell!
I followed the link and spent the next hour or more reading the files and getting a snapshot of this young man's life and death. I was able to confirm that his name was William Henry Harrison and that he was in fact the son of Nicholas and Barbara Dell. Before his enlistment he had worked at the Oakland woolen mill and also as a farm hand. He had given most of his wages to his mother for her support, even sending home a large portion of his military pay after he enlisted.
The files also detailed William Henry Harrison's last days. There were affidavits from one of his commanding officers and from the surgeon and doctor who attended him in his final illness. According to the afffidavits, Henry contracted dysentery a few days after the battle of Antietam and was treated by the company surgeon. When his condition worsened he was sent home on furlough, under the care of his local doctor. It was at his home that he died on December 23, 1862.
I am so thankful to have finally had the opportunity to "meet" William Henry Harrison Dell, to get a glimpse at his character and to honor the sacrifice he made. His death must have been a tragic loss, especially to his mother, but it is a comfort to learn that he died at home and not in some hospital far away from his family and friends.
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