Henry Stoutsabarger

February 1, 2022

Although the Civil War is now long past, it is fitting to recognize Perry County, Pennsylvania, boys who marched away to battlefields. Many returned. Some did not. Let’s give our respect to all.

This month’s soldier is Henry Stoutsabarger, the last living Civil War veteran in Watts Township, Perry County.

Henry was twenty-two years-of-age when he was mustered into Company H of the 47th Pennsylvania Regiment on August 27, 1864. He was the “new kid on the block.” Many men had already served with the 47th for three years and more. They were well-seasoned. Henry was not.

It was only a few short weeks before he found himself in battle in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia under General Sheridan. The battle of Opequan came first on September 19, 1864. Here the Union troops, including the 47th, were able to force the Confederates, led by Lieutenant General Jubal Early, into retreat.

A month later, the men again faced the Confederate army in a conflict later known as the Battle of Cedar Creek. For the 47th, it was the bloodiest day of the entire war. Afterwards the men generally were stationed in Virginia and West Virginia.

By the time that Henry enlisted, his younger brother George had already served several months in Company D of the 46th Pennsylvania Regiment. Sadly, George died in December of 1864 of wounds and illness. Henry, though, was fortunate to live a long life in Watts Township, Perry County, passing away on January 14, 1926, at the age of eighty-four.

He apparently left no letters or written accounts of his time in battle, but he had plenty of years to tell his stories to his grandchildren. Decades later, his grandson Cacky Liddick recounted two brief remembrances to his thirteen-year-old granddaughter.

For one entire week all Henry had to eat was stewed pumpkin. The second was much more dramatic. Once Henry stooped down to tie his shoelace, and the soldier in back of him got shot. I was that thirteen-year-old granddaughter and am so glad to have these “bits and pieces” of Henry Stoutsabarger’s time in the Civil War.