Private Harrison William White (1846-1919)

Private Harrison William White, grandfather of brother Robert White, was born 16 June 1846 in Dutchess County, New York. His family moved to New York City, then to Hudson County, NJ. His older brother Jesse White lost an arm at the Battle of Williamsburg, VA, in 1862 and died two years later. In 1864 Harrison enlisted in Company A, 37th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry Regiment.

The 37th Infantry was organized at Camp Delaware in Trenton, NJ, and mustered into service on 23 June 1864, for a term of one hundred days. The regiment was commanded by a veteran of the Army of the Potomac, Colonel E. Burd Grubb. The ranks contained more than 700 men, many of whom had previous military experience. Before leaving camp on 28 June, the new soldiers were issued 100 smoothbore muskets altered to percussion caps and 538 enfield rifles.

Once the 37th New Jersey arrived in City Point, VA, they were put to work at depots near the Appamattox River unloading supply trains, relieving the veterans who had been doing this routine work. The 37th was assigned to the X Corps of the Army of the James, serving under Major General David B. Birney.

On 27 August, with more manpower needed in the front-lines, the regiment was ordered to man the trenches in front of Peteresburg, and the next day they arrived to support the Hare House Artillery Battery. During the siege of Peteresburg the 37th suffered 34 men killed or wounded. On 26 September they were relieved by another regiment and transported back to Trenton. The 37th was mustered out of the Army on 1 October 1864.

After the war Harrison lived in Middlefield, Otswego County, NY, then in Jersey City, NJ. He served as a police offier in Jersey City and later as a painter. Harrison married three times and had sixteen children. He died in South Plainfield, NJ on 6 Feruary 1919.