Henry G. Van Vlack
1837 - -
Name Henry G. Van Vlack Born 1837 Gender Male Person ID I204 Marinus (M1) Tree Last Modified 1 Jun 1999
Father Daniel A. Van Vlack, b. 26 Mar 1802, Dutchess County,NY 
, d. 16 May 1883, Cattaraugus Co.,NY (Age 81 years) Mother Jane Wiley, b. 30 Sep 1805, ? Dutchess Co.,NY , d. 14 Nov 1881, Perrysburg,Cattaraugus Co.,NY (Age 76 years) Married Ulster Co.,NY Family ID F7 Group Sheet | Family Chart
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Notes - b. Sept 2, 1837 in Cattaraugus Co., NY; d. Sept. 17, 1862 at the age of 25 years in the Battle of Antietam, Civil War. Prior to the Civil War, he was a teacher and an accomplished musician (I have seen reference to his playing in a band and that he played both flute and clarinet). Henry was a corporal, 64th Reg. Co. A, NY Vol. Inf. and served with his brother George in the same regiment. Antietam was one of the bloodiest battles of the war. The Union troops, using the "Sunken Road" (called "Bloody Lane" by the Confederates) as an entrenchment, were overrun by the Confederates, who then aimed their artillery, loaded with grape shot, down the sunken road, slaughtering the trapped Union troops. After the battle, brother George went looking for Henry among the survivors and then on the battlefield, and found his brother dead in the sunken road. George buried his brother under a tree nearby, and carved Henry's name and hometown on a top from a wooden ammunition box for a grave marker. George kept a diary of his war enlistment and noted therein the location of the grave. During and after the war, some entrepreneurs made a business of returning the dead, and thus Henry was found and returned, along with the grave marker. The grave marker and diary were handed down to Norman P. Van Vlack (George's grandson) who, in turn, handed them down to Wm. P. Stubbs, his adopted son and Civil War buff. Henry was the flag bearer for his regiment. The flag he was carrying at the time he was killed is on display at the Gowanda Historical Museum, Gowanda, NY. After Henry was killed, the flag was used in other battles including the Battle of Gettysburg. Henry was bd. on Oct. 7, 1862 in Versailles Cem., Versailles, Cattaraugus Co., NY. Henry's epitaph on his gravestone states:
"Gravely he bore to the gates of death
The flag he loved in his patriot hand
Nor death nor times shall ever bring back
The missing link of our broken band" - Civl War letters from Henry are available - see citation
- b. Sept 2, 1837 in Cattaraugus Co., NY; d. Sept. 17, 1862 at the age of 25 years in the Battle of Antietam, Civil War. Prior to the Civil War, he was a teacher and an accomplished musician (I have seen reference to his playing in a band and that he played both flute and clarinet). Henry was a corporal, 64th Reg. Co. A, NY Vol. Inf. and served with his brother George in the same regiment. Antietam was one of the bloodiest battles of the war. The Union troops, using the "Sunken Road" (called "Bloody Lane" by the Confederates) as an entrenchment, were overrun by the Confederates, who then aimed their artillery, loaded with grape shot, down the sunken road, slaughtering the trapped Union troops. After the battle, brother George went looking for Henry among the survivors and then on the battlefield, and found his brother dead in the sunken road. George buried his brother under a tree nearby, and carved Henry's name and hometown on a top from a wooden ammunition box for a grave marker. George kept a diary of his war enlistment and noted therein the location of the grave. During and after the war, some entrepreneurs made a business of returning the dead, and thus Henry was found and returned, along with the grave marker. The grave marker and diary were handed down to Norman P. Van Vlack (George's grandson) who, in turn, handed them down to Wm. P. Stubbs, his adopted son and Civil War buff. Henry was the flag bearer for his regiment. The flag he was carrying at the time he was killed is on display at the Gowanda Historical Museum, Gowanda, NY. After Henry was killed, the flag was used in other battles including the Battle of Gettysburg. Henry was bd. on Oct. 7, 1862 in Versailles Cem., Versailles, Cattaraugus Co., NY. Henry's epitaph on his gravestone states: