This letter was written by William H. Banner and was directed to “Miss Barbrah Dellinger” whom he called, “my dear love” and even declared himself her “intended husband” but I have not been able to link the two in any Pennsylvania marriage records. I think it likely they never married.

The author directs Barbara to send her letters to him at the US General Hospital in York but he does not give us any indication that he was sick or wounded. It seems clear that he was working there, however, and given that he had to have a pass to leave the hospital, he must have been in military service. I found a William Henry Banner (1846-1917) that seems to fit the profile of such a soldier. William was born in York county, the son of William & Anna Mary (Baughman) Banner. In 1860, he was learning the blacksmith trade. In July 1862, at the overstated age of 18, he mustered into Co. F, 107th Pennsylvania Infantry but was ordered discharged for reasons unknown effective June 11, 1864. Under circumstances like these, it was often the case that a soldier who became ill and could not stand the rigors of camp life, would be kept on as a nurse at whatever hospital they were sent. He would have been on “detached duty.” Finally, he may have been discharged when a surgeon determined he was no longer needed but not capable of returning to his regiment. William married Pauline Keller about 1865 after completed a second brief tour with the 200th Pennsylvania Infantry.

But who was Barbara Dellinger? My best guess is she was the same young woman by that name born to John S. Dellinger and Elizabeth Smith in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1847. If so, she must have declined William’s invitation to become his “beloved” for she later married Benjamin F. Neff (1848-1882) in the early 1870s. After Ben died, she married Orville C. Kidder (1840-1897). She died in 1923.

The distance from York to Mountville where the Dellingers lived was approximately 17 miles.

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

U. S. General Hospital
at York, Pennsylvania
July 18, 1863

My Dear Love,

I now enjoy the present opportunity to address a few lines to you hoping that when these few lines come to hand, that they may find you in good health. I am very well. My dear intended wife, I will inform you that I received your kind and welcome letter on the 17th and I was very glad to hear from you indeed.

My dear love, I will inform you that we received about 80 wounded men in this hospital.

The folks around here are pretty well scared about the draft. I think they will draft here next week.

We have a great deal of rain here for the few last days.

Miss Barbrah Dellinger, I think a great deal of you and I love you from my soul and if you love me as I love you, no knife can cut our love in two. Now my dear love, I will inquire several questions from you and I hope you will answer me those especially. I intend to marry you and make you my beloved and I think we will make a good pair. And if I can’t get you, why I don’t want to marry any person in my life. It is my whole trust to get you, my dear.

My dear, did that girl come that day when I was out last—you know, that other fellow’s girl? Do you think I could have stayed with you that night if it had not rained? Please let me know in return. My dear love, I would much rather speak to you personally than through corresponding but it can’t be helped.

I expect to get paid off the next week. Then I will get a pass and come and see you and stay with you several days and nights and the first chance that I get, I will get my picture taken and send it to you. And I would very much like to have your picture. My dear, you must not think hard of my boldness in this respect. Here is a kiss for you. I hope you will answer this as soon as you receive this. And one thing [more], I hope you will not keep any other person’s company or let no one touch you in one way. Remain true to me and I will to you.

If ever I return to thee
a happy bride you shall be.

My dear love, please answer this as soon as you receive this. I can’t write much more now for I am busy so I show my best respects to your parents. So I must close for the present. Believe me to remain your very respectfully intended husband, — Wm. H. Banner

Direct to York Hospital, Pennsylvania