WILLIAM L. WHITNEY (1844 - 1922) American military officer, First Lieutenant in the 54th Massachusetts Vols. He enlisted as a Second Lieutenant on 3 December 1864, mustered 22 January 1865; promoted to First Lieutenant on 28 April 1865, and discharged 20 August 1865 with his regiment. Historic content war-date A.L.S. on very rare 'Head Quarters 54th Regiment Mass. Volunteers' letterhead, 4pp. 8vo., Georgetown, SC, Apr. 30, 1865 to 'Julia', probably his sister. penned four days after Johnston's surrender (but technically while the war was still underway) and less than two weeks after the bloody engagement at Boykin's Mill. Fine content describing the end of hostilities, in small part: '...We were in the centre of S. Carolina when a flag of truce came to us from the rebs saying that there had been a cessation of hostilities...the Gen. ordered the guns to be discharged and three rousing cheers to be given which was done and we started back for Georgetown with a white flag in our advance. The night before we destroyed a large lot of stores, locomotives & cars...Then we entered Camden, there were four large Hospts. full of reb soldiers, wounded and sick, they came to the doors and windows to see us (colored troops) march by singing John Brown and other songs which the men did in every place they took, even when the Johnnies were leaving the other end of the town...' Text has lightened a bit but remains legible, else very good.