Daniel Rundell 1838—1887 A Veteran’s Sudden Death

This stop tells the story of Daniel Rundell, a well-known local veteran whose death shocked the community — not on a battlefield, but during a routine meeting among comrades.

On a winter evening in January, members of the Grand Army of the Republic gathered at Scott’s Post headquarters in Tonawanda to conduct ordinary business. Among those present was Daniel Rundell, an active and respected member of the post.

As the meeting continued, Rundell began to cough violently.

Within moments, he was spitting blood.

Witnesses described a horrifying scene: large quantities of blood, choking, gasping for air. Bright red blood streamed from his mouth as he struggled to clear his throat. A post physician rushed to his aid, but by the time help arrived, Rundell was semi-conscious. Nothing could be done.

Within minutes, he was dead.

Doctors later explained that Rundell suffered a sudden rupture of a blood vessel — likely an aneurysm — a condition that could strike without warning. One moment he was speaking among friends; the next, he was dying on the floor of the meeting hall.

The shock was profound. The article notes that his comrades were “violently agitated.” Many had survived war, only to witness a fellow soldier die in peacetime without a single chance to fight back.

Daniel Rundell left behind a wife and several children. He had worked as a charge hand in town and was known as a steady, hardworking man. He was also a musician, playing the fife and drum with various bands, including the Scott’s Post Band and the Lumber City Band — a reminder that veterans carried culture and community with them long after the war ended.

Rundell was buried with full Grand Army honors.

His story reminds us that for many veterans, the war did not end with the last battle — and that death could come suddenly, even among friends, even in moments of peace.