History of Lt. Thomas William White
We do not know too much about him before the war, but that he was born June 26, 1836, the son of James and Elizabeth White in Wheatland, VA.
Thomas was apparently at one point early in the war a Lieutenant Colonel in the 56th Regiment, Virginia Militia and was captured by Union Forces but exchanged shortly after in a prisoner swap. Sometime after his release, he enlisted October 1, 1862 at the age of 26 at Snickersville Virginia as a member of the 35th Battalion Virginia Cavalry also known as “The Comanches” tasked with guarding Loudoun County and its border. He eventually became a 2nd Lieutenant in Company C commanded by Captain R. Grubb. The 35th Battalion was eventually mustered into regular service as part of the “Laurel Brigade” and saw extensive action throughout 1862 and 1863 including Jackson's Valley Campaign and the Battle of Brandy Station. The 35th Battalion was one of the first Confederate units to arrive in Gettysburg, chasing off the Union Pennsylvania militia on June 26, 1863. Most of the Civil War Veterans buried at Arnold Grove cemetery served in this unit.
The Wilderness Campaign was a bloody series of engagements taking part in the wooded areas near Spotsylvania, Virginia between May 5th and May 7th 1864. Union General Ulysses S. Grant pushed his Army overland through Southern Virginia looking for an advantageous opportunity to attack and greatly weaken General Robert E. Lee’s Confederate forces who were greatly outnumbered in men and artillery. Lee recognized Grant’s plan and decided to seize the initiative by attacking Grant in thickly wooded areas where Grant’s numerical advantages in men and artillery would be greatly neutralized. In addition, his forces were generally more experienced “woodsmen” than the Union forces and could take advantage of the close-in fighting.
After three days of bloody fighting that resulted in over 15,000 Union Casualties (including approximately 2,246 killed) and 11,000 Confederate Casualties (including approximately 1,495 killed), both forces withdrew with no conclusive victor. The Comanches engaged in significant action during this time, much of it dismounted off their horses due to the heavy woods, to include intense combat against General George Custer’s unit on May 6th. While the campaign is historically recorded to have occurred between May 5th and 7th, sporadic fighting continued for days afterward to include the action in which Thomas White was killed. From the “History of the 35th Battalion Virginia Cavalry” website: May 8th: Federal infantry had infiltrated around Todd's Tavern. Gen. Hampton orders Gen. Rosser to attack the right rear of the Federal force as Gen. Hampton would make a frontal assault.
Lt. Thomas White of Company C is chosen to lead the sharpshooters into the dense woods in an attempt to move the Federals along. After establishing a line, a fight breaks out in which the enemy force in front of him drop back to the head waters of the Ny River. Lt. White accomplishes his mission but is killed while directing his line, May 8, 1864 aged 28 years old.
Thomas was apparently at one point early in the war a Lieutenant Colonel in the 56th Regiment, Virginia Militia and was captured by Union Forces but exchanged shortly after in a prisoner swap. Sometime after his release, he enlisted October 1, 1862 at the age of 26 at Snickersville Virginia as a member of the 35th Battalion Virginia Cavalry also known as “The Comanches” tasked with guarding Loudoun County and its border. He eventually became a 2nd Lieutenant in Company C commanded by Captain R. Grubb. The 35th Battalion was eventually mustered into regular service as part of the “Laurel Brigade” and saw extensive action throughout 1862 and 1863 including Jackson's Valley Campaign and the Battle of Brandy Station. The 35th Battalion was one of the first Confederate units to arrive in Gettysburg, chasing off the Union Pennsylvania militia on June 26, 1863. Most of the Civil War Veterans buried at Arnold Grove cemetery served in this unit.
The Wilderness Campaign was a bloody series of engagements taking part in the wooded areas near Spotsylvania, Virginia between May 5th and May 7th 1864. Union General Ulysses S. Grant pushed his Army overland through Southern Virginia looking for an advantageous opportunity to attack and greatly weaken General Robert E. Lee’s Confederate forces who were greatly outnumbered in men and artillery. Lee recognized Grant’s plan and decided to seize the initiative by attacking Grant in thickly wooded areas where Grant’s numerical advantages in men and artillery would be greatly neutralized. In addition, his forces were generally more experienced “woodsmen” than the Union forces and could take advantage of the close-in fighting.
After three days of bloody fighting that resulted in over 15,000 Union Casualties (including approximately 2,246 killed) and 11,000 Confederate Casualties (including approximately 1,495 killed), both forces withdrew with no conclusive victor. The Comanches engaged in significant action during this time, much of it dismounted off their horses due to the heavy woods, to include intense combat against General George Custer’s unit on May 6th. While the campaign is historically recorded to have occurred between May 5th and 7th, sporadic fighting continued for days afterward to include the action in which Thomas White was killed. From the “History of the 35th Battalion Virginia Cavalry” website: May 8th: Federal infantry had infiltrated around Todd's Tavern. Gen. Hampton orders Gen. Rosser to attack the right rear of the Federal force as Gen. Hampton would make a frontal assault.
Lt. Thomas White of Company C is chosen to lead the sharpshooters into the dense woods in an attempt to move the Federals along. After establishing a line, a fight breaks out in which the enemy force in front of him drop back to the head waters of the Ny River. Lt. White accomplishes his mission but is killed while directing his line, May 8, 1864 aged 28 years old.