SUBMITTED BY: Sandra White Hinton (Introduction researched and written by Cheri Todd Molter; Letter Transcribed by Cheri Todd Molter & Caitlin Crenshaw)
Note from Sandra: Here are Lal’s letters. Please do upload them. His handwriting is so neat! All the Whites were educated, and they were all Masons, as well. (Click each page to enlarge.)
Lt. Lal White’s Letter to his Brother, Murdock: November 22, 1863
Lallister M. White, or “Lal”, was born in Sampson County, North Carolina. He was a farmer before the Civil War started. On April 20, 1861, when Lal was twenty-eight years old, he enlisted in the Confederate Army, serving in Company A, 30th Infantry (North Carolina). On Sept. 3, 1863, he was promoted to First Lieutenant. On May 12, 1864, Lt. Lal White was killed at Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia.
Information about an individual mentioned in the letter:
“Bro. Oliver” was Oliver P. White, Lal’s brother, and, when the war started, Oliver was a thirty-seven-year-old Sampson County farmer. He enlisted on March 10, 1862 as First Lieutenant. He served in Company I, 46th Infantry (North Carolina) of the Confederate Army. He surrendered with his regiment on April 9, 1865 at Appomattox Court House, VA (North Carolina Troops 1861-65, A Roster, 1993).
Transcription of the original letter:
Army of Northern Virginia Morton’s Ford.
November 22nd 1863.
Murdock White:
Dear Brother: your kind and interesting Communication of the 15th Just Came duly to hand and in its examination I was truly glad to learn that you and family were all well and enjoying the Comforts of life to a reasonable extent. I wrote you a letter some time ago, but at that time had not received the one you wrote me. Consequently I write you again. I do make it a rule to write to you all at home at least twice a week, though I suppose that you do not get all the letters that I write. I am very sorry indeed that I am under such Circumstances that I can not [sic] visit home this winter on a furlough of indulgence. I should be much pleased to see you all some time [sic] this winter, but alas; this horrible war is the cause of our separation and I fear will be the means of the destruction of our noble south. But God grant that this war current may be honorably checked before er’e long it may be too late. There is yet hope among us, though we are laboring under very many disadvantages. Our army at this time is in the best order that it has been since the war commenced. Our numbers are nearly as large as ever before and the troops are well trained disciplined. I don’t suppose that there will be another call for Troops.
The men in the army appear as in fine spirits as ever, yet many want to go home for a while to see their families. I am sorry that they can not [sic] be allowed to go for a few days. It is very hard for a man to remain here for two years and not have the liberty of going home during the time it must be discouraging to men, but they take it better than any one [sic] would suppose. I believe that the men of the south are true to their Country or there would be more desertions from the ranks. This is a rainy day and I am sitting in my tent writing to you, and while I am writing drops of rain fall on this letter now & then, so you must, under the Circumstances, imagine that I can not [sic] put my thoughts down very fast on account of the wet & damp paper, yet I feel about as happy now as I often do in Camp. I often feel very lonely when I have leisure moments to pass away these days for I can not [sic] but call to mind my dear friends who have fallen by my side in battle, and are now no more, yet I hope and trust they are at rest. The poor soldier has a hard and rugged road to travel beset with many dangers. I oftimes think of you all at home and know that you must be very much perplexed in mind about the awful state of your friends and relations who are absent from home, and exposed to the evils of the land, but thank God that it is not worse that [sic] what it is. I fear the time may come when excitement and dissentions will rise among people at Home, neighbor against neighbor.
You can tell father & James that I often write them and shall continue so to do until I am cut off from Communication entirely which I hope may never be the case, while time last [sic]. I hear that you all have made fine Crops at home. I see prices of provisions going up daily. I suppose it is owing to the depreciation of our Currency and not to the scarity [sic] of articles. I am informed that a most [sic] every farmer made a sufficiency and some to dispose of. I will now give you some brief account of where and what we are doing in the army of Northern Virginia. We have fallen back to the position that we occupied during the fall and are daily working on fortifications on the Rapidan River. We are now prepared to stand the whole Yankee army at this point we are so situated that we can hold our position against any number we are all willing for the enemy to attack us here. I don’t know but we will spend the winter not far from this position. I can not [sic] think we will fall back any nearer to Richmond, we are about 120 miles from Richmond. We have Orange Court House for our nearest point to Rail road [sic] which is 17 miles from us, and a bad road in wet wether [sic] it is. Bro. Oliver is near the Rail Road [sic], he is in Heth’s Division A.P Hill’s Corps. I hear from him very often and sometimes see him, or some of his men. I have a pair of boots for Oliver which I will send him in a few days.
Murdock you must try and keep my taxes paid up and keep the Receipts, also give in a list of what little I possess about home that is taxable for I do not know when I shall ever have the chance of being a free man again as long as hostilities exist, my career on earth may soon be ended, yet there is a hope for all those who are faithful unto the end. Remember me to Mr. Arthur Brown, also to Ann & the little Boys. Tell Mr. Brown that I expected to hear that he was by this time married. Yet I suppose he is staying single in order to have a fine time with the ladies at large. Oh, I have just thought about Bro. James, I wonder if he is married. Please inform me in your next letter for he has anticipated marriage for many years. If you have followed this letter through, by this time you are nearly ready to lay it down, hence I will close.
Remember me to my dear old father & mother
tell them I never shall forget them during
my stay on earth, I remain
Very respectfully your
Brother until death
L.M. White
Transcription with modern spelling and punctuation:
Army of Northern Virginia Morton’s Ford
November 22, 1863
Murdock White:
Dear Brother: Your kind and interesting communication of the 15th just came duly to hand, and in its examination I was truly glad to learn that you and family were all well and enjoying the comforts of life to a reasonable extent. I wrote you a letter some time ago, but at that time had not received the one you wrote me. Consequently, I write you again. I do make it a rule to write to you all at home at least twice a week, though I suppose that you do not get all the letters that I write. I am very sorry indeed that I am under such circumstances that I cannot visit home this winter on a furlough of indulgence. I should be much pleased to see you all sometime this winter, but alas; this horrible war is the cause of our separation and I fear will be the means of the destruction of our noble south. But God grant that this war current may be honorably checked; before [too] long, it may be too late. There is yet hope among us, though we are laboring under very many disadvantages. Our army at this time is in the best order that it has been since the war commenced. Our numbers are nearly as large as ever before, and the troops are well trained, disciplined. I don’t suppose that there will be another call for Troops.
The men in the army appear as in fine spirits as ever, yet many want to go home for a while to see their families. I am sorry that they cannot be allowed to go for a few days. It is very hard for a man to remain here for two years and not have the liberty of going home during the time; it must be discouraging to men, but they take it better than anyone would suppose. I believe that the men of the south are true to their country or there would be more desertions from the ranks. This is a rainy day, and I am sitting in my tent writing to you, and while I am writing, drops of rain fall on this letter now & then, so you must, under the circumstances, imagine that I cannot put my thoughts down very fast on account of the wet & damp paper, yet I feel about as happy now as I often do in camp. I often feel very lonely when I have leisure moments to pass away these days; for I cannot but call to mind my dear friends who have fallen by my side in battle and are now no more. Yet I hope and trust they are at rest. The poor soldier has a hard and rugged road to travel beset with many dangers. I [often times] think of you all at home and know that you must be very much perplexed in mind about the awful state of your friends and relations who are absent from home and exposed to the evils of the land, but thank God that it is not worse than what it is. I fear the time may come when excitement and dissentions will rise among people at home, neighbor against neighbor.
You can tell father & James that I often write them and shall continue so to do until I am cut off from communication entirely, which I hope may never be the case while time lasts. I hear that you all have made fine crops at home. I see prices of provisions going up daily. I suppose it is owing to the depreciation of our currency and not to the [scarcity] of articles. I am informed that [almost] every farmer made a sufficiency and some to dispose of. I will now give you some brief account of where and what we are doing in the Army of Northern Virginia. We have fallen back to the position that we occupied during the fall and are daily working on fortifications on the Rapidan River. We are now prepared to stand the whole Yankee army at this point; we are so situated that we can hold our position against any number. We are all willing for the enemy to attack us here. I don’t know but we will spend the winter not far from this position. I cannot think we will fall back any nearer to Richmond. We are about 120 miles from Richmond. We have Orange Court House for our nearest point to Railroad, which is 17 miles from us, and a bad road in wet weather it is. Bro. Oliver is near the Railroad; he is in Heth’s Division, A.P Hill’s Corps. I hear from him very often and sometimes see him, or some of his men. I have a pair of boots for Oliver, which I will send him in a few days.
Murdock, you must try and keep my taxes paid up, and keep the Receipts. Also give in a list of what little I possess about home that is taxable; for I do not know when I shall ever have the chance of being a free man again. As long as hostilities exist, my career on earth may soon be ended, yet there is a hope for all those who are faithful unto the end. Remember me to Mr. Arthur Brown, also to Ann & the little Boys. Tell Mr. Brown that I expected to hear that he was by this time married. Yet I suppose he is staying single in order to have a fine time with the ladies at large. Oh, I have just thought about Bro. James: I wonder if he is married. Please inform me in your next letter; for he has anticipated marriage for many years. If you have followed this letter through, by this time you are nearly ready to lay it down, hence I will close.
Remember me to my dear old father & mother.
Tell them I never shall forget them during
my stay on earth. I remain
Very respectfully your
Brother until death,
L.M. White
