Submitted by Sandra White Hinton: Letter Transcribed by Sandra White Hinton, Cheri Todd Molter & Kobe M. Brown; Content notes written and edited by Cheri Todd Molter and Kobe M. Brown
Note from Sandra: Here are my ancestors’ letters. Please do upload them. All the Whites were educated, and they were all Masons.
Original Transcription: Orange C, House Va
January 9th 1864.
Murdock White
Dear Bro, in passing off a lonely time this evening, I come to the conclusion to write you a few lines as it has been some time since I have heard from you. I got a letter few days ago from Father Stating that you & your family was Sick but were mending, I hope by this time you have fully Recovered & all well, my health is generally good and I am on duty every day, I have not lost but 5 or 6 days Since I left home in Sept. last I know that I have been through as many hardships as I ever did, for the length of time, Father wrote me that he has lost several head of Cattle & 4 Hogs it does seem to me that there is a screw loose some where [sic] I wish you & Bro. Jas [James] would have a eye single to this affair find out the Rogues & have them punished,I hope Bro. Lal, will get afurlough [sic] in a few days & get home, I think I will be home some time in March; The Substitute law is Killed and all able Bodied men from 18 to 45 years will have To come into Service, So I am very oneasy [sic] about you & Bro. Jas I dont know what plan could be persued [sic] for the best, for if you & Jas both have to leave home, the negroes will take possession, they dont care for Father now. Consequently I hope there will be some provisions made yet, in such cases; we have been doing heavy picket duty for some time and will until 23rd; we will move back to the Rear then and build winter quarters & Rest some I hope, the weather is very cold here, we have had several snows, snow on the ground all the time; it does not melt off before it snow’s [sic] again, I shall here [sic] from Bro. Lal to Knight [sic] Capt. O. Holmes went there today to see his Bro. J.C. Holmes who is very sick his left side is paralized he has lost the youse [sic] of his left arm & hand entirely; I hope Bro Lal will go home shortly I think he will encourage you all to see him, it being so long since he was at home, give my Respects to Sister & the children say Frankie & Willie to be good boys learn their Books, when I come home I will bring them a pretty
Very Respectfully your
Bro. O. P. White
Editors Notes:
“O. P. White”: Oliver P. White wrote this letter and was one of the sons of James White and Martha Culbreth White. When the Civil War started, Oliver was a 37-year-old Sampson County farmer. He enlisted in the Confederate Army on March 10, 1862 as a First Lieutenant and served in Company I of the 46th North Carolina Infantry. Oliver surrendered with his regiment on April 9, 1865 at Appomattox Court House, Virginia. After the war, he married Elizabeth Draughon.
“Murdock White”: (1822-1879) Murdock White was Oliver’s brother and a son of James and Martha White. He was a landowner & lived in Sampson County with his wife, Anne, and their children.
“Father”: James White Sr. (1792-1876) was the father of Lal, Oliver, James, and Murdock White. He owned property in Sampson County and was married to Martha Culbreth White.
“Bros Jas”: James White Jr. (1829-1882) of Sampson County was one of the White brothers. In 1850, according to census records, he lived at home with his parents, James and Martha Culbreth White, in 1850 and was an independent farmer by 1860. The 1860 Census listed him as the owner of real estate valued at $5,000, and personal property worth $15,000. James experienced financial loss after the war: In 1870, his real estate value went down to $1,000 and his personal propety was valued at $400. James married Susan Royal, who was a school teacher.
“Bro. Lal”: Lallister M. White, or “Lal”, was born in Sampson County, North Carolina. He was a son of James and Martha White and the brother of James Jr., Murdock, and Oliver. 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 in Virginia.
“Capt. O. Holmes”: Captain Owen Allmand Holmes (1833-1904) of Sampson County was a Captain in Company I of the North Carolina 46th Infantry, the same unit that Oliver served in. Capt. Holmes was commissioned into service at age 29 on April 16, 1862. He surrendered on April 9, 1865.
“J.C. Holmes”: Lt. Col James Clinton Holmes (1826-1865) was born at Clinton in Sampson County, North Carolina. The older brother of Captain Owen Allmand Holmes, James enlisted in the Confederate Army as a 2nd Lt. on April 20, 1861.
“Sister”: Ann Eliza Brown White (1838 – 1927) was married to Murdock White and the mother of Frankie and Willie White. Ann was Oliver’s sister-in-law. Her parents were Arthur and Margaret Fennell Brown.
“Frank”: Franklin Mallett White (1856-1918) was the eldest son of Anne White and Murdock White.
“Willie White”: William L. White (1858-1924) was the son of Ann White and Murdock White
Modern Transcription Orange Court House, Va.
January 9th 1864.
Murdock White
Dear Bro, in passing off a lonely time this evening, I have come to the conclusion to write you a few lines as it has been some time since I have heard from you. I got a letter a few days ago from Father stating that you & your family were sick but were mending. I hope, by this time, you have fully recovered & are all well. My health is generally good, and I am on duty every day. I have not lost but 5 or 6 days since I left home in September last. I know that I have been through as many hardships as I ever did for the length of time. Father wrote to me that he had lost several head of cattle & 4 hogs. It does seem to me that there is a screw loose somewhere. I wish you & Bro. James would have an eye on this affair, find out the rogues, & have them punished. I hope Bro. Lal will get a furlough in a few days & get home. I think I will be home sometime in March. The Substitute Law is killed, and all able-bodied men from 18 to 45 years will have to come into service, so I am very uneasy about you & Bro. James. I don’t know what plan could be pursued for the best, for if you & James both have to leave home, the negroes will take possession. They don’t care for Father now. Consequently, I hope there will be some provisions made yet in such a case. We have been doing heavy picket duty for some time and will until the 23rd; we will move back to the rear then and build winter quarters & rest some, I hope. The weather is very cold here. We have had several snows; snow is on the ground all the time. It does not melt off before it snows again. I shall hear from Bro. Lal tonight. Capt. Owen Holmes went there today to see his Bro. J. C. Holmes, who is very sick. His left side is paralized, and he has lost the use of his left arm & hand entirely. I hope Bro. Lal will go home shortly: I think he will encourage you all to see him, it being so long since he was at home. Give my respects to Sister & the children. Tell Frankie & Willie to be good boys and learn their books. When I come home, I will bring them a pretty.
Very Respectfully, your
Brother, Oliver P. White