Colonel William White, IV

Colonel William White, IV. . , Colonel White was born in Norfolk County, near Great Bridge, on Jan 6, 1821. He was a broad shouldered old soldier and was as brave as he was big. He attended Yale and studied medicine at the Medical College in Richmond and Philadelphia. At the outbreak of the WBTS he was practicing medicine at the village of Deep Creek and was a Lieutenant in the Dismal Swamp Rangers., He was a Whig and in 1861 was elected as a Union delegate to the Virginia State Convention from Portsmouth and Norfolk County. The convention passed the ordinance of secession although he voted against it. After Virginia voted to secede he yielded to her sovereign authority and tendered his services. He was appointed Major of the 14th Virginia Infantry Regiment which was under General Magruder at Yorktown. He was placed in command of the detachment that was sent by Magruder to burn the city of Hampton., At the battle of Malvern Hill, Major White was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and was promoted to Colonel at the battle of Gettysburg. During Pickett's charge, on July 3, 1863, Colonel James G. Hodges, the Commander of the 14th Virginia was killed and Brigadier General Lewis Armistead the Brigade Commander was mortally wounded. Colonel White assumed command of both the Regiment and the Brigade, and continued to lead his men during this famous charge. He was thrice wounded, one of which was a very severe wound to the neck., Colonel White was present at all of the battles in which the Regiment was engaged. At the battle of Drury's Bluff on May 16, 1864, he executed a flanking movement which contributed materially to the Confederate victory. He was again wounded at Five Forks in April 1865 and died as a result of his numerous wounds in 1894.