Carr B. White
Encyclopedia
Carr Baily White was a physician, officer during the Mexican War and general during the American Civil War
. His Civil War service is greatly associated with operations in western Virginia
and Maryland
.
White was born in Kentucky but moved to Ohio at a young age where he attended Jefferson Medical College. During the Mexican was he joined U.S. volunteer army as a private in the 1st Ohio Infantry. On February 1, 1847 he was promoted to captain in his regiment and mustered out of the volunteer service on June 14, 1847. When White received his promotion to captain, it outraged another officer, Lt. James P. Fyffe, for being passed over that Fyffe sent White a challenge to a duel
. It was well known that General Zachary Taylor
frowned upon dueling so the two waited until the regiment was mustered out. Captain White chose, Ferdinand Van Derveer
as his second
. White and Fyffe met on an island while their transport refueled and exchanged shots. Both missed and the matter was setter peacefully. White returned to Ohio to serve as a physician between wars.
When the Civil War began, White enlisted in the 12th Ohio Infantry
becoming its lieutenant colonel. The regiment first saw action at the battle of Carnifex Ferry
in West Virginia. During the engagement the regiment's colonel, John W. Lowe, was killed and on June 28, 1861 White was appointed colonel. Colonel White and the 12th Ohio where attached to Jacob D. Cox's Kanawha Division
at the Second Battle of Bull Run
and during the Maryland Campaign
. White's command saw heavy fighting at Fox's Gap
and fought in the vicinity of Burnside's Bridge
at Antietam
.
After Antietam, Colonel White and the Kanawha Division returned to Western Virginia and the following Spring, White was given command of a brigade in the VIII Corps
. From June to December, 1863 he commanded a brigade under Eliakim P. Scammon
in the Department of West Virginia
. It was during this time in September that White helped organize a unit originally known as "Spencer's Scouts
", named after the unit's first commander, John W. Spencer. White and Spencer's Scouts operated against Confederate partisan
and guerrilla leaders in West Virginia, particularly those under John S. Mosby
.
In April 1864 White took command of the 2nd Brigade in George Crook
's division of the Department of West Virginia. There he fought at the battle of Cloyd's Mountain
. White's brigade was composed of green regiments and sustained heavy casualties in this, their first engagement ever. White led the brigade during the following Lynchburg Campaign
.
White was mustered out of the volunteer service on July 11, 1864 and given a brevet promotion to Brigadier General of U.S. Volunteers for services at Cloyd's Mountain, dated March 13, 1865.
After the war White returned to Ohio, settling in Georgetown, where he died in 1871.
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. His Civil War service is greatly associated with operations in western Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
and Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
.
White was born in Kentucky but moved to Ohio at a young age where he attended Jefferson Medical College. During the Mexican was he joined U.S. volunteer army as a private in the 1st Ohio Infantry. On February 1, 1847 he was promoted to captain in his regiment and mustered out of the volunteer service on June 14, 1847. When White received his promotion to captain, it outraged another officer, Lt. James P. Fyffe, for being passed over that Fyffe sent White a challenge to a duel
Duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.Duels in this form were chiefly practised in Early Modern Europe, with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period especially among...
. It was well known that General Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass...
frowned upon dueling so the two waited until the regiment was mustered out. Captain White chose, Ferdinand Van Derveer
Ferdinand Van Derveer
Ferdinand Van Derveer was a lawyer and a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
as his second
Second (disambiguation)
Second is a unit of time.Second or Seconds may also refer to:* 2 , as an ordinal * Arcsecond, a unit of angle* Second of right ascension, in astronomy...
. White and Fyffe met on an island while their transport refueled and exchanged shots. Both missed and the matter was setter peacefully. White returned to Ohio to serve as a physician between wars.
When the Civil War began, White enlisted in the 12th Ohio Infantry
12th Ohio Infantry
12th Ohio Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-History:The 12th OVI was organized at Camp Dennison, Cincinnati, Ohio, on May 3, 1861 for three-months service, and reorganized on June 28 for three years, under Colonel John W. Lowe, who was killed early...
becoming its lieutenant colonel. The regiment first saw action at the battle of Carnifex Ferry
Battle of Carnifex Ferry
The Battle of Carnifex Ferry took place on September 10, 1861, in Nicholas County, Virginia , as part of the Operations in Western Virginia Campaign during the American Civil War. The battle resulted in a Union victory that contributed to the eventual Confederate withdrawal from western Virginia...
in West Virginia. During the engagement the regiment's colonel, John W. Lowe, was killed and on June 28, 1861 White was appointed colonel. Colonel White and the 12th Ohio where attached to Jacob D. Cox's Kanawha Division
Kanawha Division
The Kanawha Division was a Union Army division which could trace its origins back to a brigade originally commanded by Jacob D. Cox. This division served in western Virginia and Maryland and was at times led by such famous personalities as George Crook and Rutherford B. Hayes.-Kanawha Brigade:On...
at the Second Battle of Bull Run
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...
and during the Maryland Campaign
Maryland Campaign
The Maryland Campaign, or the Antietam Campaign is widely considered one of the major turning points of the American Civil War. Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's first invasion of the North was repulsed by Maj. Gen. George B...
. White's command saw heavy fighting at Fox's Gap
Battle of South Mountain
The Battle of South Mountain was fought September 14, 1862, as part of the Maryland Campaign of the American Civil War. Three pitched battles were fought for possession of three South Mountain passes: Crampton's, Turner's, and Fox's Gaps. Maj. Gen. George B...
and fought in the vicinity of Burnside's Bridge
Burnside's Bridge
Burnside's Bridge is a landmark on the Antietam National Battlefield near Sharpsburg, Maryland. Crossing over Antietam Creek, the bridge played a key role in the September 1862 Battle of Antietam during the American Civil War when a small number of Confederate soldiers from Georgia for several...
at Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
.
After Antietam, Colonel White and the Kanawha Division returned to Western Virginia and the following Spring, White was given command of a brigade in the VIII Corps
VIII Corps (ACW)
The VIII Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War.- Creation and early service :The corps was initially created out of various Union commands as part of the Middle Department in the Shenandoah Valley on July 12, 1862, and was placed under the command of Major General John...
. From June to December, 1863 he commanded a brigade under Eliakim P. Scammon
Eliakim P. Scammon
Eliakim Parker Scammon was a career officer in the United States Army, serving as a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
in the Department of West Virginia
Army of West Virginia
The Army of West Virginia served in the Union Army during the American Civil War and was the primary field army of the Department of West Virginia. It campaigned primarily in West Virginia, Southwest Virginia and in the Shenandoah Valley. It is noted for having two future U.S. presidents serve in...
. It was during this time in September that White helped organize a unit originally known as "Spencer's Scouts
Blazer's Scouts
Blazer's Scouts was the name for a military company aligned with the Union Army during the second half of the American Civil War. They were particularly active in tracking down and confronting Confederate partisans and guerrillas in West Virginia and Virginia, particularly those of Colonel John S....
", named after the unit's first commander, John W. Spencer. White and Spencer's Scouts operated against Confederate partisan
Partisan (military)
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity...
and guerrilla leaders in West Virginia, particularly those under John S. Mosby
John S. Mosby
John Singleton Mosby , nicknamed the "Gray Ghost", was a Confederate cavalry battalion commander in the American Civil War...
.
In April 1864 White took command of the 2nd Brigade in George Crook
George Crook
George R. Crook was a career United States Army officer, most noted for his distinguished service during the American Civil War and the Indian Wars.-Early life:...
's division of the Department of West Virginia. There he fought at the battle of Cloyd's Mountain
Battle of Cloyd's Mountain
The Battle of Cloyd's Mountain was a Union victory in western Virginia in 1864 that allowed the Union forces to destroy the last railroad connecting Tennessee to Virginia.-Background:...
. White's brigade was composed of green regiments and sustained heavy casualties in this, their first engagement ever. White led the brigade during the following Lynchburg Campaign
Battle of Lynchburg
The Battle of Lynchburg was fought on June 17–18, 1864, two miles outside Lynchburg, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. The Union Army of West Virginia, under Maj. Gen. David Hunter attempted to capture the city, but was repulsed by Confederate Lt. Gen. Jubal Anderson...
.
White was mustered out of the volunteer service on July 11, 1864 and given a brevet promotion to Brigadier General of U.S. Volunteers for services at Cloyd's Mountain, dated March 13, 1865.
After the war White returned to Ohio, settling in Georgetown, where he died in 1871.