David Dunnels White

David Dunnels White

David Dunnels White circa 1885
Birth name David Dunnels White
Born (1844-04-14)April 14, 1844
Cheshire, Massachusetts
Died September 9, 1924(1924-09-09) (aged 80)
Hawley, Massachusetts
Buried at Bozrah Cemetery, Hawley, Massachusetts
Allegiance  United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service 1862–1865
Rank Corporal
Battles/wars American Civil War
Tombstone of David Dunnels White, located in the Bozrah Cemetery, East Hawley, Massachusetts
Sailors Creek: Major General G. W. Custis Lee, Captured with Controversy by Frank Everett White Jr. 2008

David Dunnels White (April 14, 1844-February 9, 1924)[1] whose nomination for a Medal of Honor earned during the American Civil War "for the single-handed capture of Confederate Major General George Washington Custis Lee during the "hand to hand" Battle of Sailor's Creek, Virginia, on April 6, 1865", is currently under review by the United States Army.

Biography

David Dunnels White was born in Cheshire, Massachusetts, the son of Stewart and Elizabeth White née Ames. White enlisted in the Union Army on August 21, 1862, as a private soldier within the 37th Massachusetts Infantry Volunteers of the VI Corps.[2]

On April 6, 1865, Private White, spotted a Confederate general officer during hand-to-hand combat in the Battle of Sailor's Creek, Virginia. Private White broke through the Union/Confederate battle line and confronted the officer, halted him at gunpoint, and demanded his surrender. The Confederate officer was Major General G. W. Custis Lee, a major general within the Army of Northern Virginia.[3] Initially, Lee refused to surrender to Private White, but was compelled to do so when he felt that his life was in jeopardy by Private White’s determination to "bring him in" at gun point. At this point, Lee demanded that Private White take him to a commissioned officer so that he could officially surrender to a Union officer. Private White’s immediate commanding officer, Lieutenant William Morrill, arrived to receive Lee’s official surrender, along with Lee’s sword, haversack, and belt containing his revolver. It was then that Lieutenant Morrill made Private White aware that he, Private White, had just single-handedly captured Custis Lee.[4] In Private David White’s own words, he was "thunderstruck" to learn of the news that he had just captured the eldest son of General Robert E. Lee, the commander of the Army of Northern Virginia.[5]

White was discharged in Virginia on July 3, 1865, with the rank of corporal, returned to farming in Masschussets. He married Maria Hannah McVee on July 21, 1866 in Adams, Massachusetts. She died on October 25, 1869 and was buried in Maple Street Cemetery in Adams. On November 28, 1872, he married Belle L. Gillett in Cheshire, Massachusetts. He died on February 9, 1924 in Hawley, Massachusetts, and is buried in Bozrah Cemetery there. He was survived by his wife, who died on October 9, 1928 in Hawley, Massachusetts, and is also buried in Bozrah Cemetery.

Medal of Honor nomination

White was nominated to receive a posthumous award of the Medal of Honor by former Massachusetts Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown, current Massachusetts Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, Massachusetts Representatives Richard Neal and Niki Tsongas, New Jersey Representative Leonard Lance and Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe. As of 2015, his Medal of Honor case was under review by the United States Army. His official citation is: "for the single-handed capture of Confederate Major General George Washington Custis Lee during the "hand to hand" Battle of Sailor's Creek, Virginia, on April 6, 1865". White's capture of Confederate Major General Custis Lee, a Confederate Division commander at the Battle of Sailor's Creek, brought an early end to the fighting, saving many lives on both sides.[6] The story of White's heroic act, which was performed "above and beyond" the call of duty for a private soldier, by single-handedly capturing an enemy major general has been published in the Boston Globe, the Washington Post, the Oklahoman, and numerous Civil War journals.[7]

Media Coverage

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/descendant-fights-for-medal-of-honor-for-civil-war-cpl-david-d-white/2011/10/03/gIQAouheUL_story.html

http://newsok.com/article/5426474

http://heroes.vfw.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=8107

Further reading

References

  1. ↑ Commonwealth of Massachusetts vital records
  2. ↑ Military Service and Pension [ # 210739) records of David Dunnels White, National Archives, Washington DC
  3. ↑ War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies (Official Records), Volume 46, Series 1: “The Appomattox Campaign,” Folio No. 115, pages 945 – 948], as noted below: HDQRS. THIRTY-SEVENTH MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS April 7, 1865 SIR: I have the honor to state that there were 3 officers and 28 men wounded and 8 men killed in the engagement of yesterday. The officers were Capt. Walter B. Smith, First. Lieut, and Adjt. John S. Bradley, and Second Lieut. Harrie A. Cushman. There were 360 officers and men, and General C. Lee, captured by my command. General Lee was captured by Private D. D. White, Company E, of this regiment, and he formally surrendered his sword to Lieut. W. C. Morrill, of this regiment, who now wears it. At least one battle flag was captured by the Thirty-seventh Regiment, and one other is claimed, although the capture of it is claimed by another command. Very respectfully, A. HOPKINS, Captain, Commanding Regiment. No. 115 Report of Capt. Archibald Hopkins, Thirty-seventh Massachusetts Infantry HDQRS. THIRTY-SEVENTH MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS In the Field, April 15, 1865 SIR: In compliance with circular from headquarters Third Brigade, of April 14, 1865, I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by my command in the operations of the late campaign:…At the Battle of Sailor’s Creek, we immediately opened again with redoubled energy, and in a few moments they surrendered in earnest. More than 390 were taken and sent to the rear. General Custis Lee, who commanded their line, surrendered and gave up his sword to Private David D. White, of Company E; and Private Charles A. Taggart, of Company B, captured their battle-flag. Corpl. Richard Welch, of Company E, was overpowered by numbers and taken prisoner in a desperate attempt to capture a battle-flag in advance of our line. He was afterward retaken.
  4. ↑ 37TH Massachusetts Regiment Protest Case file at the National Archives: AGO Record & Pension Office, Document File #476510, File for David D. White, 37th Massachusetts, Volume 8W3 ROW16 COM17, Shelf F, Box #699]
  5. ↑ Greenfield (Massachusetts) Gazette and Courier June 24, 1905 page 2, “Captured a General”
  6. ↑ Medal of Honor Case reviewed by Major General Richad P. Mustion (as of July 7, 2014), Director of the U.S. Army Human Resource Command
  7. ↑ Boston Globe front page article July 27, 2011; Washington Post article October 5, 2011; Oaklahoman article December 14, 2014
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