White, Edward B. to his sister
High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC06053.02 Author/Creator: White, Edward B. Place Written: Kemper, Mississippi Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 23 January 1864 Pagination: 3 p. : address ; 31.3 x 19.5 cm. Order a Copy
Offers reflections on his earlier prediction for the Confederacy. Writes in part: "my doctrine before the commencement of it [i.e., the war] was that secession would be followed by the bloodiest strife recorded in the page of modern history and lay the foundation stone for the abolition of slavery; but all such talk as this was, at that time, looked upon as proceeding from the imagination of a lunatic, and treated accordingly. There must be a tremendous reconning to settle up for the misery inflicted on the innocent thousands of young boys, who never had a voice in the affairs of government, butchered. The whole land is strewn with widows, orphan children, and bereaved parents."
[draft] [partial]
"I have been uneasy about you all, for the letters you speak of having written were never received; and while the sword, and the pestilence are devastating our once happy land, I know not but that some of you might have fallen. I have lost two of my boys, and a third ones fate is very uncertain..."
"The confederacy has robbed me of all the [2] help I had in the world, and left me, in my old days, to scuffel for a wife and four children as best I can. I think that our rulers, when they passed the twenty negro exemption law, might have, with more equity, exempted one white boy out of six of the same family..."
"You speak of your Mother coming to see us; I cannot express the pleasure that [3] a visit from her would give me; your Aunt Flora and all the family join me in begging her to keep her resolution; there is only one thing that we are uneasy about, and that is, we are living in a very rough style; (but mind you, no worse than a large majority of our neighbors) we have neither Coffee, Tea, or Sugar, or Flour, but a plenty of hog meat, and meal bread. Now if your Mother can put up with our rough doings, tell her that she will meet with a warm palm from every member of the family."
"I have six acres in wheat, and it looks promising - but I feel far from the certainty of enjoying it, for if either of the belligerents come upon us, destruction is our inevitable fate. [4] You are in quite a critical situation - I look for a combined attack on Vicksburg by the River, and land forces of the Northerners."
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.