White, Samuel

Samuel White

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Significance:

Company H, 2nd Kentucky Infantry

Place of Birth:

Belmont County, Ohio

Date of Birth:

1833

Place of Death:

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Date of Death:

December 31, 1862

Place of Burial:

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Cemetery Name:

Stones River National Cemetery

Samuel White was born in 1833 in Belmont County, Ohio to Thomas and Hannah Berry White. He was one of 8 children belonging to Thomas and Hannah. On May 1, 1861, White enlisted with the Union Army at Pendelton, Ohio. He mustered in with Company H of the 2nd Kentucky Infantry on June 13, 1861, as a private. 

The 2nd Kentucky Infantry participated in various campaigns and battles. Some of these major movements are the battle of Shiloh in April 1862, the Siege of Corinth, Mississippi, and the battle of Perryville. After the battle of Perryville, the 2nd Kentucky marched to Nashville, Tennessee where they remained until December 1862. On December 26th, they received orders to march south to Murfreesboro. 

The 2nd Kentucky left by way of Lavergne, TN. They arrived in Murfreesboro on December 29th and began setting up their position. The 2nd Kentucky formed the front line of Cruft’s brigade along Van Cleve Lane. They remained there as the battle began on December 31, 1862, to their right. 

The Confederate forces in the area aimed to create a J-shaped motion around the Union’s right flank and cause them to collapse in on themselves. They began this attack at 6am and gradually worked their way to the 2nd Kentucky’s position. By 10am, they were all but surrounded. The Union troops that had been fighting since 6am were now forming the right flank of a vulnerable V-shaped position along Wilkinson Pike. The 2nd Kentucky formed part of the left flank of the same V-shaped position. They struggled in this position for about two hours, but Union troops were running out of supplies and ammunition. At around noon, they broke into a chaotic retreat towards the Nashville Pike with Confederate troops pursuing close behind. 

The 2nd Kentucky formed a new position on the Nashville & Chattanooga railroad tracks and stayed there for the remainder of December 31, 1862. Caught in the chaos, private White died on this first day of fighting at the battle of Stones River. 

Samuel White is laid to rest in the Stones River National Cemetery in plot D-1693.