Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/403

 AVHITAKER

AYHITE

WHITAKER, Walter C, soldier, was born in Slielby cuuiity. Ky., in August, 1823. He attended colle.^e ill Virginia, but left before finishing his course in law to figtit in the war with Mexico, being commissioned lieutenant in a volunteer regiment from Kentucky. After the war he completed his course in law, practised in Shelby- ville, Ky., and was a state senator at the begin- ning of the civil war. He helped to keep Ken- tucky in the Union, and was commissioned colonel of the 6th Kentucky Union volunteers in Sep- tember, 1861. He fought under General Nelson in November, 1861, in eastern Kentucky, and with Nelson joined Sherman near Louisville, Ky. He commanded his regiment in the 19th brigade (Hazen) 4th division (Nelson) in the Army of the Ohio under Buell, at Shiloli, April 6-7, 1863 ; participated in the pursuit of Bragg, the battle of Perryville, Oct. 8, 1863, and the battle of Stone's River, Dec. 31, 1862, where his regiment was in the 3d brigade (Hazen), 2d division (Palmer), left wing (Crittenden) under Rosecrans. On June 2o, 1863, he was commissioned brigadier- general of volunteers, and at Cliickamauga com- manded the 1st brigade, 1st division (James B. Steedman) of Gordon Granger's corps. At Chick- amauga lie marched to the support of Thomas in the afternoon, and led his brigade in a desperate charge to protect tlie right flank. In the attack Whitaker was wounded and seven of his eight staff officers were wounded or killed. General Thomas succeeded Rosecrans in the command of the Army of the Cumberland and Whitaker's brigade became the 2d brigade, 1st division (Charles Cruft), 4th corps under Granger. Dur- ing the battle of Chattanooga Cruft's division was separated from the rest of the Army of the Cumberland, and was at Lookout Mountain under Hooker. Hooker had to cross Lookout Creek, which was strongly defended by a Confederate advance line, and sent Whitaker's brigade and Geary's division, under cover of a dense mist, up' stream to a ford, where at 8 A.M. on Nov. 24, Whitaker led the advance, drove back the enemy's picket, capturing many, and ascended the moun- tain until he reached a tenable position, where he was later joined by the rest of Hooker's command. In the spring of 1864 the Army of the Cumber- land, still under Thomas, accompanied Sherman on his march to Atlanta. Whitaker's brigade was in the 1st division (General Stanley) of the 4th corps(0. O. Howard) and took part in prac- tically all of the battles. General Thomas was sent north in September, 1864, to protect Sher- man's communications, and in October the 4th corps under Stanley hastened to Thomas : fought at Franklin, Tenn. ; participated in the retreat to Brentwood, and fought at Nashville, Tenn., Dec. 15-16, 1864, Kimball commanding the division

and T. J. Wood the corps. General Whitaker was brevetted major-general of volunteers and at the close of the war, continued his law practice. He was for a short time confined in an insane asylum, but upon his recovery returned to the practice of law. He died in Lyndon, Ky., Julv 9, 1887.

WHITCHER, Frances Miriam, author, was born in Whitesboro, N.Y., Nov. 1, 1811 ; daughter of Lewis Berry. She attended the district schools, and began literary production at an early age, be- coming widely known as a humorist through her contributions to Xecd's Saturday Gazette signed " Widow Bedott,"' 1840-50. She married, in 1850, the Rev. Benjamin W. Whitcher, rector of St. John's Church, Whitesboro, but he was obliged to resign as his wife's former neighbors accused her of "writing them up" in the "Widow Be- dott " papers, and he accepted the rectorship of Grace Church, Elmira, N.Y. Mrs. Whitcher re- turned to Whitesboro in 1851, where her child was born, and where she died soon after. Her rel- atives collected her letters, which were published as : Tlie Widow Bedott Papers, icith an intro- duction by Alice B. Neal (3 vols. 1855); Aunt Maguire and Letters from TimberviUe which originally appeared in Godey's Lady^s Book, and Widoio Spriggins, Mary Elmer, and Other Sketches, were edited with a memoir by Mrs. M. L. Ward Whitcher, and published in 1867. She died in Whitesboro, N.Y., Jan. 4, 1853.

WHITE, Albert Blakeslee, governor of West Virginia, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, Sept. 22, 1856 ; son of Emerson Elbridge and Mary Ann (Sabin) White. He attended the Columbus, Ohio, public schools and was graduated from Marietta college, Ohio, A.B., 1878, A.M., 1881. He was associated with the Daily Journal, in La- fayette, Ind., as reporter, 1878, and as manag- ing editor, 1879-81. He was married, Oct. 2, 1879, to Agnes, daughter of William S. and Cath- arine (Clark) Ward of Marietta, Ohio. In 1881, Mr, White purchased the Stcde Journal, Parkers- burg, W.Va., converting it into a Republican daily newspaper in 1883, and editing the same until July, 1899. He was president of the Na- tional Editorial association, 1887-88 ; collector of internal revenue, district of West Virginia, 1889- 93 and 1897-1901, and in March of the latter year was inaugurated governor of West Virginia for the term expiring March 4, 1905.

WHITE, Albert Smith, senator, was born in Blooming Grove, N.Y., Oct. 24,1803, He was graduated from Union college, A.B., 1822, A.M., 1825 ; was admitted to the bar in Newburg, N.Y., 1825 ; removed to Indiana ; practised in Rushville and Paoli, and in March, 1829, located in Lafay- ette, subsequently making his home in Stock- well. He was special reporter of the legislative proceedings of the state for the Indianapolis