Elijah V. White

Elijah Viers "Lige" White
Born	Template:Birth date Poolesville, Maryland, U.S.
Died	January 11, 1907(1907-01-11) (aged 74) Leesburg, Virginia, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Confederate cavalry officer, sheriff, farmer, bank president, Baptist minister
Years active	1861–1907
Known for	Commanding the 35th Battalion of Virginia Cavalry ("White's Comanches")

Elijah Viers "Lige" White (August 29, 1832 – January 11, 1907) led the 35th Battalion of Virginia Cavalry, a partisan unit during the American Civil War. His command, famously called "White's Comanches," gained recognition for its fierce raids and unique battle cries.

Early life

White was born in Poolesville, Maryland and pursued his education at Lima Seminary in Livingston County, New York as well as Granville College, which later became known as Denison University.

In 1855, he relocated to Missouri to engage in the border conflicts commonly referred to as the border wars, but returned to Maryland by 1856. The following year, he purchased the Ball farm situated near Big Spring, just north of Leesburg, Virginia, establishing a key position within Loudoun County, Virginia.

Civil War

At the outbreak of the Civil War, White enlisted with Captain Daniel T. Shreve's Loudoun Cavalry, where he was soon promoted to corporal. By June 1861, he had joined Company C of Lieutenant Colonel Turner Ashby's 7th Virginia Cavalry. During a furlough period, White acted as an aide and scout for Colonel Eppa Hunton's 8th Virginia Infantry at the Battle of Ball's Bluff. His contributions earned him a captaincy and the responsibility to recruit a company designated for border duties within the Provisional Army of the Confederacy.

The 35th

In December 1861, White established recruitment offices in Leesburg and successfully assembled an active company by January 11. He received orders to conduct reconnaissance near Waterford. On October 28, 1862, the 35th Battalion of Virginia Cavalry was officially formed with White holding the rank of major. Initially intended for border defense and partisan operations in Loudoun County, this battalion quickly integrated into regular Confederate forces. It took part in significant campaigns such as Jackson's Valley Campaign and fought at the Battle of Brandy Station. Notably, the 35th was among the earliest Confederate units to arrive at Gettysburg, where on June 26, 1863, it successfully repelled Pennsylvania militia during an expedition along the Susquehanna River. This battalion earned its moniker "White's Comanches" due to its bold tactics.

During the closing stages of the war, White and his battalion became part of the celebrated "Laurel Brigade." After General James Dearing sustained mortal wounds at the Battle of High Bridge on April 6, 1865, White took command of the brigade. He subsequently disbanded both the Laurel Brigade and his own battalion four days later. White was officially paroled in Winchester on May 8.

Postbellum life

Following the war’s conclusion, White returned to Loudoun County as a respected figure and resumed his agricultural and commercial ventures. In 1866, he was elected sheriff of Loudoun County for a single four-year term and also fulfilled duties as county treasurer. In 1872, he purchased Conrad's Ferry and renamed it White's Ferry. From 1892 until his passing, he served as president of Leesburg’s People's National Bank.

On April 15, 1866, White underwent baptism and was later ordained as a minister in the Primitive Baptist Church in 1877. After elder Joseph Furr passed away, White assumed pastoral leadership over several Virginia congregations including New Valley, Mill Creek, and Frying Pan.

Personal life

In 1857, White wed Sara Elizabeth Gott, a native of Montgomery County, Maryland, and together they raised five children. Following her passing in the 1880s, he remarried in 1894 to Margaret Gittings Baines from Philadelphia.

White passed away on January 11, 1907, at his residence in Leesburg. Among those present at his funeral was Senator John W. Daniel. He was laid to rest in Leesburg's Union Cemetery.