Whiting, William Henry Chase

Whiting, William Henry Chase, 1825–65, Confederate general in the American Civil War, b. Biloxi, Miss. He served in the U.S. army until Feb., 1861, when he resigned and entered the Confederate service; there he rose to the rank of major general. As chief engineer to Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, Whiting distinguished himself at the first battle of Bull Run (1861). He fought in Stonewall Jackson's command in the Seven Days battles (1862). Appointed (Nov., 1862) commander of the district around Wilmington, N.C., he made Fort Fisher one of the strongest Confederate fortifications. He was wounded and captured when Union forces finally seized the fort in Jan., 1865, and died a prisoner in New York.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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