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His dear father and you have my tears and prayers.
What have I else to give?
Yours in like faith and sufferings,
M. J. P.
From a large number of letters written to his family and friends, it is deemed advisable to insert extracts from only three.
All these relate chiefly to the time and manner of his death.
As to the slight discrepancy which appears in two of these accounts of the posture in which he was found, it is sufficient to remark, that one saw him before and the other after he had been turned from the posture in which he fell.
The first of these extracts is from a letter of General Thomas J. Jackson to Rev. Dr. Dabney.
The general says:
In the
second battle of Manassas I lost more than one personal friend.
Among the number was
Captain Hugh A. White.
We were members of the same church, and had been co-laborers in the same Sabbath-school.
His Christian labors were not confined to times of peace.
In the army he adorned the doctrine of
Christ his Saviour.
When Testaments or other religious works were to be distributed, I found him ready for the work.
Though his loss must be mourned, yet it is gratifying to know that he has left us a bright example, and that he fell, sword in hand, gallantly cheering on his men, and leading them to victory in repelling the last attack of the enemy upon that bloody field.
Very truly, your friend,
The following extract is from a letter to his brother from one who served with him as first lieutenant, and who succeeded him as captain, and who was wounded on the previous day:
Dear Sir: I have endeavored to procure all the particulars of your brother's fall, but have only partially succeeded.
Many saw him just previous to his death, and several very soon afterward, but I can find no one who saw him in the interval between the time when he was struck and when he expired, if there was any. The reason seems to be this: Immediately before he was shot the brigade had been ordered to charge, but
