John White
Warrenton, Warren County, North Carolina
Marker Inscription
John White. N.C. commissioner to buy ships and supplies in England during the Civil War. Gen. R. E. Lee visited in his home, 1870, standing 1 block E.
Erected by North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The Story
During the Civil War, John White served as North Carolina's commissioner sent to England to purchase ships and military supplies for the Confederate war effort, braving the risks of transatlantic wartime trade. After the war, in 1870, General Robert E. Lee visited White at his Warrenton home, which stood one block east. White's mission reflected the Confederacy's heavy reliance on European goods.
Why it matters
White's overseas procurement shows how the Confederacy fought its war through blockade-running and foreign supply lines as much as on the battlefield.
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Related people
- · John White
- · Robert E. Lee
Themes & tags
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