Artificer Isaac White
Artificer Isaac White
Private Isaac White was born between 1828 - 1832 in Franklin County, Virginia, and enlisted on October 10, 1863, in Natchez, Mississippi. Military records described him as 32 years old, 5’7” tall, with a dark complexion, black eyes, and dark hair. His occupation was recorded as carpenter, and he enlisted for three years.
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He served with the 6th Heavy Artillery Company G, where he was on garrison duty at Natchez and Vicksburg, Mississippi, until April 1864. He was the regiment’s blacksmith from May 1864 to June 1865. He was promoted to corporal on March 25, 1864, but was later listed as private when he took the job of artificer in May of 1864. It is possible he had to return to the rank of private to hold the position of artificer. His experience as a carpenter may have assisted with his job as an artificer repairing munitions and machinery, including carriages and wagons that transported heavy artillery.
In archives for the Freedmen’s Bureau there was a record of an Issac White in a Freedmen’s Hospital in Vicksburg, admitted on Aug. 29, 1866, for diarrhea and was discharged on September 5. (This record lists him as 30 years old)
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While in the service, Issac married Margaret Jachna at Fort McPherson in Natchez Mississippi on Dec. 30, 1864. Margaret was born in Louisianna. Natchez was captured and held by the Union in 1863 and became a safe community for formerly enslaved civilians, including family members of USCT soldiers. The USCT made up approximately half of the Union soldiers stationed there.
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At the time of the 1870 Census, Issac (39) and Margaret (33) lived in Natchez, Mississippi. He worked as a blacksmith and she as a laundress. They had no children.
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The 1880 census recorded Margaret White as 43 years old, widowed and the head of the household in Nachez, Mississippi. She died of “consumption” on June 30, 1883, and was buried at the Natchez City Cemetery.
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Contributors: Sarah Plummer, Toni Smith and Cathie Cummins
