Confederate Biography :  M. J. WHITMAN, Smith County, TX

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Submitted by Susie McFarland Lemin slemin46@yahoo.com
12 October 2001
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TEXANS WHO WORE THE GRAY by Sid S. Johnson, p. 195

M. J. Whitman of Rusk was born in Harris County, Ga., on the 1st day 
of May, 1845, and came to Smith county, Texas, January 3, 1858, with 
his parents and was reared upon a farm near old Starrville in said 
county, attending the schools of that old educational center until 
November, 1861, when he volunteered for Confederate service in Capt. 
Ogburn's company of Smith county, of the 14th Texas cavalry, and
served therin until March, 1862, when he was discharged therfrom on 
account of his age.  A few days thereafter he again volunteered, this 
time in Company D of the 28th Texas cavalry, afterward dismounted at 
Lewisville, Ark., in the summer of 1862.  This regiment then was 
commanded by Col. Horace Randall, and went into quarters for equipment 
and drill.  There young Whitman was taken sick and sent to St. John's 
hospital in the city of Little Rock, and discharged therefrom and from 
the army on the 18th of December, 1862.  Reaching home, he recovered 
his health and again volunteered in the army, entering Capt. Cal 
Murray's company composed of men from several counties, a part of which, 
with Capt. Ki Taylor's company of Cherokee and Smith counties, was made 
Co. K of the 34th regiment, Texas cavalry, which was organized at 
Wheelock, in Robertson county, Texas in June, 1863, A. W. Terrell of
Austin, Texas being its colonel and John C. Robertson of Tyler, Texas 
was its lieutenant-colonel.  This regiment saw service in South Texas 
until February 1864, and it was then sent to Louisiana and brigaded 
with the 1st Texas cavalry and the 35th Texas cavalry, and commanded 
by Col. Buchel, who was killed at the head of his brigade in a charge 
at Pleasant Hill, the command then devolving upon Col. Terrell. Young 
Whitman saw active service in all the campaigns '64 and '65 and 
participated in the battles of Mansfield, Pleasant Hill, Monette's 
Ferry, William's plantation, Cluterville, Marksville, Mansura and Yellow 
Bayou and the heavy skirmishes between Taylor's and Bank's armies.  
He reached home on the 1st day of May 1865, the day he was twenty years 
of age, after three years of steady service.  He was a generally 
detailed officer, filling many places, but always ready for duty and 
shirked nothing.  In June 1870 he married Miss Janie Bloomfield at 
Starrville, Texas, and in 1873 he moved to Rusk, Texas, and begun the 
practice of law.  In 1876 he was elected county attorney of Cherokee 
county, and served until November, 1882, when he was elected county 
judge of said county and served until 1890, when he retired of his 
own motion.  He had and still holds the confidence of his fellow 
citizens. In 1882 his wife died, leaving one son, Walter B. Whitman, 
who was educated at the U. S. naval academy at Annapolis, Md., and 
resigning from the navy he is now at Dallas, Texas, managing editor 
of the Farm and Ranch and Holland's Magazine.  Judge Whitman thereafter 
in November, 1882, married Mrs. Judith Bloomfield, who died in
December, 1898, leaving one son, Lee Whitman, who graduated at Tyler 
Commercial College in March, 1903, and is bookkeeper for the Angelina 
Lumber Co.

Judge Whitman is engaged in the practice of law at Rusk, Texas, has 
been for several years past and is now the commander of Ross-Ector Camp, 
U. C. V., No. 513 and is aid-de.camp on the staff of Lieut.-Gen. W. L. 
Cabell, with the rank of colonel.