D. H. Hill, Jr., Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 4, North Carolina
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

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[354] Fear, N. C., where it was his duty, during the remainder of the war, to keep open the port of Wilmington, of vital importance to the Confederate cause. Aided by Col. William Lamb he provided batteries for defense with consummate skill, and in letter after letter implored troops sufficient to repel the attack which must soon be expected. He was promoted major-general, tardily, in February, 1863. A year later J. E. Johnston wrote him that he made a vain effort to have him commissioned lieutenant-general and assigned as second in command to himself. ‘The reason for putting aside the recommendation,’ Johnston said, ‘was an odd one to me. It was that you were too valuable in your present place.’ But it is a remarkable fact that while Whiting was esteemed too valuable at Wilmington for promotion, as soon as the port was threatened by the vast Federal armada Bragg was given command over him, and the gallant officer, without orders, went into the fort, and refusing to relieve Lamb of command, assumed the duty of counseling him and fighting as a volunteer. The garrison, who almost worshiped him, easily repulsed the first attack of the enemy. Again at the opening of the second attack he came to the fort, and said to Lamb: ‘I have come to share your fate, my boy. You are to be sacrificed.’ After two days and nights of a terrific bombardment, by the side of which all previous artillery fighting in the world's history was child's play, Whiting and Lamb could still rally a little band which repelled the attack of the United States naval troops. Then calling his men to meet another column, Whiting joined in a hand-to-hand fight with the enemy, and fell with two wounds in the act of tearing down a Federal flag. The garrison did not surrender, but were forced from the fort and finally captured on the shore. General Whiting was carried as a prisoner of war to Governor's island, N. Y., where he died March 10, 1865.