Don't know how much you know but here goes:
Hamitt Wilhite was in Upton Hays Cav Reg't, Captured Howard Co MO on April 10 1863, no rank given just referred to repeatedly in the paperwork as "Guer" which I take to be Guerilla. He is held at Gratiot and then relatively quickly forwarded to City Point Va with 254 others and is exchanged on June 8 1863. Rank on the City Point roll is listed as "Pvt." He then has of all things a pay stub receipt issued Richmond Virginia for his time in Co B Ross' Regt MSG however I think the cover slip is mis-transcribed from the receipt itself which I translate to be Hays Regt MSG. On this receipt it states he was captured Howard Co MO under Capt Grant Co H, 5th MO infantry. (not sure what to make of that ?) I've then got him being paroled at Lexington MO listed as Pvt, Shelby's Brigade, pre-war residence Jackson Co MO May 23 1865. So I can't kill him in 1863 as a Colonel.
This all matches his PM index listing:
Wilhite, Hammit Chariton Glasgow Sent for exchange 05-14-1863 F1419
Wilhite, Hammit Chariton Glasgow States that he was in Price's army for three months, asks to be exchanged rather than take the oath 04-13-1863 F1419
Wilhite, Hammit Jackson Independence Capt. J. D. Meador states that Mr. Wilhite was with bushwhackers stealing horses 05-04-1863 F1419
Wilhite, Hammit Jackson Independence F. J. Burns states that Mr. Wilhite deserted his company 05-04-1863 F1419
Wilhite, Hammit Saint Louis St. Louis Examination 05-15-1863 F1419
Wilhite, Hammit Saint Louis St. Louis Received at the Gratiot Street Prison 05-23-1863 F1419
Wilhite, Hammit Saint Louis St. Louis Statement about his involvement with the Confederate army 05-15-1863 F1419
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William D. Wilhite as mentioned is a physician living in Cooper Co 1860 with James F Wilhite. I've got him on a 1862 IRS tax list for $10 living in Ridge Prairie, Saline Co, MO still as practicing physician. He is listed on the July 1863 US draft roll for Blackwater Twsp, Saline Co as single practicing physician with no US or EMM service. He is found in the PM index as below.
Wilhite, W. D.; Johnson, Barney Saline Statement by Wilhite that Johnson was with bushwhackers in November 1864, had always thought him to be a loyal man 12-27-1864 F1627 0672 13528
Wilhite, W. D.; Johnson, Barney; Chandler, George Pettis Sedalia Statement by Wilhite that he saw Johnson with the four bushwhackers who killed Chandler on 11-24-1864 12-07-1864
I next find him in the 1880 census with wife Mary A, in Salisbury, Chariton Co.. He is then listed in an index for Boone Co obits having died 17 Nov 1891. So again I can't kill him in 1863 as a Colonel.
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Now a bit about Capt. James F Wilhite. He was from Cooper Co. and was captured, transported and exchanged with Preston H Eades at Vicksberg. He then landed in Arkansas and received a commision as recruiting officer (Captain) from Col. Waldo P Johnson. this after wading through about 50 pages of statements etc including his description of route and activities in his move north. He actually moved north with Jackman and Maupin, Pulliam, and Lowery. All well known to Wilhite prior to the war from being in the Rochprt area in the 1850s. I agree with you Bruce that he is in prison in Oct '63. He apparently was captured at Ms. Jackmans residence in Howard County in January '63. A slippery fellow he esaped Gratiot for a couple of days in July '63 then managed to escape from Alton in '64. So its not him.
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Both William David and James F were natives of Boone Co. Their parents being Fielding and Elizabeth Wilhite. They are found in Dwelling 1115 of the 1850 Boone Co Census of modest means farming. Fielding is also listed as a preacher.
Its an extensive family:
Among the first settlers of this township were members of the Wilhite family. Sampson Wilhite and his three sons, William, Stephen and Fielding Wilhite, came from Kentucky to this township (then Howard county) as early as the year 1818. They located in the neighborhood of Rocheport, where many of their descendants yet live. They were all fanners. Stephen Wilhite was a blacksmith as well as a farmer; Fielding Wilhite was a farmer and a Baptist minister.
All of them lived reputable lives and died full of years and honors. Probably the first loom was brought into the township by
Mrs. Sampson Wilhite in 1818. The greater part of the clothing for families was carded, spun and woven by the female members, and was usually made up of wool and flax ; the latter being among the first crops raised. The first brick house in the, township was built by Sampson Wilhite in the year 1822. It is still standing and is the house now occupied by J. E. Hart, four miles from Rocheport, on the Sturgeon road.
Source: History of Boone County, Missouri, St. Louis: Western Historical Company, publisher, 1882
(http://books.google.com)
I'll keep looking but I can't make it any of the 3.
John R.