Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-11-27

Onslow, Jones, Craven, Beaufort, HEREFORD and Car
teret wheneoer you may think tile emergency de-
ands it, agreeahly to the authority vested in him,
and to the instructions given to the Colonies of
militia in those counties BY Adjutant General j. G.
Martin, of North Carolina, dated October "a, 1861.
You soiU please understand that you are authorized
to call out the militia from the ,ohole any
more Of these counties at one time in his name.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. H. RIDDICK,
As't Adjt Gen'L
To Brig. Gen. HILL, Commanding Dist Pamlico,
Newbern, N. c.
A letter from Gen. Gatlin, dated October 81,
seemed to dsapprove of the call. therefore wrote
to him to know whether to obey his order or that
of his Alutant General. The next day this answer
was received
" HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF N. c.,
Goldsboro', Nov. /, 1861.
GENERAL:--I regret that you should have msun-
derstood me in regard to the calling out of the
militia. | presume that | must have badly
pressed myself, as lad no idea Of ordering you
not to do it.
Lieut.. COL Riddick sciN enclose to you tie au-
MOrity Of The Gocernor to cult them out, which yOu
wiU do at y0ur Oacn discretion.
regret that cannot 90 down to Newborn this
afternoon as the destination of the feet is not yet
determined.
'S'P>SsNiiJ3 WI w oe' '''''tt
R. C. GATLIN,
Brigadier General COMMANDING"
General D. H. Hill, Commanding District OF the
Pamlico.
In accordance with this order Of Gen. Gatlin, It.
Col. Rddick me the authority of the Governor
directed to Gen. Gatn:
HEADQUARTERS, N. c. TKooPs,)
Adjutant Generals Office, :
Raloirh Dat \
GENERAL Enclosed | send a copy of circular
sent this day to the commanding officers of the mil
tia in the following named counties: Currituck,
Camden, PerquimanS, Pasquotank Chowan Berthe,
Martin, Washington, Tyrrell, Hyde, Beaufort era
ven. Carteret, Lcnior and Jones' This circular, I
directed to be sent at the time the others were but
by some mistake it was not DONE"
COPY OF CIRCULAR.
ain my circular dated 23d inst, you were in
formed that the militia of your county would be iii
necessary called out by the Justices of the county
ImiU now add that should Generals Gatlin or Hill
call them out you cUt respond Immediately"
Very respectfully; ,m
Adjutant General
"The name of Gen. Hill is inserted in the circu
lars sent to those counties that he will be mos
likely to call upon, and that of Gen. Anderson ii
the others.
Very respectfully,
Your obi serv't.,
(Signed) j. G. MARTIN,
Adj't. General
Brig. Gen. R. c. GArL1N,
c. s. 4. Consdg. Dept. Of " c.,
GoldsJoro', N g.
HEADQUARTERS DEPT. OF N c.,
GoLDsBoKo, Nov. l, 1861.
OFFICIAL.
R. H. RIDDICK,
asst Adjutaat General
1t may be we'll to say that the original circula
mentioned above never was sent to either Genera
Gatlin or myself If the language and spirit of tn
sohoe differed from the extract actually received
! is to be regretted. For it is impossible to emplo
/ stronger language than that which so clearly give
| the authority and psh of the Governor for the cal
! of the militia. 1t will be seen, too, that calle
! upon the very counties mentioned by Gen. Martin
| and not those by Gen. Gatlin, so that there nigh
! not be the shadow of pretext of the want of Exc
cutve sanction to the call. If the Governor did no
! mean to authorize a CALL never was man more ur
fortunate in the use ofwords Gen. Gatlin and myse
ought to be excused for the natural preSumptio
that his Exceency the Governor of North Carolins
was master of the English language, and would Mt
employ words to convey a meaning different iron
his mental intention The fact is that ten days b.
fore made the call upon the militia in my distric
Gen. j. r. Anderson had, under the same Erecutsl
sanction, made call in the Wilmington district
Why was not his authority denied? Why was
acknowledged in one district and disavowed IN al
other? cock and bull story was told his Exec
lency about the militia being ordered into barrack
for three months There was not the slightest foul
dation for this farcical tale. had received tel
grams from Gen. Huger at Norfolk and from tn
Secretary of War, that they had reliable nform'
ton that a descent was to be made upon the Goa
Of North Carolina. In this supposed emergency
made the call upon the militia in the counties d
signated by his Excellency. the Governor, and upo
no other counties. As the militia had no tents,
directed huts to be constructed where houses cou
not be procured, so that the gallant men, who rus
ed 10 the defence of their SOIL might not be expos
to the inclemency Of the weather.
D. H. HILL.