Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-02-06


" i'll the Wilmington or State Journal or STANDARD,
other competent person, state the object of the
late draft Of onehd of the Militia from thirty of the
Eastern countits They will confer favor, for there
is much confusion among the people in some localities.
Ii this special levy be TO draft for the to
compel item to volunteer in these particular counties
by joining other companies already formed, then it is
regarded and very justly imputaton upon the pat
riotism OF the people OF these thirty Counties. For
why draft men from these particular counties for the
war or compel them to volunteer in other companies al
ready in the service. UGH to be the impression
in some particular localities: that if third of the
militia from these thirty counties will join other compa-
MES already formed it will satisfy the call of the Gov
ernor and relieve the draft If that be the object of
the draft does gross injustice to the patriotic people
of these Eastern counties. Have they not done their
duty in this crisis? Do they lack one-third of their
militia IN not doing ii? If they do lack that much then
is the impression right and injustice done but they
lack nothing. hese counties will compare avorably
with any other thirty counties in the State. For in-
stance, take New Hanover, Dupin, Sampson, Wayne
and ODslOw, these counties, and | speak of them be-
cause happen to know more about them, have done
their full duty-now bear their full share of the burden
OF furnishing both men an means for carrying On the
war Onslow is the smallest and what has she done :?
She has three full companies in Virginia-Qne in the
35th Regiment near Newbern, and Dragon compa-
ny at SwansborO, Of one hundred men. Counting
in those at the battery at Swausboro and the Forts and
in other companies will swell her list to six hundred
men, with voting population between eight and nine
hundred Then she has provided amply for the families
rendered dy by the absence of their husbands or
sons in the service of their country and what may be
said OF OnsOw can be said, have no doubt of these
other counties drafted But take it that the Governor
did not mean to say by this levy that these counties
bad not done their duty be did net mean to draft men
or to compel them to volunteer for other companies al
ready formed be meant for the Coonel to call for
third of the Militia volunteers draft that number
and organize them into COMPANIES and keep them in the
counties to be ready to repe INVASION order to relieve
the necessity of calling out the entire Militia-that
when there Invasion call out these companies
formed OF the One-ihiTd of the Militia, whether as vol
unteers or drafted In other words this special levy
was made to relieve the necessity of calling out the en-
tire Militia from the Eastern counties to repe invasion
1t will be too great drain upon these counties to fur
nish other companies already in the service with
third more Of the Militia. INQUIRER
So far We are able to form an opinion upon this
subject it comedies with that expressed by "I6qurer
When, pending former threatened invasion of our
coast the whole militia Of several counties was called
out that call was thoroughly responded to- that some
districts in nearly every county in this section we're left
bare of every fit to bear arms whether legally SUBJ
ject or not. So much that the commanding General
had to detail men to GO home for local protection 1t
has been our opinion that in order to avoid recur-
renee of this state of things it resolved to call out
at any one tme the first call at least only one-third
Of the militia of any county, district by district, and
the draft was made to ascertain definitely which portion
should be called out, and which should be required to
stay at home We think that about every company in
New Hanover would have volunteered en- masse but
that not the idea. 1t to prevent this evv en-
that the distinctive selection of one-brd wa,
made this third when called into service to stand pre-
csey in the position that the whole would have
done, had the whole militia been called into the ser
vice OF the State Under any other view of the case
this draft would work a serious injustice and cast q
grave mputaton upon the people of the thirty counties
to which it applies.