Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-11-07
For the Standard,
CAMP 5TH REG'T N. G. STATE TRooPs,)
Near Winchester I'm Oct % 1880

CAMP 5TH REG'T N. G. STATE Troops,
Near Winchester, Va, Oct. 90, 1862 (
! To the People Of BERTHE County:
have to-day forwarded to Gov Vance my resiy-
nation as Senator in the next General Assembly, to
which your Partially had recently elevated me.
10 have received in ordinary times such mark of
the confidence and esteem of body of constituents
so distinguished for intelligence and patriotism.
would have been sufficient honor but to receive
such testimonial of your favorable appreciation Or
me, while confined in the hands of the public ene-
my as prisoner of war, without the least solicita-
ton on my part and without even any knowledge.
that had been proposed as q candidate with no
certainty that an exchange Of prisoners would take
effect in sufficient time to enable ME to perform the
duties of this responsible trust, and this too in
times OF great trouble, requiring wisdom and idell-
ty IN the public councils, .evinces degree of favor
and good will which excites within me the liyeliest
emotions of gratitude | hope am not mistaken
when refer the honor thus conferred to desire on
your part to manifest favorable appreciation of
my conduct in volunteering promptly at the begin.
ming of our struggle for independence, and in de.
voting myself since to the service of the country
amidst all the dangers and privatons to which our
army in, the field has been subjected regret ex.
ceedngly that sense of duty requires me to resign
this position and continue in the service in the
army. This determination. was partially formed
when was recently at home; but the condition of
my health at that time, arising from the wound
OuiSh u"u ISCSNeu III w ullaUlSOurg, rendered 1t
doubtful whether l should be able permanently to
return to duty in my regiment MY wound has
now, however, entirely healed up ami my health is
so fine as to afford me the assurance that NAV
freely obey the sense of duty which impels me to
this course think my services in the army are
greatly more valuable to the country than in the
position to which your partiality would assign me.
But in addition to this, not among the least impor-
tant considerations influencing me, NAV be men.
toned the attachment formed for comrades in arms
with whom have shared the hardships of two cam.
paigns, and that not willing to add myself to
the number Of those who are seeking positions of
ease and honor at home to- excuse themselves from
military duty, while the enemy still sends forward
his columns of invasion, threatening even fercer
spirit of vengeance and destruction than when the
war began; and although am firmly convinced that
the unparalleled successes which the valor of our
armies under Providence is daily achieving for us,
must soon restore to the blessings of peace and
independence, do not regard our affairs as placed
upon such sure footing as to allow us to dismiss
all our approximations for the future. l am per-
suaded that If any great danger environs the coun-
try, 1t results from disposition upon the part of
many citizens to plead some paltry excuse to evade