Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-09-01
DeSerterS.

Wehave believed all along that there were fewer
deserters from the North Carolina troops than from
those of other States but it is fashionable in GER
tain quarters to attribute every thing that happens
of disreputable character to our good old State,
and hence the stigma in this respect that rests upon
her. From the day Roanoke Island fell to the
present. she has been made scapegoat for the sins
of others. 1t was asserted then, by person very
high in place, on the strength Of mere street ru-
NOR that her troops behaved badly in the battle
on that Island and from that day to this, though
the valor of her sons have time and again saved
that person from the fate of refugee and wander
er, yet justice has been denied her. and systemat
ic effort has been made to produce the impression,
and to place :hat impression in history, that she
above all other States, is harbor for deserters.-
1t seems, from the following extract from the army
correspondence of the Salisbury Ratchman that
this effort has become notorious that. even the
ooldivrs Of other States who desert, claim to be
from North Carolina. The correspondent says:
Yesterday an old member of Co. G, arrived in
camp, who had been detailed as a scout to arrest
deserterS. He was assigned to duty in the neigh
borhood of Farmville, Va, where by keeping a Wig
liant look out, he succeeded in capturing sew
| ersl fellows who belonged to the Woods Rooster
! Battalion" He asked them where they were FROM
their reply was, North Carolina. Others made like
! inquiries and received the same reply but when
! they were brought before the proper authorities
and the truth forced out the very officers examin-
! ing them were astounded to learn that they were
! Virginans and belonged to the 23d Va. regiment
| few days later squad of more North Car0EniaRs
! were arrested, but in the end turned out to be
| Georglans Scarcely day passed but deserters
were taken up, who invariably reported themselves
from North Carolina at first but afterwards proved
| to be from some other State. y few perhaps one
| fifth, my friend says, were. indeed from the old
North State, but by far the larger proportion were
| from Virginia. These facts can be proven beyond
a doubt / do not make these statements at ran
| dom, simply to tarnsh the fair names of our sister
| States but do it to vindicate our own honor.
am sorry that single soul has ever deserted from
the Confederate army but since men will go, it is
not right that they should travel for hundreds of
miles under assumed names and on North Carolina
credit. 1t makes our blood boil to hear North Car
olina denounced har5or for deserters and trait
orS, when, in fact there are fully many in other
States"
We admit with regret that there are many de-
serters IN this State, and we fear that the party
feeling in the army, gotten up by a few officers
with the sanction of the administration at Rich
mond will lead to more desertions. But we be
lieVe there two deserte-s from other States to
one from North-Carolina. Mississippi, the Pres-
dents own State, has more deSerters and more men
out of the service than she has in it But Missis-
sppi belongs to the chosen circle, and so nothing
is said about Mississippi Mississippi retained her
conscrpts to defend her own soil, and yet she was
overrun, and the newspapers gave us no informa-
ton as to the deeds of prowess of these retained
conScriptS.