Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-11-30
For the Standard.
TO GOVERNOR VANCE.


DEAR S1R:-I observe in the Conservative of the
sed to you aboundng in such glaring falsenoods in
regard to the situation in this county that feel it
incumbent on myself as a citizen of the county, to
expose them. You publish letter that was prob
ally intended for your own eye and that of the Ad-
jutant General alone.
The writer asserts that "rape, murder and rob-
berry are the order of the day." Let US examine
this assertion-this grave charge. And first as to
rape Mot singh instance Of has occurred in the
county since the war began, the statement in the
Conservative of the 9th inst, to the contrary not
withstandng. There is depraved appetite in the
county for such stories and deserters cannot steal
mans leather or cotton yarn, but that it must be
added by the third person who tells it, that they
violated his daughters Shocking! The injury from
the deserters may have been an hundred or thou
sand dollars but how insignificant in comparison 10
the loss of character which the mans daughters
sustain? Away with such sympathy
And now as to murder. While we read of mur
der in many other sections Of the State, it is notic
able that not single cold blooded murder has been
committed in this county, for three years. Many
violent deaths have occurred, but most of them
have been amongst deserters. In few instances
worthy persons have been wounded and three kill
ed by bush whackers and deserters. What county
in the mountainous region con show a farer record
than thist Yet rape, murder and robbery are the
order OF the day." according to your correspondent
Now as to robbery. The deserters have been carry
ing pretty high han at this business, on the north
side of the river fora month past They have rob.
bed some half dozen persons since your correspond
ent wrote you but our Home Giard are after them,
and have captured H. Church and others, who were
perhaps the most active in these deprtdatons and
they feel sanguine that they can drive out or cap
ture the Others. They go in gangs of about doz.
en- and intimidate by their numbers, but seldom
show fight. The gangs are composed of the worst
of our own citizens and deserters from other
parts, but they are not armed only as they seize
the weapons of citizens, and cannot cope with the
Home Guard. A regiment of regulars would fail to
find them. 1t is only by "stl hunting" that they
Can be taken.
Your correspondent says the tories of this county
have formed themselves into about four squads "
How nicely he fixes it. He quarters the county,
and gives each section band of robbers; but un
fortunately for the truth of his assertion the Brushy
Mt. REGION where he puts the Yonngers, is as quiet
and orderly and free from theft, as any portion of
Wake or Buncombe. In fact all the robbery COM
planned of in this county has occurred upon the
north side of the river; but the county being large
it must be quartered by your correspondent, and a
big booted robber put in each division to excite
your sympathes and get you to send troops here.
This is the agony.
But, Governor, mere comes q WnOpper WITHOUT
any sort Of foundation! "A great many of our
best citizens have been driven from their homes,
and have moved their property; and some have
been killed in the attempt to move" Not bit of
truth in that assertion No such state of affairs in
this county Nobody is moving or trying to move
nor being killed in the attempt. One family here
became alarmed and have moved some property
since the date of your nformant's letter but as to
the people moving, it is no such thing. As far as
l can inform myself, not single instance of NOV
ing from the county has occurred amongst our good
citlzsns since the war began. Your. correspondent
talks of moving from amongst US; but, when he
does, no alteration need be made in the above
phraseology, even though new date might be CIV
en-. But will make no play on words: I only
assert again, that no men of means have moved
from this county since war began.
But now let US present another extract. Gre
spectacle citizen " cries out in agony of despair,
cant you suggest some plan by which this can be
broken up?" Why certainly. Send troops here
BY the hundred-yes, by the thousand, and quarter
them in our little town. This will afford protection
to your correspondent in his humane effort to ex-
change cotton yarns for brandy Troops are what
he would have, even though Impoverished thecoun-
ties whence they were drawn, and consumed all We
have here in feeding them What cares be who
suffers and as to grain he knows how to get that
by threatening his neighbors.