Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-12-14
From the Pregres&l
To Governor Vance.

DEAR Sal observe in the Conservative of the
9th letter from the town of Wilkesboro, address,
ed to you, aboundng in such elaring falsehoods in
regard to the situation in this county that feel it
expose them. You publish u letter that was prob
ably intended for your own eye and that of the Ad
jutant General alone.
The writer asserts that "rspe, murder and rob-
berry are the order of the day." Let us examine
this assertion this grave charge. And first as to
rape. Not single instance Of it has occurred in
the county since the war began, the statement in
the C0nsercatioe Of the 9th inst to the contrary not
withstandng. There is a depraved appetite IN the
country for such stories, and esertes cannot steal
mans leather or cotton yarn, but that it must be
added by the third person who tells it that they
have violated his dsaghters! Shocking! The
injury from the deser ers may have been q hundred
parison is the loss of character which the mans
daughters sustainr Away with such sympathy!
And now as to murder. While we read of mur-
ter in many other ctions of the State it is notice.
able that not sing 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
bushwhackers and desertsrs What county in the
mountainous region csn show fairer record than
this Yet "rape, murder and robbery are the Or
der Of the day." according to your correspondent.
Now as to robbery. The disorders have been
carrying pretty high han,i at this business on the
north side Of the river for month past They have
ro0Ded some half dozen persons since your cores
pondent wrote you, but our Hotne Guard are after
them, and have captured e. Church and others,
who were perhaps the most active in these depreds
tons; and they feel sa nguinc that they drive
out or capture the Others They 90 IN gangs Of
about dozen and int midate by til cir numbers, but
seldom show fight The gangs arc composed Of the
worst OF our own citiz and deserters from other
parts but they not armed only Is they seize the
weapons OF citizens, aed cannot cope with the Home
Guard. regiment of regulars wo I'D fail to find
them 1t is only by "still hunting that they can
be taken.
Your correspondent says "the tories of this
county have formed themselves into about four
squads" How nicely he 6xes it He quarters the
county, and gives eac,d section band Of robbers
but unfortunately for the truth of his ssertion the
Brushy Mountain region, where he places the
Youngers. is as quiet and orderly and free from
theft as any portion of Wake or Buncombe. In
fact all the robbery complained of in this county
the county being large must be quartered by your
correspondent and big booted robber put in each
division to excite your s.vmps shes and get you to
send tro4ps Aere. This IS tho agony.
But, Governor, here oslae - whopper without
any sort of foundation "A great many Of our
hest citizens have been .isen from their homes
and have moved their prop ssty and some Of them
have been killed in the attempt to move" Not .
btof truth in that assertion No such state Of Of.
to move, nor being killed in.tis attempt One fam
lily here became harmed and have moved some
property since the date Of your lnformants letter
but as to the moving, it is no such thing. As far
as inform my self, not single instance Of mo-
wing from the co anty has occurred amongst our