Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-08-21
For the Journal.
INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE.


INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE.
IREDELL COUNTY, n. c., Aug. u, 1868.
My Dear Major Il am now at the beau
tiful residence of our old friend and class
mate, Captain E. Hayne Davis, few short
miles from Statesville. His place is the
| seat of a well-known generous hereditary
hospitality. 1t is needless to say we think
and talk of you and wish for you to be
with US. Last week I spent in Salisbury.
| The old town is showing some signs Of life.
Upon the principal street several new
and handsome buildings have been erect
ed, and still others, [ am informed, are
about to be put under contract. The cross
streets, too are filling up and in every point
of view the enterprise and energy of the
people of the good old town seem not to
have abated. On Monday night We had
the pleasure of listening to an address to
the Seymour and Blair Club from Gov.
Vance Vance is SO peculiarly and strik-
ingly Vance and nobody else, in both man
ner and matter, that it were hopeless task
to convey any idea of his speech. It was
inimitable, matchless. If one might be
allowed to suggest defect in the man SO
facile princeps, it would certainly be by way
of lament for the unfortunate difidence
that seems to stick to the Governor more
closely than that poor mans shirt so often
alluded to. If the Governor could only
| &c
dence, and acquire a small quantity of as
surance, and even little impudence,
his character would be complete, To
use his own striking figure, THat's
aUhdt is the matter aciM Hanmah's leg.''
Our late candidate for Governor, Hon.
Thomas s. Ashe. also addressed the Club,
and was listened to with much interest and
attention. It is quite evident that our peo-
pie are rousing up and manifesting an in
terest il the condition of the country, far
greater than they have done in any cam
paign since the war ended. One OF the
most favorable signs is the formation of
Seymour and Blair Clubs among the colored
population. Last night one was to have
been organized in Salisbury, and one also
in Statesville. The poor negroes seem, at
last. to have found that the white people
of the South give better promise of peace
and quiet and security to them and the
country than the carpet-baggers.
| From Salisbury I went on Tuesday to
Morganton, having been invited to accom-
pany the committee on their tour of inspec-
ton of the W. N. @. Railroad. Upon our ar
rival there we heard of the sad intelligence
of the death of Captain Elan Blackmer,
which had taken place at eleven O'Clock on
| the night preceding, whereupon the special
train was turned over to his friends for the
| transportation of his remains to Salisbury
| for interment. Throughout this whole
section of country Captain Blackmer was
known and loved, and deservedly, too. He
was native of New York, and came South
just as the late war was about to burst upon
| the country. He expressed himself as de-
cidedly of the opinion that the South was
right in the struggle upon which she was
about to enter, but declined, for short
while, to respond to the. first call for troops,
for the reason that he had not been here
long enough to render it becoming in him
| to take such step. But he waited not
long, for having been commissioned a
Lieutenant in the 7th N. G. Regiment. Col.
Campbell, he was ASST gned to the company
of the gallant Mcleod Turner. He re-
NAMED with this regiment from its organi-
zation until after the Richmond battles, in
one of which piece of shell entered just
above the eye, from the effects of which he
was for some time disabled. The Surgeon
of his Regiment, Dr. Campbell, narrated
this morning an incident which brings out
in strong colofs the nobleness and unset
fshness of the gallantfellow's heart. While
the Doctor was attending to his wound,
other wounded men were brought to the
hospital, who seemed to be suffering, and
he calmly said to him, doctor, leave me
and attend to those poor fellows who need
your assistance [ can waiG - and he did
wait for several hours before he would claim
| the Surgeons attention. This simple in
cident speaks volumes to those who know
the eagerness and importantly with which
wounded men clamor for surgical aid Full
of youth, courage, vigor and energy, con-
trolled by kind heart, and directed by a
clear, cool head, he at once won the love
and admiration of the people among whom
he cast his lot. His service in the army
during the entire war, and his connection
subsequently with the W. n. c. Railroad,
made him widely and extensively known,
and it is the desire of his many friends
that his family in New York shall allow his
remains to rest in the land of his adoption.
His grave will not be uncared for.
| You will be pleased to learn that the
Emigration schemes are taking practi-
cal, tangible shape in this section. Genl
Tochman, late of our army, and General
Lane, from Pennsylvania, late of the Fed
eral army, left Morganton on Wednesday
for the West on prospecting" tour
They are looking for lands, and propose to
purchase large body and send out emil
grants. I saw also an agent of Van Syck-
les & Co. These gentlemen desire to buy
"a large quantity of lands in one body
They have gone to work in the right direc-
ton.
1t is hopeful sign to see SO many of
our Eastern people following our railways
Westward. If our missionaries and ex-
plorers generally viii turn their eyes home