Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-06-25
From tue Raleigh Sentinel.
Pen and Ink Sketches Of the UNIVERSE
ty OfNOrth Carolina, as il Has Been.
DEDICATE TO THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE, AND
TO THE ALUMNI OF THE UNIVERSITY.
NO. H.
DURING THE WAR.


The Senior Glass or 1860 numbered 81.
More than one fourth of these fell in the
war. The whole body of students rushed
into military service with such ardor, that
of the Freshman class alone bit one re-
NAMED to go through the four years
course. He was in feeble health. Seven
members of the Faculty joined the army
five OF them laid down their lives in the
service Gov. Swain and the remaining
Professors resolved to keep the doors of
College open as long as half dozen boys
could be kept together. 1t was a great
point with the Governor to do this. He
wished to have it to say that at no time
since the foundation of the College, had
the regular exercises been suspended, or
the doors closed. He knew very we'll that
ii kept going, It's own momentum would
carry great institution on and over the
Swallows, bat that once fairly stopped and
shut up, very great force would have to
be employed to set the machinery at sue
cessful work, and draw back the tide of
patronage. lie drew upon himself con-
siderable odlum in some quarters by inter
ferring successfully when the rigid enforce
ment of the conscript law was about to
take away the few that remained, or had
come in, by 1868. President Davis agreed
with Gov. Swain in his object and said the
"seed corn" must not be ground up. How
ever in 1864, Secretary Seldom insisted on
the enforcement of the law, so that in the
spring Of 1865, when Sherman's army en-
tered Chapel Hill and took possession
there were only ten or twelve boys, princi-
paly from the village, still keeping up the
name of a College. One of the Professors
rang the College bell, and morning and
evening prayers were still kept up while
the army remained. At the commence
ment of '63 there was one graduate, Mr..
Prout, who had gone through the whole
TOURS years course.
CHAPEL HILL IN THE WAR.
How people lived during the war is yet
a mystery. Those who call themselves
very poor now, spend with all their eeono-
my, more in one month than during one
year of the war. Those especially were
tried who had to maintain the decenies of
.;enteel life, who could not go barefoot,
nor live on turnip green's and corn bread.
How did the Faculty at Chapel Hill live,
who were struggling 20 do their duty to
the State, and fit such OF her sons as re-
NAMED for the duties of life? They came
down cheerfully to the lowest level I
hope violate none of the prophecies of
life when I say that dined atsthe tables of
some of them on brown peas and corn
bread, and minute piece of bacon. I
heard them say that they would have tax
en- $50 in specie for the whole Of last years
salary Gov. Swain alone of them all,
could have afforded to live better, but he
chose to do as the rest, and set an exam
pie OF cheerful conformity to the general
prlyation. A great assistance to the Fac
ulty was the giving them permission to get
their wood from the University woodlands
in the neignborhood of Chapel Hill. If
they had had to buy their wood, they
could not have lived on their salaries.
The privstions of Chapel Hill, however.