The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1885-01-07

10 the seat Of war that false rumors, tel
egrams. and reliable gentlemen from
the front had more than a very limited
clrcu atiou here, ard whose sober people
| never had been blinded or dazllei by the
glare OF false lights; more especially here
were there only gloomy outiooks for the
year lo65, a il dawned
10 September, 1864, our representa-
tive Governor had written thus conf
IDENTITY 10 his Oldest and most warmly at
tached personal friepl, a gentlemsn OF
the highest consideration in the State
letter that needs neither introduction
nor comment to secure its attention.
RALEIGH, September 22, 1864.
Il would be glad if I could have a
long talk with you. | never before have
bren SO gloomy about the condition Of
affairs. Early's defeat in the valley
consider as he turning point 10 this cam
paign; and confidently, | fear it seals the
fate of Richmond, though not immedi-
ately 1t will require our utmost exer
tiors to retain our footing in Virginia
till 65 comes in. McClellan's defeat is
placed among the facts, abolitonism i.
rampant for four years more.
In short, if the enemy pushes
hIs ltith tlli the Close Cl the year, we sDati
not be offered any terms at all
The signs which discourage me more
than aught else are the utter demoraiza-
tion of the people. With a base of COM
munication FIVE hundred miles in Sher-
mans rear, through our own country,
not bridge has been burned not car
thrown from its track, nor man shot by
the people whose country he has deso>
lated. They seem everywhere to submit
when our armies are Withdrawn. What
does this show, my dear sir? 1t shows,
what | have always believed, that the
great popular heHrt is not now, and never
has been, in his war. 1t was revolution
OF the PohticjdnS not the People; and was
fought at first by the natural criticism of
our young men, and ha. been kept going
by State and sectional pride, assisted by
that bitterness of feeling produced by the
cruelties and brutalities of the enemy.
'Stlll, | am not out of heart, for, as
YOU know, | am of a buoyant and hope
full temperament. Things may come
around yet. General Lee is a grcat man,
and has the remnant of the best army on
earth, bleeding, torn, and overpowered
though it be. Saturday night may yet
come to all of our troubles, and be fol-
lowed by the blessed hour of rest God
grant it Lord, | believe, help thou
mine unbeief' in final liberty and indie
pendence. | would fain be doing How
can | help to WIN the victory? What can
do. How shall | guide this suffering
and much oppressed Israel that looks to
me through the tangled aud bloody path
way wherein our lines have fallen7 Duty
calls me now to stand by the new union,
to the last gasp with truth aud loyalty
This is my consolation. The beginning
was bad: had no hand in it. Should
the end be bad, [ shall with Gods help,
be equally biameleso.
II hope when you come down, you
will give yourself time to be with me a
great deal.
Il am, dear sir, very truly yours,
II. B. VANCE"
The .addest foreboding of this letter,
which would have been echoed by many
failing heart in he State, were soon to
be realized. By January, 1865, there was
very lltIle room left for belief of any
sort IN the ultimate success of the Con-
federacy. All the necessaries of life were
held at fabulous and still increasing pri-
ces. The great freshet of January six
| 'eeuln, Wnlcu Wdsneu low gTOuDOs, car
ried off fences, bridges, mills, and tore
up railroads all through the central part
of the State, at once doubled the price of
corn and -four. Two destructive fires in
the same month, which consumed great
quantities of government stores at Char
lotte and at Salisbury, added materially
to the general gloom and depression. The
very elements seem to have enlisted
again-t us. And soon, with no great
surplus of food from the wants of her
home population, North Carolina, found
herself called upon to furnish supplies
foI two armies.