The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-07-02
Messenger Bureau, Park Hotel,
Raleigh, y. c., June 26.
Especial Correspondence.)

Continuing the gathering of notes
1'rom Governor Vance's war letter
looks, it is interesting to note that
Brigadier General A. G.. Jenkins, writ
ing him from Salem, Va, says it had
been found necessary to send quite a
nunber of cavalry horses to North
Carolina in order to get food for them,
but that the people showed great in
disposition to sell their produce for
confederate money at any price. This
letter is dated January %, 1863. General
Jenkins requested Governor Vance to
give authority to confederate officers
TO impress supplies. General Jenkins
personally eulogiZed Vance, saying
both had served together in the old
federal congress.
Governor Vance replied that he could
not, consistently with the duty he owed
his own people,, comply with General
jenkins request, n added that the
section where the horses were had been
devastated by drought. He added that
he had written the secretary of war
protesting against the presence of
these horses and urging their re-
moval. This letter, which was a very
sharp one, was published in the first
installment.]
Colonel T.. +. August. a Virginian,
was appointed commander Of North
Carolina cOnscripts, with headquarters
at Raleigh. A great deal of bitterness
resulted. Hon. w. r. Dortch, then a
cOnprpSgman wrote GDvprnnr. Nonna
from Richmond, January 81, 1863:
Having heard that a Virginian had
been appointed commander of con-
scripts in our state, l waited on the
secretary of state this morning and
protested against it. The secretary in
formed me that he had received a let
ter from you on the subject; that the
appointment had been made by the
conscript bureau without his knOwl-
edge and that he would have it attend
ed to-. He asked me to recommend
some one of our officers, saying he pre-
ferred a man in the army. l replied 1
had no preference, provided the appOin
tee was a North CarOlinian. | took Oc-
casion to say to him that some regard
in future | hoped would be paid to the
sensibilitieS of our peOpl in ega to
appointments. If another appointment
is not very soon made 1 ask that you
WIN ~ ~ nv CIV '" wan ~
1y demand the removal of Colonel Au-
gust. 1t is important that there should
be entire accord between yourself and
the commandant of conscripts."
General Whiting complained that
Writs of habeas corpus were being is
sued to bring before the courts the
cases of persons who were in the army
and who were alleged to be minors
(Which hen meant under Is years of
age.) Whiting wanted the issue of
writs stopped and said the whole civil
government depended on the military.
Vance replied: The writ of habeas
corpus is the common right of every
man and l have neither the w nor
inclination to prevent the issuing of
sue process"
Vance protested to the secretary of
wal against the appointment by the
confederacy of officers of some of the
North Carolina state" regiments for
the war" The secretary of wal wanted
to know which We're regarded as the
state regiments.
Vance replied February 4th, sending
a list of the state" regiments and say
ing: These regiments were organized
originally for the period of the war un-
der a state law, and the governor was
required under that law to commission
the officers and to fill vacancies therein.
The remaining regiments from this
state in the confederate service, known
as 'cOnScript regiments were Orinally
twelve months men and the appoint
ment Of their officers is given to the
president by an act of April 16, 1862,
and is conceded by the state authOri-
ties" (The list of which the governor
spoke is not given in the letter book,
nor is there a copy of a letter from
Colonel Avery of the 9th regiment,
which he says he inclosed to the sec
rotary of war;.
February 9th a letter was written to
A. S. Merrimon, solicitor Eighth dis
trict, directing him to take the neces-
sary steps to secure the presence of all
the Madison county prisoners taken by
the recent expedition, and also to inves-
tigate the shooting Of a number of these
prisoners. These are the men who en-
gagged in the raid on the town of Mar
shall January 18th. They were con-
federate deserters and Colonel Allen.
S~ixty-fourth North Carolina, hanged
and shot some of them.
The secretary of war renewed his re-
quest to be allowed to impress slaves
in piedmont North Carolina, to build
the DanNille railway (from GreensbO-
TO to Danville). The governor again
refused and said the slaves of twenty
counties had for months been at work
on Notifications from Wilmington to
Petersburg: He added: This road is
viewed with almost universal disfavOr
in this state, as entirely rulnouS to
many roads east of it, and the charter
never could have been obtained but as
a pressing war necessity. I feel it due
to candor that l should add a very gen.
eral impression exists here that upon
the completion of the Danville cOnnec-
ton, as it is termed, the eastern lines
of our roads would be abandoned to
the enemy. How far his opinion does
injustice to the purpose of the war de-
partment I am unable to say. l mere
ly state the fact. For these reasons and
the additional one that the road is be-
ing built by private contractors I do
not feel that I could be justified in fore
ing the labor of citizens uIcn it," The
secretary of war wanted the gauge of
the new road to be that of the Virginia
roads, but the North Carolina legisla-
ture negatived that plan.