The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-09-21

troops enlisted Tor the war are filfrg
up, and il Is probable two Of them viii
GO orwar in two. weeks or ten days.
In the meantime. we have been in
daily expectation of receiving from vir-
ginia much OF the machinery from
Harper's Ferry, rs viii enable US TO
manufacture sucG arms. We could do
il In two months from the time OF the
receipt Of the machinery. So important
Is IL that a free transit should be kept
open between our port OF Beaufort and
Norfolk that our attention has been
turned TO the defence Of our inlets and
the sounds. We hope to complete these
defences very soon. My weak state OF
health precludes my saying much that
1 would have desired TO have added"
May csrd a letter from Jefferson Da-
Wis. dated Montgomery, aid in reply
TO a telegram from Ellis: II will en-
deavor to obtain the requisite machin-
cry. CEvidently the transfer Of the ma
chinery from Harper's Ferry to Fay
etteville.) / have written TO Governor
Letcher. Of Virginia. on the subject and
desired him TO communicate with you
/ hope o o 10 give the matter personal
attention"
The governor had appointed under an
act of the legislature early in the year
'OoAa 1PtiAFoot0 Va 10y
wood Guion, j. A. J.. Bradford and
Warren Winslow. The legislature in
its special session by resolution called
on him for a statement as to the duties.
powers. etc. of the board. Governor
Ellis in reply said the board "consid-
cred that upon il devolved the great
duty of advising and counselling the
as TO the best mode of pro-
viding for the public defence. Among
the most prominent of its labors. and
at the same time one of the most deli
cate, has been the military appoint
ments." No members had up 10 that
time drawn n pay for services.
June End General r. +. Lee notified
the governor that Mason Morfit had
been appointed transportation agent
at Weldon for the purpose of forward
ing troops and supplies of the confed-
crate states to Richmond and other
points in Virginia. He was Also direct
ed to grant transportation tickets to all
persons travelling under orders in the
public service. 1t was hoped that his
arrangement would serve the public
convenience. NO railroad within the
state has thus far been absolutely
taken for the public service. AS regards
the profits arising to the railroad COM
panies that might be arranged by with
holding the payment for
ton to such as belong TO hostile
states"
1t seems that the state convention
got hold of a rumor that the national
troops had mad a landing on the
coast, and it adopted a resolution call
ing on the governor for information.
His reply was rather warm. He said:
Il have to state that the rumor is
wholly without foundation in fact. /
furthermore beg leave to assure the
convention that / am in a situation tn
obtain reliable intelligence from every
part of the state, as soon as any one
else can obtain it, and will not delay
to advise you Of the approach of dan
ger. I take this occasion to say fur
| Their that if our batteries are properly
served, a fact of which l could enter
tain no doubt, the power of the United
States navy is not sufficient t, effect
an entrance into any one of the har-
bors of the state"
| June 18th the governor transmitted
an official dispatch from Colonel D. H.
Hill. commanding the First North Car
DINA regiment of volunteers, giving a
report of the battle of Bethel, Va, the
first battle of the war. The governor
in transmitting the report, said: Il
would respectfully recommend Colonel
Hill as worthy of promotion to the
rank of brigadier general and that a
full brigade at once be placed under
his command"
Col. Hills report stated that 900 of
my regiment and $50 were engaged for
312 hours with four and a half regi-
ments of the enemy at Bethel Church,
six miles from Hampton. The enemy
| ~, III fharn 1icftnot an1 u-a11 ;~al
charges but were repulsed with
heavy loss. Our cavalry pursued
them for six miles, when their retreat
became a total rout. / gre to re-
) port the loss of one man killed. Pri-
vate Henry l.. Wyatt, Edgecombe
Guards. and Z wounded The loss Of the
enemy by their own confession was $50,
but it may be safely estimated at $50.
Our regiment behaved most CALAMITY.
Not a man shrunk frPn his post or
showed symptoms of fear"
June-Gov. Ellis sent a message to
the convention that there was no
reliable information in his possession
as to the landing Of 1,500 federal troops
at any point in the State, or of war
vessels off Beaufort harbor, or hat the
defences at the mouth of the Cape
Fear were menaced or liable to attack.
He said the enemy a appeared in
large numbers at Newport News and
that he was busily engaged in organi-
zing. equipping and sending forward
troops to met the enemy at that
point. He added, The duty resting
upon the executive department of pro-
viding for the public d%efences / regard
as paramount TO all others and / do
not consider myself at liberty to ar
rest the prope officers, in the face OF
. the enemy, in the vigorous discharge of
their duty, for any other purpose
whatever"
The last letter of Gov. Ellis is dated
JUNE 29th. The last letter in the book
is dated July 18th, and is signed Henry
T. Clark, Governor ex-officio. In this
letter Gov. Clark said to the Secretary
Of War, Il find, upon assuming the
duties of governor an order 70
concentrate at Asheville a regiment
Of IL months v9dnteers. I ave beer