The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-06-15
aVANCE'S LETTER BOOK.
Interesting Extracts From the Correspondence of
North CarOlina's Famous War GOvernOr--ShOw-
ing How NObly the Man Battled for the Rights
of His State and the Comfort of His Troops in
the Field and in Prison.
Messenger Bureau, Park Hotel,
Raleigh, n. c., June II.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence.)
What a mine of information is to be
found in Governor Vance's letter books.
His sturdiness, his love for his North
Carolinians" are visible as one looks
over the pages.
Here is a typical letter. 1t is date
July 5, 1864:
General Whiting: Some six week
ago 1 addressed a letter to the secreta-
ry of war in regard to the exemption
of D. L. Russell, Jr, county commits
sioner for Brunswick. No answer has
yet beer received and l learn that
young Russell has been ordered by you
into camp. Mr.. Russell was dismissed
the SERVICE was not a conscript until
he was enrolled. Previous to his en-
rollment he received this appointment,
which made him a state officer, 'neceS-
sary to the due administration of the
laws In accordance with the act of
congress and the resolutions of the leg
islature of this state, 1 have given him
a certificate of exemption. This 1 can
not recede from, and especially in favor
of a government which will not anSWer
a respectful letter ON the subject. l
therefore notify you that your offer to
arrest MI. RUSSELL OF TO ulSIlTD Till III
the discharge of his official duties will
be taken as a deliberate and unwar-
ranted u~surpatiOn of authority and will
be resisted accordingly"
Governor Vance wrote Secretary of
War Seldom the same day: Il have
waited a~nxiOusly for a reply to my let
ter in regard to the exemption of Dam
lei l.. Russell, Jr., as an officer of this
state. None has been received, but /
am told General VV1hitinp has orders tO
conscribe him Immediately. 1 simply
wish to inform you that l cannot and
will not submit to this being done with
out resisting it by every means at my
command"
General Whiting replied on the Sth,
saying: Your letter of the 9Th has
been forwarded to the wal department
and in regard to it, considering the
manner in which you ave addressed
me, you Will permit me to inform you
that l do not admit the prOpriety of
your animadverting to me upon the
government of the confederate states
or it's of it's correspondence.
MY own correspondence with the au-
thorities Of the state of North Carolina
has been carried ON not only with cOur-
tesy, as may be seen from the record,
but with an entire Difference to YOU
wishes in the case of Mr.. Russell very
much beyond the deserts of that indi-
vidual in his attempts to evade SER
vice"
1.-THE court-martial, it seems, was for
RusSelps striking an Officer.]
General Whiting wrote a letter, dated
July 4th, which was delayed IN the
mails. In this he said: The war de-
partment has decided that the claim
on the part of the state to Mr.. Daniel
Russell cannot be admitted, he having
been in the service already at the date
CFebruary11th } of the act to organize
forces for the war. That act continued
in it all persons belonging to it till the
termination. The exemption clauses in
that act de not apply to the class whose
position had already been
They apply only to those who We're not
in service, but were made liable by
universal expression of Sec. l of the act
and an exception to the operations of
that section. The governors author
ity to claim as those in service
does not extend to a person in service.
/ have accordingly notified Mr.. Russell
tina in accordance with the sentence
of the court-martial he will be required
to select one of the North Carolina
companies for service"
The following letter to Vance from
General r.. E. Lee bears date of August
20, 1864: Il have frequently been call
ed upon to mention the services of
North Carolina soldiers in the army of
Northern Virginia, but their gallantry
n ondu were never more deserV-
ing Of admiration than in the engage
ment at Reams Station, on the 25th in
slant. The brigadeS of Generals Cook,
MacRae and Lane, the last under the
temporary command of General Con-
nor. advanced through a thick abattis
OF felled trees, under a heavy fire of
musketry and artillery. and carried
the enemy's works with a steady corr-
age hat ELECTED the warm commenda-
ton OF their corps and division conf
manders and the admiration of the
army. On the same occasion the br1-
gade Of General Barringer bore a con-
spicuous part in the operations of the
cavalry which were not less distin-
guished for boldness and efficiency
than those Of the infantry. If the men
who remain in North Carolina share
the spirit of those they have sent to
the field. as 1 dou not they do, her
defence may be surely entrusted to
their hands.
The confederate engineer bureau no.
titled Governor Vance that the Will
mington and Manchester railway was
a main line of communication which
the government must keep open, and
said it must ave to relay its track,
ten miles or rail-, from the wilmington,
Charlotte and Rutherford railway.
This drew a spicy letter from President
Robert H. Cowan, of the latter road,
w+ho wrote Governor Vance that the
Wilmington and Manchester o
ought to have been able to get supplies,
as it owned a large interest in a steam
ship company. He added: Il suppose,
therefore, that If the managers of the
Wilmington and Manchester railroad
cannot do the work Of the government,
that you pass the road We to ME and
my directors, with proper authority in
the premises, and we will guarantee it
shall be done. If you have authority
to take ten miles of my road, you have
authority to take it all If you have
zal1thority to take my roa n give it
to the Wilmington and Manchester.
yeu have authority to take that road
and give it to me. If that road cannot
dc your work I a / refer you to
Hon. George Davis and Major Robert
Strange, OF General Barringer's staff,