The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-24
A DELUGE OF LETTERS
RENDERING SQUADS. COMPAN
les AND REGIMENTS TO
GEN. COWLES.
TAR HEELS EVERY WHERE ARE INDIGNANT
Col. Boyd Writes Gen, CowIes for Inform.iO
Which is Promptly Furnished Him.
Question is, Who Fathered
the Fake ?

"Come with me-" said General Cowles
yesterday in response to n request for
news, land | will show You some OF
the results of that miserable falsehood
sent out from Washington.
The General led the way to his office
and there pointed out a huge stack Of
letters from men anxious to help North
Carolina make up a supposed deficiency
in her quota of men. The lie was begin
ming to bear fruit. 81 have not heard
from San Francisco yet" General Cowles
added as he contemplated his inadequate
waste-bask et, but it is only because
the letters have not yet had time to
reach me- They are certainly on the
way and will be here tomorrow or
next day."
1t was truly pitiful proof of how the
Islander had been brOadcasted. 1t
showed that in every nook and corner
of the country men are reading and be-
lieving that North Carolina. whose sons
have been content to fight the cOuntry's
battles and leave others to do the
Dragging. is unable to raise 1873 men to
fight in defence of the flag 1t has
caused the hot Indignation of North Car
olinians everywhere who knew the facts
and has shamed those who did not know
what a base misrepresentation it was.
North Carolinians i'm other States are
writing General Cowles to tender their
services to wipe out the supposed stain
upon the good name of the State. The
fact seems to have been forgotten that
over half the muskets surrendered at
Appomattox were laid down by North
Caroinians. If the task were assigned
here North Carolina would raise troops
enough to take Havana, would do it be-
fore the end Of the year and there
would be no blowing about it afterward.
As showing how others see us in the
light of the widely circulated false
hood sample of the letters received
by General Cowles is given. Here is
one from a colonel of a colored regi-
lnent in Cincinnati:
Cincinnati. July 20. 1898.
Adjutant General of North Carolina
Raleigh, n. G.
Sir: Observing in the morning press
list of untitled State quotas for troops
among others. if correctly quoted, is
your State. Would you accept a reg-
ment of colored troops, composed of as
fine physical body of men as can
be found i'm any States quota? or part
Of said body of men. Will You commits
sion its officers i. e.. those of the one or
more battalion?
Respectfully,
J. w. LAKE.
Colonel Commanding.
Letters were received from Milwaukee.
polt leta is nj
other places.
once sent the following letter of in
quiry:
Washington. d. c., July q, 1898.
General A. ID. Cowles, Raleigh, n. G.
Dear Sir: l see a statement going
around in the papers which | know
is an internal lie, but before l say so
publicly, | want your authority. The
statement is that on the second call
for troops North Carolina was required
to raise 1873 soldiers and that she has
only responded to this call with 50 men.
/ know that North Carolina will not fail
to respond to whatever call is made upon
her for men to defend the honor of this
nation or the integrity of the flag. |
want you, therefore, to give me the
Carolina for troops, how many We're re-
qured under the first call and how
many are required under the second call
and what has been done about them.
My understanding was that the two
white regiments, the First and Second.
filled the first call and that the cOlored
battalion or regiment which is about
completed at Fort Macon was in re-
Spouse to the second call. How is this ?
Tell me all about it, because / see
have got to take the stump in defense
of the North Carolinians. They have
always been the butt of ridicule and
falsehOod and ut the same time they have
always done more fighting and lost more
men than any other State in the Union
Write me quick, because l am pretty
darned mad.
Your friend,
JAS. T.. BOYD.
General Cowles telegraphed Col. Boyd
at once, giving the facts as already pub
lished in these columns and closed by
saying: 81 can raise twenty regiments
of new troops in Il week if necessary ana
with an unlimited quota we can furnish
100000 men in thirty days. We have
been awfully and persistently lied on
and. believe. studiously and maliciously
in Washington"