The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-08
A TIME
Extract From the Wilmington journal in
the asst Days of the Southern Confed-
(SnaciaJ Corrarp0ndc0cnN
Raleigh, n. c., March 3, 1898.

$3.50 1000 "AtAA
interest, particularly the the portion
from December15, 1854, TO January 1886
It is a curious epitome Of life during
what has been termed the last gasp
Of the Comfederacy."
= = + Il r
The statement is made hat the "A.
d. Vance" once owned in part by the
state as a blockade runner. but which
was captured, was in the federal block
aiding feet at Fort Usher 1t would
he interesting to know the last history
Of this little vessel.
December 23nd The Journal says in
an editorial: The war is not popular"
Later, after the first attack on Fort
Fisher. it chides the civilians for be
ing faint-h@arted and calls their at
tention to the bravery Of the troops
under Generals Bragg and Hoke in the
face Of the most trying circumstances.
+ + = 4 = .
The Journal in the closing days Of
December has words Of warm praise
for General Bragg and his disposition
Of mis- troops. In January it says in it's
last issue that it regrets having said
or thought anything d~erOgatOry to that
officer and is sure he did all that could
De done.
f +
Three or four years ago DR.. William
Wood, then superintendent Of the in
sane asylum here, was speaking to
me about a very interesting thing. He
said that in Northampton county, in
the very earliest days Of 1851, there
was a meeting or conference Of prOmi-
nemt men from several counties, to con-
slider the adVisaEility Of asking the
Emperor Louis Napoleon to establish
a protcctorate over North Carolina,
and that the idea met with much IA
v0r. Now this matter is again brought
to mind by an editorial in The Journal
in January, 1865. III paper was at
ItackinG The Richmond (Va.) Exam
liner for advising the arming Of the ne
gro-s and the placing OF the COnfed-
crate states under the protection OF
either the Emperor Napoleon or Queen
Victoria. The Journal says: w ap-
peal to the recollection Of all if it was
not freely and frequently said at the
beginning OF this war that it would
be better to arm the negroes, and bet
ter to be subjects Of Louis Napoleon
or Queen Victoria than after the stand
we have taken again to submit ourselves
to the control and dominion OF the
hatred Of Over-bearing yankees. Now
the Fl. st proposition, the arming of ne
grOeS, and second the placing of our
selves under the protection of some
European power are seriously proposed
and openly advocated. Neither would
be a menance to the north. Either
would he regarded as an acknowledge
lnent of defeat"
x 4
Bearing upon this proposed arming
of negro troops Colonel William J.
Saunders, of Raleigh, tells me an in
teresting bit Of history. He says that
General Johnston before the battle of
BentGnville sent him from Raleigh to
D9tar~h1Jro with n icDotr4hpc tp Canara1
Lee, which he delivered to the latter
in person; that General Lee in the
purse of a conversation asked what
was the prospect OF enlisting negro
troops and referred to the fact that
congress had passed the bill. Colonel
Saunders says the genera made the
remark: Ever since this conflict be
gan / have been pressing the employ
ment of negro troops Colonel Saun-
ders says be then remarked that Fort
Fisher had been taken by negro troops
(the 18th army cOrps)
In The Journal is an advertisement
dated at Greensboro, and signed by Cy-
rus =. Mendenhall and that
at that place books had been opened
for subscriptions to the North Caro-
lima Volunteer Navy COmpany''; that
later the stockholders would meet
at 1(dItISn, IIltiL All agent lldu gone
abroad to buy a vessel, evidently for
use as a privateer.
Wilmington was for a number of
days without any mail. This made
The Journal angry and it refers to
"the institution fa~cetiously called
the Confederate States Mail" It then
gives the following, which though an
editorial, would now be placed in the
funny c0lumn"-"Receipt to prevent
the transmission Of neWs-Commit t
Mt. Roagan's postofffce. ".(Reagan was
the confederate postmaster-General)
# + + + X + +
December 27th this is the leading ed
itoriaI: w notice on our streets Gov
ernor Vance. who, faithful TO his prom
Use. had come down to share with the
people of his state the worst that could
happen.' Governor Vance hurried tc
Wilmington as soon as advised that
the commandment Of Fort Fisher had
begun.
= + + X x y K
Among the news items Of The Jour
nal are these: we are requested tc
announce that the jail fees here are
now So a day" the negro hiring
at GOldsbOro male field hands brought
$500 to $500 a year, women $500 to 5000
house servants $400 to 5000. small ploW-
boys $500 to $500" January 4th it is
announced hat at a sale Of negroes
at Wilmington negroes brought from
$500 to So, 500, and that a girl of Is OF
20 years old. brought $500.
It Is announced editorially that Gen.
eral Lee was to be made 'geuarallisi-
mo" OF all the armies of the c. S. A.
with hey,iGuarters with the army OF
Northern Virginia, and this DINNER
i4 made: 1T will benefit the whole
larI-ina n @ II Will ir+arnlSA n :, iSn1o+iro
medium between the mental ~prejudiceS
of President Davis and some Of ouI
most distinguished generals"
+
The wonderful bravery of the troops
at Fort Fisher during both attacks is
given the unstinted praise it deserves
but the statement is made that $50 OF
the Junior Reserves who were near tins
fort surrendered a captain and five
men.'