The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-02-07
Ghe Wessenger.
ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA sOL-
e

tober Mr.. j. Cooper Of Fairfax county,
Virginia, gave an account Of what is
known as the battle of Gaines Mill,
one of the fierce battles around Rich
mond in the famous seven days. Mr..
Cooper is. a prejudiced or misleading
writer. In the Veteran for December
Mr.. n. B. Hogan, of Springfield, Mis-
souri, replies to him at some length.
He complains Of the u~nfairness Of Mr..
Cooper. North Carolinians have had
frequent occasion to complain Of the
want Of fairness on the part OF V1r-
ginia writer's in dealing with the third
days fight at Gettysburg. The in
Justice done to North Carolina has
ben exposed a score Of times, but a
lie wears "seven league boots" and it
is still trotting in it's old way Of de-
famation and Misrepresentation. 1t is
pleasant to find an educated soldier
from Missouri, Mr.. Hogan, writing so
cordially in behalf of the North Caro-
lima troops as in the following:
Virginia confederates show a dis
position to extol General George E.
Pickett and his brigade and other
brave Virginians above all troops Of
the c~onfederacy. I am an Albanian,
but if l were going to erect a higher
to the troops of any one
state han those of another for deeds
of valor and desperate fighting, 1t
should tower high above the graves
of the gallant Tar Heels. The spotless
record of men from the old North
State surely sustains me in the choice.
i glory in the fame of the glorious sons
of the grand Old Dominion, whose soil
drank so much blood of heroes; but l
would make no invidious comparisons.
While Pickett was leading his i'm
mortal heroes at Gettysburg, where
were the veterans of Anderson and
Wilcox and those CT other patriotic
commanders of Lees army? Thou
sands of living participants tell us
that their flaming swords and glisten-
ing bayonets were in the forefront of
the storm which ~furiously ragged on the
heights of Little Round Top and Gem
etery Ridge. And yet, in reading some
of our histories and accounts of the
battle Of July 3, 1863, n is led to be-
lieve that Pickett and his men were
the chief actors in that bloody drama"
General Clement A. Evans, of At
lanta, Ga, writes a communication to
the Veteran for December headed
North Cardinals Quota of Soldiers"
General Evans copies at length from
ga carefully compiled paper by Pro-
fessor d. H. Hill, of Raleigh. QS9S)
exhibiting the patriotism of the Old
North State in the Confederate war"
Professor Hill is the son of the late
very gallant General Daniel H. Hill, a
native of South Carolina, who COM
-mauGed a division of North Carolina
troops. North C%arolinians are famil-
lar with the record, but it is pleasant
to see it copied into tie Veteran by a
distinguished soldier of the great State
of Georgia. We give this from Pro-
fessor Hill:
@Adjutant and Inspector General
Cooper reports probably a close esti-
mate) that 600,0 men were first and
last, enrolled under the confederate
flag. What proportion of these ought
North Carolina to have furnished?
The total white population Of the elev-
.en seeded states was 5,441, 800. North
Cardinals was 629, 942 and it was third
in white population; hence North Car
DINA would have discharged to the
letter every legal obligation resting
upon it if it furnished 2,942 troops.
What number did it actually supply?
On November 10, 1864, Adjutant Cen
eral r. c.. Gatlin, a most systematic
and careful officer, made an official re-
port to the governor (of North Caro-
lina) on this subject. Troops trans
ferred to the confederate service, ac-
cording to original rolls on file in this
office, 6 4,636; conscripts between the
ages of eighteen and fOrty-f1ye, as per
report of commandant of cOnscripts
dated September 80, 1855; recruits
t. 1T have volunteered in the different
companies since date of original rolls
(compiled), p, COS; troops in unattach-
ed companies and serving in regiments
from other states, 3,103; regular troops
in state service, 3,203-total offensive,
Ill 1876. To these must be added Junior
reserves, 4,217; senior reserves, 1856
total in active service, 121 ,03S. Then
organized and subject to emergency
service in the state, home guard n
militia, 1862. Total troops armed,
equipped, mustered into state or con-
federate service, $4,000.
From these official figures it will be
seen that, estimating the offensive
troops alone, North Carolina exceeded
her quota Al, 715 men. Including the
junior and senior reserves-who did
active duty in garrison, guarding prisz
oners, and Oh occasion good fighting
the state exceeded its quota by 51,61S.
Taking all, it went over its quota by
the large sum of $3.50. This number
of troops far exceeded the state voting
population
The Roster published by the legisla-
-, Ann