The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-22
THE VANCE FAMILY
Its Honorable Record in Sew
eraI American Wars.
In The War Of the Revolution, the War Of 1872,
and the War Between the States. A Rep
resentative Of the Family New in
the United States Army.

resentatiye Of the Family New in
the United States Army.
AS North Carolina is on the eve of hon.
oring herself by honoring the memory of
her most distinguished and best beloved
son. Zebulon Baird Vance, all items con-
nected with him and the race from which
he sprung will be of interest. There
fore it gives me pleasure to comply with
a request from the News and Observer
born by the Vance family in the several
wars in which our State has figured.
The first ancestor of Senator Vance who
came to North Carolina was his grand
father, Captain David Vance, who was
born in Virginia about the year 1745. TINS
gentleman's father, Samuel Vance, was or
Scotch Irish extraction and belonged to an
ancient family whose genealcgy (puDlsh-
ed in Ireland) makes mention OF its Am
erican branch. Andrew Jackson was Gas-
cemded, through the maternal line, from
the same connection.
David Vance. above mentioned. came
to this State when it was colony of
Great Britain and had scarcely arrived
when TIE War of the Revolution began
With the liberty-loving instincts OF his
Scotch Irish ancestry, he entered heart
and hand into the conflict, and never
ceased his exertions until success had
crowned the cause of the colonies. On
the 8th of April, 1916. he became an En-
sign in the Second Regiment Of North
Carolina Troops in the Continental Line.
This regiment was then commanded by
Colonel Robert Howe, afterwards a Major
General On April 20. in the same year.
Ensign Vance was promoted to the rank
OF Lieutenant and assigned to Captain
Clement Halls company, in tho above
regiment, which was at that time rn,.1r
the command of Colonel Alexander Martin
later succeeded November %. IT'D by
Colonel John Patton.
In all of the battles and campaigns in
which the Second Regiment engaged,
Lieutenant Vance bore an honorable part.
He was with his regiment at Brandy
wine, Germantown, Monmouth, and during
the dreadful winter of 1777'7S at Valley
Forge, and doubtless took part in ali the
other minor engagements of those cam
paigns." So states biographical sketch
by one OF his descendants. the Hon.
Theodore F. Davidson. In June, 1878, the
North Carolina Continental Regiments
were reduced in number by consolidation.
as so many of the men had been killed
or had died of disease that there were
too many officers. BY this re-arrange-
ment, many of the officers lost their COM
mands, being omitted or "deranged -
to use the technical terms of that day.
One of the officers SO mustered out of the
regular army was Lieutenant Vance, who
returned to North Carolina and became
a Captain of militia. In this capacity he
also saw much active service. The above
quoted sketch by Mr.. Davidson says:
when the seat of war was transferred
from the Northern to the Southern Colo
nies and the campaigns of 17S0'S1 opened
in the CarClinas, he again became an ac-
tive participant in the field serving I'M
der Generals Rutherford. Davidson and
Morgan in the militia and other tempola-
ry forces raised from time to time to meet
the emergencies resulting from Cornwall
lis invasion. He fought at Ramseur's
Mill. Musgrove's Mill Cowpens (probably)
and on the glorious day at Kings Noun
tain, when the long struggle for indie
pendence and the destiny of q continent
were decided" Captain Vance was joint
author of the famous Vance Henry Mar
rative" and survived the Revolution many
years. He died in 1918. during the sec
opd war with Great Britain, leaving Che
sides daughters) three sons: Samuel, who
removed to Tennessee: David, Jr., men
toned hereafter: and Robert Drank. a
physician and member of Congress, who
was killed in duel with the Hon. Samuel
p. Carson.
During the War of 1912, or second war
with Great Britain, David Vance, Jr.,
son OF Captain Vance and the father of
Senator Vance served in the army as a
private. The roster shows that he enter
ed the service as a member of Captain
Joseph Hughey's company, in Haywood
county. Afterwards. on the re-organiza-
ton of the volunteers, he was transfer
red to a Buncombe county company, whose
Captains name is not given in the ros-
ter. In this war, Captain Zebulon Baird,
Senator Vanee's maternal grandfather for
whom he was named. commanded the
Ninth Company detached from the Fiji
teenth Brigade"
Senator Vance himself, as all
know, was Colonel of the Tween
ty-sixth North Carolina Regiment
in the Confederate Army and
remained in the service until September
8, 1862. when he became Governor and
Commandr-in Chief. While in the army
he participated in the battle of New
bern, and other fights. OF his magnif-
cent record as "War Governor let history
speak. His brother Robert Drank Vance
was also brave soldier and won high
rank in the army, holding Brigadier-
Generals commission at the wars close.
Zebulon Baird Vance. Jr.. a son of Sena-
tor Vance, is at present a Captain of In
fantry in the regular army of the United
States.
Thus it Is shown that by their deeds
in war, as well as in peace, members of
the Vance family have won highly
honorable position in the annals of North
Carolina.
MARSHALL DE LANCEY HAYWOOD.
Raleigh NJ e. Arg %