The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-22
HIS CONSPICUOUS SERVICE.

Probably few appreciate to their full
merit the services Gov Vance rendered
the State as War Governor. These,
think, were not only his most conspicu-
Gus services, but those that touched the
soldiers and people closest.
OF course, his brilliant leadership in
1875, which rescued the State from the
control of the carpet-bag government will
never be forgotten; nor his eminent, pa
trotic service in the United States SEN
ate, but in those latter years unfortunate
ly for the country, his party but once was
in control of the two departments of the
Government. legislative and executive
and he was not in harmony with the Ex
ecutive, but from his first election as
Governor in August, 1862 until the coll
lapse of the Confederate Government, or
the surrender of General Lee and Cen
eral Johnstons armies i'm April, 1865
Governor Vance was power in the State
for good.
Having gallantly fought as a soldier
at Newbern and Malvern Hill, he came
to the Governors chair fully informed
as to the needs of the soldier and deter
mined to protect his State from Federal
invasion, and to ameliorate the condition
CT the people at home.
Though to Gen. j. G. Martin, Adjutant
General, Governor Vance gives the cred
it for the suggestion the Governor
promptly accepted it and had steamer
purchased that should ply between Will
mington, n. c.. and Nassau, carrying out
cotton and returning with supplies for
the soldiers in the field and the people
at home.
No troops in Gen. Lees army were so
well clothed as the North Carolina boys.
and the medical supplies gotten into
the State in this way, were of incalcul-
able value to the people. The cotton
cards that were also procured through
this blockade running by the steamer
enabled the people at home to supply
themselves with home made products,
whereas, otherwise they would have been
unable to buy the cloth.
When the number of assertions excited
the concern of the Confederate authori-
ties, Governor Vance was appealed to.
In letter from General Pettigrew to
Governor Vance he was asked to use his
influence to stop these desertions, General
Pettigrew writes as follows: These de-
sertions might easily have been prevent
ed in the beginning had Generals John
ston and Beauregard been discipliniar
ians. The torrents of North Carolina
bloodshed in the battles of last
summer washed out the stain left upon
the State by the defeat of Roanoke Is
land and Newbern, and / found on my
return latter recovering from his
wounds at Seven Pines June 1st, 1921
North Carolina highest among the high"
Governor Vance issued three proclama-
tions on the subject dated respectively
January 81, 1868; May H. 1868, and Au-
gust "a, 1854.
In the one of May the II. 1863, he
used this language: "And woe unto you
deserters and your aiders and abettors,
when peace being made and independ-
ence secured, these brave comrades,
whom you have deserted in the hour of
their need shall return home honored
and triumphant; we that hide your guilty
faces by day and prowl like outlaws
about by night robbing the wives and
mothers of your noble defenders OF their
little means while they are far away
facing the enemy, do you think you can
escape a just and damning vengeance
when the day of reckoning comes?
Not satisfied with this, he ordered his
militia to arrest all deserters. This