The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-23
argument with which he defended their

In common with the other Union men
of the State, while contending that the
election of Lincoln in 1860 was no cause
for secession, Vance had committed him
self to oppose the coercion of a seeded
State, if any of them should exercise,
what he considered the revolutionary
right of secession. The people were with
him, and in February, 1861, voted by
large majority against holding conven-
ton to consider the question of secession.
But when, in April, the clash of arms
came, and President Lincoln called for
troops, from this State in part to restore
the authority of the United States In
South Carolina and other seeded States.
n convention was at once called on the
historic Goth of May, and an ordinance
of secession adopted. Vance raised the
second company organized in his DIS
trict. the Rough and Ready Guards, of
sturdy mountaineers, and brought them
to Raleigh as their captain early III May.
The company became part of the Fourth
Regiment of n. G. Troops, afterwards
designated as the Fourteenth, under com
mand of Col. w. ID. Fender, a splendid
soldier and a superior disciplinarian.
They were sent down to our eastern
coast and there Capt. Vance proved his
zeal and dallng by suggesting tnad picktu
men should make IA dash upon Font HAT
teraS and oyerpower the Federal sol
diefs in charge; but it was deemed too
hazardous by his superior officers. In
August 1861 he was elected colonel o.
the Twenty-sixth \. c. Regiment, ana
led it in victory and defeat, IN Surfing
campaigns in North Carolina ana alf,
ginia, for twelve months. lie eXhlnlttt
intrepillity i'm 1.-THE BATTLE with Burnsldes
forces ut New Bern in February, lSOZ,
and skill in preventing his regiment from
being cut off by the burning of Trent
river bridge and the gunboats ascending
the river. He CALAMITY led his command
in the fights around Richmond, about
July 1st. against protest of its officers
and men who recognized how much his
life would be worth as Governor of the
State. ito which Office he was then about
ito be elected. They all delighted to follow
him; but they felt that the regiment was
safe under the leadership of such men
as Lieutenant Colonel Harry Burgwyn,
who was to close his gallant career one
year later at Gettysburg, and John Il.
Lane. afterwards to distinguish him.
self as their commander. and who, bat
tle-scahred as he is, still illustrates the
best citizenship of the State, while
if Colonel Vance were slain they thought
the loss to the State and its soldiers
would be irreparable. He listened not
to their entreaties, however, and shared
the fortunes of his command until duly
notified of his election, in August He
was besought, in 1861, to be a candidate
for the Confederate Congress. but posi-
lively refused to do so, or even to serve
if elected. His nomination for the Gov
ernorship was unsought, and it was ac
cepted only after assurances from many
friends representing both the old parties
of the State and whose opinion he>cOuld
not disregard, that in that office, he
could best serve the Confederate cause
as well as the people of North Carolina.
His popularity as Il soldier was attested
be the fact that he received every vote
in his regiment. while the rank and file
of our soldiers of other commands voted
the same way. Many officers of other
regiments expressed their preference for
his competitor Col. William Johnston. of
Charlotte, a man of affairs and IL dis
tinguished member of the convention OF
1S61-G2. He had earlier espoused the
cause of the South Some of the APP
pointees of Governors Ellis and Clark
participated in the mistake President
Jefferson Davis evidently made, that
those who did not espouse the South
ern cause, before Lincolns proclamation
of 1861, could not be as jealous in its
support as those who were originally
secessionists, or who advocated seces-
sion on the election OF Lincoln. Some
were not fully convinced that Vance
could be, at heart II true Confederate
until later i'll the war. How little they
knew of the nature of the man! Having
cast his lot with the South and pledged
thencefOrth did bear Of life and limb
and terrene honor" When the term of
enlistment of his old company expired,
many of its members expressed their in
tention to return to their homes and
families: He had them called out and
formed III square, and standing in their
must made them speech on what he
thought to he the duty of the hour. 1t
breathed such fervor and devotion to
the Southern banner that not one failed
to re-enlist; and even fathers, who had
come to take their boys home, resolved
to remain with them and share their for
tunes.
nlrat they did mot resent the adj
vice was proved 10y the number of
their SONS, born during or soon
after the war, whom they named
for him. 1t is said that when he was
canvaSsslnS the section of the mountains
from which they hailed, in 1876, he be-
gam by presenting a five dollar bill to
each had introduced as his namesake; but
they began To come so fast that, to avoid
bankruptcy, be was obliged to reduce
the present 20 $500 head
blTt Nances right to THE epithet Of
The War Governor of the South" is
due as mut.h to tire earnest support of
the Confederate cause, by his State
through him, as dts executive head, rs to
what he did for its people, their protec-
welfare. For nearly rthree years. from
September 3. 1862, to the evening he left
Raleigh, April II, 1865. to avoid cap
ture by Sherman, he did all that vigi-
lance. zeal and energy could do ITO have
and Keep every DlaIl to whom Lee, john
ston. cuud Others were entitled, cas- sol
uiers, at the trout. 70 him at is due.
largely, that the Is regiments and some
unattached commands from North Caro-
lima, We're kept fuller than Those from
any other State, not understanding that
the bodies of more North Carolina dead
sshl'ewed the battletelds of the country
than those of any other State: that quite
one7sxth OF the Confederate troops
hhlled from this State; that we had a
soluner FOR nearly every voter; and that
olle-fifth the CoDfeGerates surrendered
by Lee at ApooDlattoX and one-half sun
rendered by Johnston at Greensboro.
were North caanlinians. And what was
the testaliony of our great captain, Rob
ellt Il. Lee, AS 10 the value of Vance's
services ito his army? In the winter of
lS63-64 in view of dhe disasters of Get
tysburg and Vicks6urg, the summer be-
fore, deselitron was depicting his ranks
and dependency was SETTLING IKE pail
over his army and the country Governor