The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-08-12

ton of the United States.
From the close of the Revolution to
the outbreak of the Civil War was a
period of growth for North Carolina.
In 1870 Wake Court House was cho-
sen capital of the State. Later it was
decided that the Governor should be
elected by the people, not by the Leg
islature.
North Carolina was not directly
concerned IN the war of 1912, nor n
the Mexican War, though many of her
men served in each.
The invention of the cotton gin
gave an impetus to cotton raising, and
added greatly to the wealth and pros
perity of the South. Cotton was rails
ed chiefly through slave labor. This
made slavery immensely profitable at
the South. At the adoption of the
Constitution slavery existed in all the
States. Although many Northerners
engaged in the slave trade, slavery IT
self was not profitable in the North,
and gradually died out. Thus slavery
was one u of the rupture between
the States.
But there was another cause-tax-
alton. Tariff on manufactured goods,
especially cotton goods, was injurious
to the South, because the South was
largely a cotton-growing country. 1t
was beneficial to the North, the manu-
featuring section. Much was depend
ing on the campaign of 1850. 1t re-
suited in the election of Lincoln, the
Republican candidate, for President.
| The South believed that her demands
would not be heard, and seven States
seeded.
The doctrine of secession had often
been invoked here and there in the
Northern States, but the justice of
| their demands was seen, and the cause
for complaint lessened or removed.
But in this instance when sectional
feeling ran so high, war alone could
decide the issue.
April u, 1861, hostilities were be-
gun at Charleston. Two days later
President Lincoln called for seventy
five thousand troops, fifteen hundred
from North Carolina. She must fight
facing her sister States of the South
or by their sides. She chose the lat
ter. North Carolina was not hasty in
deciding to leave the Union. But when
the Act of Secession was passed May
20, 1861, North Carolinians did not
falter.
On June 10, 1861, the first battle of
the Civil War was fought at Bethel,
Va. The Confederates were victo-
rious. The first Southern victim of
the war was Henry Wyatt of Edge
combe County, N. G.. Most of the
North Carolinians we're serving in
Virginia, leaving the Notifications on
the coast inadequate. The Federal
lists seized Forts Hatteras and Clark;
later Roanoke and New Bern.
The hope of the Union lay in closing
the Southern ports. They according
ly tried to blockade the coast. Will
mington was the first to break through
the chain of ships, and throughout the
war led in blockade running.
At the two great pivotal battles of
the war-Gettysburg Gully 1-3, 1859,
and ~Chickamauga September 1920,
1864),-North Carolinians fell farth-
est to the front, nearest the enemy's
guns.
The most noteworthy battles fought
in North Carolina were Averysbor-
ough, Plymouth, the taking of Fort
Fisher, and the battle of Bentonville,
the last of the war.
On April 8, 1855, General Lee with
a handful of ragged, half-starved men
surrendered at Appomattox. It was
over! The news spread along the line I!
Even then the patriotism of the "Boys
who wore the gray" again burst forth.
They could not, would not believe it.
When they realized hat their cause
was indeed lost, they said farewell to
the General they had followed four
long years, and turned sadly home
ward.
But their trials were not yet ended.
With a voting population of $4,000
North Carolina had furnished 1900
troops. Much of her property had
been destroyed by Federal armies. In
dustry was at a standstiIl. Then it