The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-01-24
GOVERNOR GRAHAM ON NORTH
CAROLINA IN ITS.

Some weeks ago h Messenger
upon the Life and Character of Cover
nor Nathaniel Greene, delivered at
Greensboro in December 1850. by the
late distinguished and most admirable
North Carolina statesman, Hon. VIII
liam A. Graham, ex-governor, ex-U. S.
senator and eX-secretary of the navy.
1t copied some Instructive facts as to
North Carolina in the first wal of indie
p~endence. We turn to it again to gather
some instructive and very interesting
points. North Carolina in the "Revo-
lutionary Wharf.-The old name for it
did her part nobly and thoroughly as
The Messengers first editorial set forth.
We propose to follow it up for enlight-
eminent and convenience of our read
ers who are interested in what concerns
this great, if modest. state. North
Carolina has been overlooked by his
tOrians of other states as it has been
ignored or misrepresented in the STU
pendous war between the states. This
is a time of inquiry, of searching rec
ords, of correcting wrong dates, statis-
tics and reports. So it will interest
North Carolinians of the true type to
learn more than they perhaps know OF
the prolonged seven-years' war against
the mother cour try because taxation
without representation was tyranny"
How did North Carolina bear herself
after the battle of Alamance in III.
1~l xL@ MALL
Independence on the goth Of May 1775c
Governor Graham, as he is more gen.
orally called, states that North Carolina
had of the officers of the Continental
line, n major general. Robert Howe,
commanding, October goth, 1777. Five
acknowledgements. Robert Howe. COM
handing, March. 1st 1776; James Moore,
March 1st, 17.6: Franc Nash, Febru-
airy 5th 1777: .Jethro Summer, January
9th, 1873: James Hogan, January 9Th,
1879. OF the latter, the two most dis
tinguished for military genius, Moore
and Nash. died early in the war" In
a statement made by Governor Graham
we are reminded of the very curious
distribution of generals of different
grades in the great war of the south
against the south. We have at hand a
list of all these n it is marvellous to
see what a great share fell TO Virginia
as compared with other states
when she did not furnish by a very
great deal as many soldiers as did
North Carolina, and not as many as
Georgia sent forward. Governor Ora
ham said:
ut Is a fact which should not be lost
sight of. in this period. tina Masssa-
chusetts first becoming the theatre of
war, had raised a force of Is, 900 men,
and had prevailed on the other New
England colonies to levy men, in like
proportions, and that ngr in May,
IT'S. was induced to adopt his force.
as a Continental army. This ccoun
for the further fact. hat in the war,
Massachusetts obtained appointments
of five major generals and eleven Brig
adiers; Connecticut, five major generals
and five brigadiers: New Hampshire,
one major general and five b~rigadiers;
Rhode Island, one major general and
two brigadiers; and that almost all OF
the troops of New England, in the ser !
vice of the Union, appea as Continental
This army except the officers, |
adopted by the Continental congress.
was with difficulty kept embodied. after
the command was assumed by Wash
ington. during the seige OF Boston, ow- ,
ing TO the brief term which Its men had
enlisted. n 500 melted away,
when the British forces evacuated ,
that city, in March. 177s."
That is edifying. It is known why
Virginia in 1S61-65 Jared so sumptu- !
ously. 1t has some great captains and
many appointees who were $3.50
Favoritism at Richmond did the work. |
General Lee himself was often unheed- |
and his preferences ignored.
When congress organized for a pro-
tracted struggle. in 177s. it sought TO
raise IS battalions for the entire war. |
We quote from our authority:
These were a~pportioned, to be furn- |
by the states. in the quEoas fol- |
Massachusetts,, Is; Virginia. Is:
Pennsylvania. y: North Carolina. .:
Maryland. 8: Connecticut. 8: South
Carolina. 6; New York, 4; New Jersey.
4:New Hampshire, 4. Rhode Island. 2:
/: Georgia. L Such were
then considered TO be the relative pop
of the states, and their conse- |
Quent liabilities to contribute men TO
the common cause
In our previous editorial the troops
furnished or nearly all. were given.
North Carolina moved forward with
fidelity and zeal, AND long before this
requisition as Governor Graham truly
stafes:
But long before this requisition
North Carolina having proclaimed. that