The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-07-28

tramp back to Charlotte. the men de-
ciined the offer and never received any
pay for their labor
A few days later. in April. 1865.
President Davis and his cabinet came
to Charlotte and for a few days his
was the capital OF the Confederate
States. One Of the last deciaratio-s
| and cabinet meeting was held in tho
building now occupied by ths Char
lotte Observer-then the bank. and
some of their last acts were sealed
and signed there.
After the news Of President Lin
coins assassination was received the
government broke Up and the officers
dispersed. President Davis set cut to
overtake his family and the sequel is
historic.
The navy yard was abandoned and
when the Federal forces marched into
Charlotte. it was taken possession OF
by the United States government az
was the mint and all the stores of the
lConfederacy.
Later, Captain Wilkes was permit
ted to repurchaSe his own property
(the ~Confederacy never wing paid
him for it's use )at a reasonable rate.
There he established the M~ecllenburg
Iron Works.. which occupied the site
for 10 years, from April. 1865. to
April, 1875. The last castings were
made there on the day of our big fire,
April L, 1875.
(Signed)
4. JANE RENWICK WILKES.
March,. 1910. (Mrs. John Wilkes
The Yarimen.
Mr.. z. Z. Zimmerman of the Meek
lenburg Iron Works. j lifetime resi-
!, lent of Charlotte. and one of her most
hOnOred citizens. gave Miss Alexander
invaluable aid in her researches for
data and furnished her with the fol-
: lowing list Of men who came to char
!, lotte with the removal of the naval
> works from Norfolk. Mrs. Wilkes has
5 made mention of some of them and
, paid a fine tribute to their sterling
: worth and fine loyalty. TIE list OF
names given by Mr.. Zimmerman is as
r follows:
: Reuben Culpepper. w. +. Culpepper.
t Henry w. Tatuna, JoShua Sykes. Cor
: nelius Myers, William Myers, WASH
$ ington Bright, Cope Smith. &c yard
y Lewis. Isaac Sumner, John Davis.
James Lloyd, Clay Guy, Augustus
Tabb. Andrew Hoffennagle. James
Rockets, George w. Thompson, Sr..
Thomas Winfields. Charles L. Walker.
n Michael Holey, George w. Gleason.
h Jr., Thomas Peed. Willioughb Butt.
d A. Brewer, 7. J. Roawe, Jr.. Robert
Culpepper, r. NJ. Grimes, b. M. Pres
son, Thomas Dwyer, George Dough-
terry. Jerry Nicholson, Hugh Smith.
Henry Brown. Henry Tucker. Henry
h Goodwin, Elias Guy, Henry Tabb.
n John Thomas, John w. Owens, Au-
gusts Ricketts,. George w. Thomas
n IT, Columbus Walker, Joshua Hop
kins, Gorge w. Gleason. Sr., James
Peed, John Worards, Marcellus Thur
ma, G. j.. Rookie, Sr.
!. unfortunately, it has been impos-
sible to secure a complete roster OF
IL the men who came to Charlotte with
the naval works, and who served
'. here from 1862 to 1865 part OF that
Il time 9S members Of tho fhrao MN
u MES of marines. Mr.. Zimmerman re-
u calls the names of 81 men, all skilled
y WoFkmen, who came to Charlotte from
Z: Norfolk in 1862. There were man3
N otners OF "hom we have no record
III who either died, returned to Norfolk
v after the war, or moved elsewhere
- as we learn from Capt. H. AshtoT
u Ramsey that he was in command O
tnree % organized from
as the men Of this navy yard.
Capt. VIM. 3. Taylor, formerly cit,
tax collector, and one of Chariotte'
oest known veterans. a member O
the MeckIenburg Camp Of Confederate
- Veterans, tells us that Thomas Dwyer
VINO came to Charlotte from Norfoll
on with the navy yard men. invited
eu machine for turning a perfect spher
W a cannon ball or shell. 1t was tn.
&c nfst successful invention Of it's kline
N and was used in the Charlotte nav
YARD. This valuable %nvention wa
-. "iiiotd.eO ny the United States gov
nmen and put into use in the Unit
" ed states navy yards. no credit O
~ enumeration ever being given to tn
e. Southern inventor.
en- Capt. III. Ashton Ramsey
@ capt H.. Ashton Ramsey was the Of
80 hcer IN charge Of the navy yard an
' MI. Peters was in charge Of the nava
it'll Trade street .na 60. ~ r|
zen convenient to the navy yard. Captai
Ficnaro l.. Page was the command
no ant IN charge of the entire station
with his official residence at the Unite
he latter h,ildi,g haa1 =
ing the Confe6areto 80 "ei~0u .
till nv thar, n..; =" hO'