The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1935-03-28
LIBRARY NOTES
(Mrs. c. D. Neal)

It is indeed an honor for Ashe
county that Capt. S. A. Ashe, one of
North Cardinals most distinguished
men, to show the interest in the Ii
brary he has shown. He has sent the
library Arthur's History Of North
Carolina, has written several inter-
esting letters, sent in book entitled
The Mahan Letters, and sent booklets
he wrote himself on Abraham Lincoln
as a Citizen and Causes of the War
Between the States which sheds a
new light on some matters Of history
and gives view point with which
the present generation is unacquaint-
ed.
No one is more qualified than Cap
tain Ashe as a historian. He is one
of the very few Confederate officers
left and is lawyer, and veteran
newspaper man. In, 1917, the Univers-
ity of North Carolina conferred upon
him the degree of L. L. D., and in
1889, the U. D. C. conferred upon him
the title of Brigadier General. We
shall soon receive his history of N.
c., said to be the best. That with his
other contributions will be priceless
additions to the library.
The Mahan Letters read like a his
torical romance. In 1858, Capt. Ashe
was sent to the U. S. Naval Academy
at Annapolis and was classmate of
Alfred Thayer Mahan, of West Point,
N. Y. They formed friendship that
lasted more than fifty years. Young
Ashe found that he did not care for a
naval career, resigned, and returned
to take up the study of law which the
war interrupted. AS captain and
adjutant- general on the staff of Gen.
eral Pope, he was mentioned for gal
lantry at the battle of Cedar Run and
was taken prisoner at the battle of
Manassas, exchanged and served in
the defense of Charleston until the
fort was evacuated. Mahan served on
the Northern side with a distinction
equal to Capt. Ashe and after the
war the friendship was renewed. The
Mahan Letters are the earlier letters
Mahan wrote Ashe for a period of
two years after he left the Naval
Academy. They are unique-giving a
picture of the naval and social life
of the time.
Ashe county was named in honor
Of Capt. Ashes grandfather-Gover-
nor Samuel Ashe. It is said that the
legislature met in 1897 to form new
county in the eastern part of the
state to be named for Washington
and which would give the east two
additional members. The members
from the west objected to the new
county in the east without one in the
west so Ashe county was formed and
| IAcLucU LUZ I1Ac 4OI1ucI ~lNAASIAO1
Bible reading man and a fine states
man.
Another well-known citizen and
former resident, Judge George Pell,
has written to us saying he would
send some books and-quoting from
the last paragraph-"Give my love to
everybody, and every cat and dog in
dear, old Ashe".
A. H. Eller, Of Winston-Salem, also
promises to remember, his native
county with contribution of books
to the library and speaks in praise of
the movement.
A letter has also come from G.. II.
Smithdeal, of Waldo, Fla, who read
Of the foundations for public library
in the Skyland Post, would like to be
permitted to aid worthy cause by
sending volumes of biography, his
tory, and classic fiction from his own
library in remembrance of his old
home town, Jefferson.
Since the last issue of the Skyland
Post, contributions have been received
from Rev. P. E. Downs, and Messrs.
]. F. Scott, T. C. Bowie, Jr, L. P.
Coward, Dennis Lewis, H. G. Jarvis,
and Sheriff H. M. Miller and P. G..