Henderson daily dispatch., 1941-06-28
Zeb Vance
Statesman
Of War Day
Was One of Most Col
orful Figures Ever
Produced in Old North
State; Was Born May
Is, 1880, in Buncombe
County,.
BY {. c. CRITTLNDFN,
Secretary OF the North Carolina
Historical Commission.

" INV ALL
Historical Commission.
Zebulon Baird Vance, after whom,
Vance county is named, governor OF
North Carolina during a crisis in tie
States history, United Si>.,s sen
a1or. was one of the most cOlorfuI
figures yer produced in the Ole
North State. Like Charles b. Aycocf
ne came from very humble parent
eye, and, also like Aycock, he has
been honored by the States placing
his likeness in Statuary Hall in the
National Capitol in Washington.
Vance was born May IS, 1880. in
Bumcombe county, 4 few miles from
AShcNillc, the SOL of d farmer and
country merchant, After attending
ucishDorlng schools, he went t.
Washington College, in Tennessee
and later studied law at the Univer-
sity Of North Carolina. AT the age
OF twenty-five he Was licensed L
practice law, and uOn afterwards
was elected county solicitor. HIS
ready wit and persuasive eIoquence
proved tremendously effective witt,
the mountaineer jurlcs to whom he
presented his cases.
Entering politics, he joined the old
Wing party and later became a men,
Der Of the short-lIVcd American.
party. He served n term m the
State legislature and two in Congress-.
With the opening of the breach be.
tween North and South, he was Op-
posed to the secession OF North Car
DINA from the Union until President
.,rAl,,'E COLL Gn,. rnnnS To nnt down
the rebellion" of South Carolina
Thclcupon he worked for secession,
and later raised a company at Asht-
vile, the Trough and Ready Guards.
He soon became colonel Of the
TWenty-SiXth North Carolina Regl-
mcnt, and distinguished himself Tor
his gallantry.
In 1862 he was elected governor
of the State by the Conservative
party, which was made up nanny
OF old-line Wings, and pledged him.
self to the prosecution of the war
at all hazards and to the utmost cN-
trcmity.' In his efforts to prosecute
thc war, however, Vance was hinder
Cd bv the critical attitude Of the Con-
tolerate government IN Richmond
He was charged with O~bStrucllng the
enforcement of the Grolt IN North
Carolina, and it is true that he M
sisted that military officers pay
proper respect to the writ OF habeas
corpus. But he gave the conSCrlptlon
officers his full support IN every &C
ton he considered legal, and the fact
that no less than 1885 North Car
DINA cunscrlpts were enrolled IN tins
Confederate armies by September
1864, is evidence Of the effectiveness
OF his support. Vance issued a proc
lamation offering a pardon TO al
North Carolina "absenteeS who
would return to the Confederate
armies, and a considerable number
took advantage of the offer.
Governor Vance appreciated the
importance Of importing from abroad
supplies Tor the Conlederacy, an(
organized a fleet of swift steamers II
run the blockade into the port OF
Wilmington. The supplies mporlct
were distributed chiefly to Nor1l
CarolinianS, but a considerable pOf
ton also went to the Confederate
armies. In 1864. when Lees army
was defending Petersburg, no snk2l
part of its supplies came through
Wilmington.
AS the war progressed, w. w
Holden, editor Of the North Carollnt
Standard, became convinced that tht
Southern cause was hopeless ana UNI
0ertOOk to lead a peace
Vance, however, was determined Il
carry on hostilities to the end anc
fought out the gubernatorlal cam
paign of 1864 against Holden on suci
a platform. Vance's matchless ora
tory was irresistible, and he was re
elected governor by an OVcrWhelm
ing majority. In 1868 certain Con
federate leaders wanted hlm TO opei
peace negotiations, but he stcrnly re
fused to lead the roll of lnlamy.
When Sherman's army approachee
Raleigh in April, 1868, Vance 1led
but later surrendered to Genera
Schofield in Greensboro. he was
later arrested and imprisoned, Du
after a few weeks was released or
parole, and formed a law partner
ship in Charlotte, where he rename
g short time. In 1867 he was par
doned, and a few years later ms pc
litical disabilities were
In 1876 Vance was elected GOV
ernor over his Republican opponent
Judge Thomas Settle. His term
which was marked by a number o
progressive measures, lasted only two
of a possible four years, for IN 1871!
he was elected to the United State
Senate. and thereafter was reelected
and continued to serve until M
death. In the Senate he was a marc
worker and an influential debate(
and lent his influence to a true re-