Year: 1868

Shoot Deserters.


BY TIE GOVERNOR OF NORTH CAROLINA,
A PROCLAMATION.


WHEREAS, l HAVE LEARNED WITH
w great pain that there have been lately nu-
merous assertions from the ranks of our gallant
army, and that there are many persons in the
country who incite and encourage these deser-
tions and harbor and conceal these misguided
men at home, instead of encouraging them to
return to duty:


Now therefore, ZEBULON B. VANCE, Gov
ernor of the State of North Carolina, do issue
this my proclamation, commanding all such evil
disposed persons 10 desist from such base, cow
ardly and reasonable conduct and warning them
that they will subject themselves to Indictment
and punishment in the civil courts of the Con-
fcderacy, as well as to the everlasting contempt
and detestation of all good an honorable men,


Certainly no crime could be greater, no cow
ardice more abject, no treason more base, than
for citizen Of the State, enjoying its privileges
and protection without sharing its dangers, to
persuade those who have had the courage to 90
forth in defence of their country viely to desert
the colors which they have sworn to uphold,
when miserable death or vile and ignomni-
| GUS existence must be the inevitable consequent
ces. No plea can excuse it. The father or the
brother who does ii shohld be shot instead OF his
deluded victim, for he deliberately destroys the
soul and manhood of his own flesh and blood
And the same is done by him who habors any
conceals the deserter. For who can respect
either the one or the other? What honest man
will ever wish or permit his own brave sons or
patriotic daughters, who bore their parts with
credit in this great struggle for independence to
associate even to the third and fourth generations
with the vile wretch who skulked in the woods,
or the still viler coward who aided him. while his
bleeding country was calling in vain for his help?
Both are cnemies-dangerous enemies to their
country, before whom our open foes will be in
finitely preferred. Both foes. to their own
kindred and noble countrymen who are electri-
flying the world by their gallant deeds, and pour
ing out their blood upon the field of battle to
protect those very men who are sapping the vi
tails of our strength. And woe unto you, deser-
tiers, and your aders and abettors, when peace
being made and independence secured these
brave comrades whom ye have deserted in the
hour of their trial shall return honored and tri-
umphant to their homes! Ye that hide your
guilty faces by day, and prowl like outlaws about
by night, robbing the wives and mothers of your
noble defenders of their little means, while they
are far away facing the enemy, do you think ye
can escape a just and damning vengeance when
the day of reconning comes And ye that shelter
conceal, and feed these miserable depredators
and stimulate them to their deeds, think you
that We will be spared? Nay rest assured, OBJ
serving and never failing eyes have marked you,
every one. And when the overjoyed wife well
comes once more her brave and honored hus-
band to his home, and tells him how in the long
years of his absence, in the ony hours of the
night ye who had been his comrades rudely en-
tered her house, robbed her and her children of
their bread, and heaped insults and indignities
upon her dcfenceless head, the wrath of that he
roc husband will make you regret in the bitter
ness of your cowardly terror that you were ever
born. Instead of a few scattered militia, the
land will be full of veteran soldiers, before whose
honest faces you will not have courage to raise
your eyes from the earth Ii permitted to live in
the State at all. you will be infamous. You will
be hustled from the polls, nsulted in the Streets
a jury of your countrymen will not believe You
on oath, and honest men everywhere will shun
you as pestilence; for he who lacks courage
and patriotism can have no other good quality
or redeemiug virtue. Though many of you re-
jected the pardon heretofore offered you, and 1
am now not authorized to promise it, yet am
assured that no man will be shot who shall vol
UNFAIRLY return to duty This is the only chance
to redeem yourselves from the disgrace and ig-
nominy which you are incurring.


Again our troops have met the enemy and q
great and glorious victory has been won. But sew
eral thousand of our soldiers fell in achieving it
for US. Every man Is needed to replace the gal
liant dead, and preserve an unbroken front to our
still powerful enemy. Unless desertion is pre-
vented our strength must depart from our ar
mics, and desertion can never be stopped while
either through falese and mistaken sympathy or
downright disloyalty, they receive any counte.
nance or protection at home Therefore appeal
to all good citizens and true patriots in the State
to assist my officers in arresting deserters, and
to frown down all those who aid and assist them
Place the brand upon them and make them feel
the scorn and contempt of an outraged people.
| Unless the good and patriotic all over the land
arise one man to arrest this dangerous evil, it
may grow until our army is well nigh ruined.
The danger of starvation having happily passed
away-the approaching and apparently bounte-
Gus harvest giving evidence of ample supplies for
the coming year-our great army in Virginia
again jubilant over mighty victory-I am well
assured that our danger now lies in the disorgan-
ization produced by desertion. You can arrest
it, my countrymen, if you will but make Wig
erous effort, if you'will but bring to bear the
weight of great, patriotic and united commu-
nifty in aid of our authorities


(-, In witness whereof, ZEBULoN B. VANCE,
L. s. Governor, Captain General and Com


~ mander-in-Chef, hath signed these pres
ents and caused the great seal of the State to be
affixed.


Done at the City of Raleigh, this 18th day of
May, A. D., 1868. z. B. VANCE.


By the Governor:


r. II. BATTLE, Jr.. -.,.
I'm -.. ...9... Private Secretary.