The last ninety days of the war in North Carolina

Front matter

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CHAPTER I. • PAaa

Difficulties of the History— The Position of North-Carolina— The Peace Convention — The Montgomery Convention — Governor Yance — The Salisbury Prison— Testimony on the Trial, . . . . .13

Chapter II

Winter of 1864-'5— Letter of Governor Vance— Appeal for General Lee's Army— The Destitution of the People— Fall of Fort Fisher— Advance of ■ General Sherman— Contrast between Sherman and Cornwallis— Extracts from Lord Cornwallis's Order-book — The " Bloody Tarleton," . 26

Chapter III

Judge Ruffin — His History — His Character — His Services — General Couch's Outrages after Peace had been declared — General Sherman's Outrages — His unblushing Official Report — " Army Correspondents" — Sherman in Fayetteville — Cornwallis in Fayetteville — Coincicences of Plans — Contrasts in Modes— The Negro Suffers— Troops Coacentrating under General Johnston, . . . . . . . .40

8 CONTENTS.

Chapter IV. Pagb

Laws of War — " Right to Forage older than History" — Xenophon — Kent on International Law — Halleck's Authority versus Sherman's Theory and Practice — President Woolsey — Letter of Bishop Atkinson, . .53

Chapter V

Lord Cornwallis in Fayetteville— A young Lady's Interview with him— How he treated her— How Sherman's Men treated her Grandson—" The Story of the Great March"— Major Nichols and the " Quadroon Girls" — Such is NOT War— "Why these Things are recorded— Confederate Concentration in North-Carolina— A Sad Story, . . . .65

Chapter VI

"Shays's Rebellion"— Kent on Massachusetts— Conduct of a Northern Government to Northern Rebels — The "Whisky Insurrection" — How Washington treated a Rebellion— Secession of New-England Birth— The War of 1812— Bancroft on 1676— The Baconists— An Appeal, . 76

Chapter VII

Schofield's Army— Sherman's— Their Outrages— Union Sentiment— A Disappointment — Ninety-two Years Ago — Governor Graham — His Ancestry — ^His Career — Governor Manly, . . . . , ,94

CHAPTER VIII Governor Graham opposes Secession — But goes witk his State — Is sent to the Confederate Senate — His Agency in the Hampton Roads Interview—' Remarkable and Interesting Letters from Governor Graham, written from Richmond in 1865, 109

Chapter IX. Pagb

State of Parties — The Feeling of the People — ^The " Peace" Party — Important Letter from Governor Vance in January, 1S64— His Reelection— Tlie War Party— The Peace Party— The Moderates— Governor Graham'3 Letter of March, 1865 — Evacuation of Richmond, . . . 121

Chapter X

General Johnston preparing to uncover Raleigh — Urgent Letter from Governor Swain to Governor Graham — Governor Graham's Reply — A Programme of Operations agreed upon — Finally Governors Graham and Swain start for Sherman's Headquarters, ..... 184

Chapter XI

Raleigh, when uncovered— The Commissioners to General Sherman — They start — Are recalled by General Johnston — Are stopped by Kilpatrick'a Forces — Their Interview with Kilpatrick — Are carried to Sherman's Headquarters— His Reply to Governor Vance— The further Proceedings of the Commission — A Pleasant Incident — The Commissioners return to Raleigh— Governor Vance had left— His Letter to Sherman— The Federal Troops enter Raleigh— Incidents, ..... 145

Chapter XII

Johnston's Retreat— Governors Graham and Swain misunderstood— Wheeler's Cavalry— Confederate Occupancy of Chapel Hill— The Last Blood — " Stai's and Stripes"— One in Death— General Atkins— Scenes around . Raleigh— Military Lawlessness ...... 165

10 CONTENTS.

Chapter XIII. Pagb

Correspondence betvp-een Governor Swain and General Sherman— Governor

Vance's Position and Conduct— Kilpatrick — The Conduct of the Servants — " Lee's Men"— President Lincoln, . . . .178

Chapter XIV

General Stoneman — Outrages — Cold-blooded Murders — General Gillam— Progress through Lenoir, Wilkes, Surry, and Stokes— Stoneman's Detour into Virginia— The Defense of Salisbury— The Fight in the Streets of Salisbury— General Polk's Family — Temporary Occupancy of Salisbury—Continuous Raiding, ...... 193

Chapter XV

Iredell County — General Palmer's Courtesy to Mrs. Vance — Subsequent Treatment of this Lady by Federal Soldiers— Major Hambright's Cruelty in Lenoir— Case of Dr. Ballew and Others— General Gillam — His Outrages at Mrs. Hagler's— Dr. Boone Clark— Terrible Treatment of his Family— Lieutenants Rice and Mallobry — Mrs. General Vaughan — Morganton, ......... 218

Chapter XVI. •

Plundering of Colonel Carson— Of Rev. Msv Paxton— General Martin repulses Kirby— Gillam plunders during the Armistice— Occupation of Asheville — "Wholesale Plunder— Dispatch from General Pahner,

CONTENTS. il

Chapter XVII. Page

Surrender of General Lee— Why North-Carolina could not bav<^ ^akcn Measures to send Commissioners— Review— The Coal-fields Railway— Difficulties of Transportation— Provisions— The Last Call— Recreants— Privations— The Condition of the Press, . . . . .235

Chapter XVIII

rhe University— Its Early History— Its Continued Growth— The Ardor of the Young Men — Application for Relief from Conscription — Governor Swain to President Davis— Another Draft on the Boys— A Dozen Boys in College when Sherman comes ; and the Bells rinji on — " Commencement" in 1865— One Graduate— He pronounces the Valedictory— Conclusion, . . . • • • • • • ^^*

Appendix

I._XJniversity Record, .

II.— General James Johnston Pettigrew, . • . . .273

IN

ISrORTH-CAI^OLIlSrA.

Chapter I

DIFFICULTIES OF THE HISTOKY — THE POSITION OF NORTH-CAEO- LINA — THE PEACE CONVENTION — THE MONTGOMERY CONVEN- TION — GOVERNOR VANCE — THE SALISBURY PRISON — TESTI- MONY ON THE TRIAL.

It will be long before the history of the late war can be soberly and impartially written. The passions that have been evoked by it will not soon slumber, and it is perhaps expecting too much of human natui'e, to believe that a fair and candid statement of facts on either side will soon be made. There is as yet too much to be forgotten — too much to be forgiven.

The future historian of the great struggle will doubtless have ample material at his disposal ; but from a vast mass of conflicting evidence he will have to sift, combine, and arrange the grains of truth — a work to which few men of this generation are com23etent. But meanwhile there is much to be done in collecting evidence, especially by those wlio desire that justice shall be done to the South : and this evidence, it is to be hoped, will be largely drawn from private sources. History has in general no more invaluable and irrefragable witnesses for the truth than are to be found in the journals, memoranda, and private correspondence of the prominent and influential men who either acted in, or were compelled to remain quiet observers of the events of their day. EsiDCcially will this be found to be the case when posterity shall sit in judgment on the past four years in the South. From no other sources can so fair a representation be made of the conflicts of opinion, or of the motives of action in the time when madness seemed to rule 4lie hour, when all individual and all State efibrts for peace were powerless, when sober men were silenced, and when even the public press could hardly be considered free.

If it be true of the South in general, that even in the most excited localities Tvarning voices were raised in vain, and that a strong undercurrent of good sense and calm reflection undoubtedly existed — overborne for a time by the elements of strife and revolution — more especially and with tenfold emphasis is it true of the State of !N"orth-Carolina.

" Wliere we lav, Our chimneys were blown down : and, as they say, Lamentings heard i' the air ; strange screams of death ; And prophesying, with accents terrible. Of dire combustion, and confused events, New-hatched to the woful time."

That North-Carolina accepted a destiny which she was unable- to control, when she ranged herself in the war for Southern independence, is a fact which can not be disputed. And though none the less ardently did her sons spring to arms, and none the less generously and splendidly did her people sustain the great army that poured forth from her borders; though none the less patient endurance and obedience to the general government was theirs ; yet it is also a fact, indisputable and on record, that ISTorth-Carolina was never allowed her just weight of influence in the councils of the Southern Confederacy, nor were the opinions or advice of her leading men either solicited or regarded. And therefore, nowhere as in the private, unreserved correspondence of her leading men, can her attitude at the beginning, her temper and her course all through, and her action at the close of the war, be so clearly and so fairly defined and illustrated, and shown to be eminently consistent and characteristic throughout.

The efforts made by ISTorth-Carolina, during the winter and spring of 1861, to maintain peace and to preserve the Union, were unappreciated, unsuccessful, and perhaps were not even generally knoAvn. In February of that year, two separate delegations left the State, appointed by her Legislature, each consisting of selections from her best citizens — one for Washington City and the other for Montgomery, Alabama. Judge Ruffin, Governor Morehead, Governor Reid, D. M. Barringer, and George Davis were accredited to the Peace Convention at Washington ; Governor Swain and Messrs. Bridsrers and Ransom to the Convention at Montgomery, to meet the delegations expected to convene there from the other Southern States.

Neither of these delegations, however, were able to, effect any thing. They were received with courtesy, respect, and attention on each side, but nothing was done. The Peace Convention at Washington was a failure — why or how, has never been clearly shown. If one or other of the distinguished gentlemen who formed the North-Carolina delegation would commit an account of the mission to writing, he would be doing the State good service. I would venture to suggest it to Judge Ruffin, whose appearance there was said to have been in the hio-hest deo-ree venerable and impressive, and his speech for the Union and for the Old Flag most eloquent and affecting.

The expected delegations from the other Southern States to Montgomery failed to arrive, and North-Carolina Avas there alone, and could only look on. The provisional government for such of the States as had already seceded was then acting, and the general Confederate government was in process of organization. Our delegates were treated with marked courtesy, and were invited to attend the secret sessions of the Congress, which, however, they declined. North-Carolina stood there alone ; and as she maintained an attitude of calm and sad deprecation, she was viewed with distrust and suspicion by all extremists, and was taunted with her constitutional slowness and lack of chivalric fire. The moderation and prudence of her counsels were indeed but little suited to the fiery temper of that latitude. Too clearly, even then, she saw the end

THE LAST NINETY DATS OF THE WAE. l7

from the beginning ; but what was left for her, when the clouds lowered and the storm at last broke, but to stand where the God of nature had placed her, and where affection and interest both inclined her — in the South and viith the South ? To that standard, then, her brave sons flocked, in obedience to her summons ; for them and for their safety and success were her prayers and tears given; for their comfort and subsistence every nerve was strained in the mortal struggle that followed ; and their graves will be forever hallowed — none the less, I repeat, that from the first the great body of her people and the best and most clearsighted of her public men deprecated the whole business of secession, and with sad prevision foretold the result.

If history shall do her justice, the part played by North-Carolina all through this mournful and bloody drama will be found well worthy of careful study.

The quiet and self-reliant way in which, when she found remonstrance to be in vain, she went to her inevitable work ; the foresight of her preparations ; the thoroughness of her equipments ; the splendor of her achievements on the battle-field ; her cheerful and patient yielding to all lawful demands of the general government ; her watchful guard against unlawful encroachments, as the times grew more and more lawless ; her silence, her modesty, and her efficiency — were all strikingly JVbrth- Caroliniaii. Not one laurel would she appropriate from the brow of a sister State — nay, the blood shed and the sufferings endured in the common cause but cement the Southern States tosfether in dearer bonds of affection. No word uttered by a N"ort Carolinian in defense or praise of his own mother, cai be construed as an attempt to exalt her at the expense' of others. But I am speaking now of North-Carolina alone, and my principal object will be to present the closing scenes of the war, as they appeared within some part of her borders, and to make a plain record of her action therein — a sketch which may afford valu, able memoranda to the future historian.

Much of the energy and the efficiency displayed by the State in providing for the exigencies of war, were due to the young man whom she chose for her Governor, in August, 1862. Governor Yance was one of the people — one of the soldiers — and came from the camp to the palace undoubtedly the most popular man in the State. A native of Buncombe county, he had been in a great measure the architect of his own fortunes. Possessing unrivaled abilities as a popular speaker, he had made his way rapidly in the confidence of the brave and free mountaineers of Western Carolina, and was a member of the United States House of Represent, atives for the term ending at the inauguration of President Lincoln. He used all his influence most ardently to avert the disruption of the Union, down to the time when the Convention of May, 1861, passed the ordinance of secession. Then, following the fortunes of his OAvn State, he threw himself with equal ardor into the ranks of her army. Volunteering as private in one of the first companies raised in Buncombe, he was soon elected captain, and thence rose rapidly to be Colonel of the Twenty-sixth regiment. His further military

THE LAST laNETT DAYS OF THE WAE. 19

career was closed by his being elected Governor in 1862, by an overwhelming ^ote, over the gentleman who was generally considered as the candidate of the secession party. We were, indeed, all secessionists then ; but those who were defined as " original secessionists " — men who invoked and cheered on the movement and the war — were ever in a small minority in this State, both as to numbers and to influence. Governor Yance was elected because he had been a strong Union man, ^and loas a, gallant soldier — two qualifications which some of our Northern brethren can not admit as consistent or admirable in one and the same true character, but which together constituted the strongest claim uj^on the confidence and affection of North-Carolina.

Governor "Vance's career from the first was marked by devotion to the people who had distinguished him, and by a determination to do his duty to thetii at all hazards. This is not the place, nor have I the material for such a display of Governor Vance's course of action as would do him deserved justice ; but this I may say, that his private correspondence, if ever it shall be published, will endear him still more to the State which he loved, and to the best of his ability served.

His employment of a blockade-runner to bring in clothing for the North-Carolina troops was a noble idea, and proved a brilliant success.* If he had done

* Since tie publication of the above, I have been informed by Governor Vance that the first suggestion of this plan was due to Gen. J. G. Martin alone. He was at that time Adjutant-General of the State, and at a consultation held by Governor Vance soon after his entrance upon office, to devise ways and means for providing

20 THE LAST NIXETY DAYS OF THE WAR.

nothing else in his official career to prove himself worthy to be our Governor, this alone would be sufficient. It matters but little as to the amount, great or small, of Confederate money spent in this service. It is all gone now ; but the substantial and incalculable good that resulted at the time from this expenditure, can neither be disputed nor forgotten. For two years his swift-sailing vessels, especially the A. D. Vance, escaped the blockaders, and steamed regularly in and out of the port of Wilmington, followed by the prayers and anxieties of our whole people. " The Advance is in!" was a signal for congratulations in every town in the State; for we knew that another precious cargo was safe, of shoes, and blankets, and cloth, and medicines, and cards. And so it was that when other brave men went barefoot and ill-clad through the winter storms of Virginia, our own Korth Carolina boys were well supplied, and their wives and little ones at home were clothed, thanks to our Governor and to our God.

I have seen tears of thankfulness running down the cheeks of our soldiers' wives on receiving a pair of these cards, by which alone they were to clothe and procure bread for themselves and their children. And they never failed to express their sense of what they owed to their Governor. " God bless him !" they would cry, '' for thinking of it. And God loill bless him."

One striking evidence of the fullness and efficiency

for our soldiers, Gen. Martin suggested and advocated the employment of a blockade-runner. It was a bold and happy thought, and as boldly and happily carried out by Governor Vance, of these supplies I can not refrain from giving, as it occurred at the close of the war, when our resources, it might be supposed, were utterly exhausted. It will also serve to show what manner of man Governor Vance was, in more ways than one.

In February, 1865, the attention of our people was called to the condition of the Federal prisoners at Salisbury. The officer in charge of them may or may not have been as he is represented. Time will bring the truth to light. But it was alleged against him, that he would not only do nothing himself for the unhappy prisoners under his care, but would allow no private interference for their comfort. The usual answer of all such men, when appealed to on the score of common humanity, was, " What business have these Yankees here ?" This was deemed triumphant and unanswerable. That their food should be scanty and of poor quality was unavoidable when our own citizens were in want and our soldiers were on half-rations ; but sufficient clothing, kind attendance, and common decencies and comforts were, or might have been, extended to all within the bounds of our State. How far the Federal Government was itself responsible and criminal in this matter, by its refusal to exchange prisoners, future investigations will decide. The following extract of a letter from a prominent member of our last Legislature to a distinguished citizen, shows what the State of North-Carolina could and would have done for their relief :

*' I called at Governor Vance's office, in the capitol, and found him sitting alone ; and though his desk was covered with papers and documents, these did not seem to engage his attention. He rather seemed to be in profound thought. He expressed himself pleased to see me, and proceeded to say that he had just seen a Confederate surgeon from Salisbury — mentioning his name — and was shocked at what he had heard of the condition of the Federal prisoners there. He went on to detail what he had heard, and testified deep feeling during the recital. He concluded by saying that he wished to see the State take some action on the subject. I assured him immediately how entirely I sympathized with him, and asked what relief it was in our power to bestow. He replied that the State had a full supply of clothing, made of English cloth, for our own troops, and that she had also a considerable quantity made of our own factory cloth. And further, that the State had also a very large supply of under-clothing, blankets, etc. ; a supply of all which things might be dispensed to the prisoners, without trenching upon the comfort of our own troops. I told him that a resolution, vesting him with proper authority to act in the matter, could, I thought, be passed through the Legislature. That I thought it very desirable that such a resolution should be passed unanimously; and with a view to obviate objections from extreme men, it was better so to shape the resolution as to make it the means of obtaining reciprocal relief for our own prisonners at the North. This was done. The resolution requesting Governor Vance to efiect an arrangement by which, in consideration of blankets, clothing, etc., to be distributed by the Federal Government to prisonners of war from North-Carolina, blankets, clothing, etc., in like quantity, should be distributed by the State of JSTorth-Garolina to the Federal prisoners at Salisbury, passed both houses, I think, without one dissentient voice, within the next day."

The letter-books of Governor Vance, it will be remembered, passed into the hands of the military authorities in May, 1865; and, under the order of General Schofield, were transmitted to the State Department at Washington. Whether they have been or are to be returned to the Executive Department of this State, to whom they properly belong, remains to be seen. A correspondent of the New-York press, who was allowed to examine them, remarks that " among much evil they exhibited redeeming traits of character!'''' that "the letters of Governor Vance to Mr. Secretary Seddon, of the War Department of .Richmond, and to General Bradley Johnson, who had control of the prisoners at Salisbury, urged upon both these functionaries the immediate relief of the suffering prisoners, as alike dictated by humanity and policy." This correspondence, when it shall come to light, will show that the action of the executive was as prompt and decided as that of the legislative department of the State. Whatever may be said of the treatment of prisoners at Andersonville and elsewhere, it is certain that no efforts were spared on the part of the public authorities of North-Carolina, nor, we may add, of the community around Salisbury, to mitigate, as far as was possible, the inevitable horrors of war ; and that our Governor, especially, exerted all the power and influence at his command to render immediate and effectual relief.

Governor Vance received no reply to his application to the Federal authorities. From General Bradley- Johnson, at Salisbury, he received in reply a list of clothing and provisions then being received from the North for the prisoners ; and a statement that they needed nothing but some tents, which Governor Vance was unable to send them.

The investigations of the Gee trial, held at Raleigh since the above was written, have served lo substantiate all that I have said. What we could do, we wer-e willing to do for our unhappy prisoners. But our own people, our own soldiers, were on the verge of starvation. Every effort was made by our authorities to in. duce the Northern Government to exchange, without effect. Their men died by thousands in our semitropical climate, because we were powerless to relieve them with either food or medicine. No one can read the testimony given at the Gee trial without a deep impression of the awful state of destitution among us. The country around Salisbury was stripped bare of provisions, and the railroads were utterly unfit for service. One of the witnesses stated that they had to take up the turn-outs to mend the road with. Writing now, at a distance of nearly two years, I can not recall the dark and hopeless days of that winter without a shudder. We knew the condition of those prisoners while we were mourning over the destitution of our own army. The coarse bread served at our own meagre repasts was made bitter by our reflections. A lady, writing from Salisbury, said : " I am much more concerned at the condition of these prisoners than at the advance of Sherman's army."

That North-Carolina had at least clothing to offer them was more than could be said for any other Southern State in that respect. She was probably worse off for provision than those south of her. She gave what she had. She did what she could.

CHAPTER n.

WINTER OP 1864-'5 — LETTER OF GOVERNOR VANCE— APPEAL FOR GENERAL LEE'S ARINIY — THE DESTITUTION OF THE PEO- PLE — FALL OF FORT FISHER — ADVANCE OP GENERAL SHER- MAN — CONTRAST BETWEEN SHERMAN AND CORNW.NJLLIS — EXTRACTS FROM LORD CORNWALLIS'S ORDER-BOOK — THE "BLOODY TARLETON."

The fall and winter of 1864-'5 were especially gloomy to our people. The hopes that had so long delusively buoyed up the Southern States in their desperate Struggle against overwhelming odds were beginning to flag very ^perceptibly in every part of the Confederacy w^here people were capable of appreciating the facts of the situation. More especially, then, in North-Carolina, situated so near to the seat of war that false rumors, telegrams, and "reliable gentlemen" from the front had never had more than a very limited circulation here, and whose sober people never had been blinded or dazzled by the glare of false lights ; more especially here were there only gloomy outlooks for the year 1865, as it dawned.

In September, 1864, our representative Governor had written thus confidentially to his oldest and most warmly attached personal friend, a gentleman of the

I highest consideration in the State — a letter that needs neither introduction nor comment to secure it attention:

"Raleigh, September 22, 18G4.

" I would be glad if I could have a long talk with you. I never before have been so gloomy about the condition of affairs. Early's defeat in the valley I consider as the turning-point in this campaign ; and, confidentially, I fear it seals the fate of Richmond, though not immediately. It will require our utmost exertions to retain our footing in Virginia till '65 comes in. McClellan's defeat is placed among the facts, and abolitionism is rampant for four years more. The army in Georgia is utterly demoralized ; and by the time President Davis, who has gone there, displays again his obstinacy in defying public sentiment, and his ignorance of men in the change of commanders, its ruin will be complete. They are now deserting by hundreds. In short, if the enemy pushes his luck till the close of the year, we shall not be offered any terms at all.

" The signs which discourage me more than auglit else are the utter demoralization of the people. With a base of communication five hundred miles in Sherman's rear, through our own country, not a bridge has been burned, not a car thrown from its track, nor a man shot by the people whose country he has desolated. They seem everywhere to submit when our armies are withdrawn. What does this show, my dear sirP It shows what I have always believed, that the great popular heart is not now, and never has been in this war. It was a revolution of tlie Politicians, not the People ; and was fought at first by the natural enthusiasm of our young men, and has been kept going by State and sectional pride, assisted by that bitterness of feeling produced by the cruelties and brutalities of the enemy.

" Still, I am not out of heart, for, as you know, I am of a buoyant and hopeful temperament. Things may come round yet. General Lee is a great man^ and has the remnant of the best army on earth, bleeding, torn, and overpowered though it be. Saturday night may yet come to all of our troubles, and be followed by the blessed hours of rest. God grant it ! 'Lord, I believe, help Thou mine unbelief ' in final liberty and independence. I would fain be doing. How can I help to win the victory ? What can I do ? How shall I guide this suftering and much-oppressed Israel that looks to me through the tangled and bloody pathway wherein our lines have fallen ? Duty called me to resist to the utmost the disruption of the Union. Duty calls me now to stand by the new union, ' to the last gasp with truth and loyalty.' This is my consolation. The beginning was bad : I had no hand in it. Should the end be bad, I shall, with God's help, be equally blameless.

" I hope when you come down, you will give yourself time to be with me a great deal.

" I am, dear sir, very truly yours,

" Z. B. Vance."

Tlie saddest forebodings of this letter, which would have been echoed by many a failing heart in the State, were soon to be realized. By January, 1865, there was very little room left for " belief" of any sort in the ultimate success of the Confederacy. All the necessaries of life were scarce, and were held at fabulous and still increasing prices. The great freshet of January 10th, which washed low grounds, carried off fences, bridges, mills, and tore up railroads all through the central part of the State, at once doubled the price of corn and flour. Two destructive fires in the same month, which consumed great quantities of government stores at Charlotte and at Salisbury, added materially to the general gloom and depression. The very elements seemed to have enlisted against us. And soon, with no great surplus of food from the wants of her home population, North-Carolina found herself called upon to furnish supplies for two armies. Early in January, an urgent and most pressing appeal was made for Lee's army ; and the people, most of whom knew not where they would get bread for their children in three months' time, responded nobly, as they had always done to any call for " the soldiers." Few were the hearts in any part of the land that did not thrill at the thought that those who were fighting for us were in want of food. From the humble cabin on the hill-side, where the old brown spinning-wheel and the rude loom were the 'only breastworks against starvation, up through all grades of life, there were none who did not feel a deep and tender, almost heartbreaking solicitude for our noble soldiers. For them the last barrel of flour was divided, the last luxury in