BEGINNING OF HOSTILITIES.
THE WAR BEGINS.--Fort Sumpter was fired upon and surrendered. Lincoln
called for troops from North Carolina to help to subjugate her Southern
sister States. Governor Ellis promptly informed the president that no
troops would be furnished from the State for such a purpose, and at
once called for volunteers to assist the South in its struggle for
independence. The state followed the lead of Virginia, identified
herself with the South, and the war was on.
The most loyal friends of the Union now plainly saw that war was
inevitable, and that there was no neutral ground to occupy. This plain
proposition presented itself that all must fight, and to fight for
the perpetuation or restoration of the Union meant crossing the lines
and taking up arms against our own homes and our own people. Very few
were willing to take this step or assume such a responsibility. Past
differences of opinion were to a great extent reconciled, the bulk of
the people stood together, joined the Southern forces, fought under
the same flag, and startled the civilized world with their wonderful
achievements.
YOUNG MEN VOLUNTEER.--Young men of my immediate neighborhood
volunteered, some of them deceived by the spell-binders who in their
harangues asserted that all of the blood lost in the war could be
wiped up with a silk handkerchief. These impetuous uncompromising
war men soon began to maneuver to screen themselves and their sons
from serving as soldiers in the army, and were busy trying to secure
bomb proof positions or hire substitutes. The conservative element
composed largely of the honest yeomanry of the country, including many
of its best citizens, although not ambitious for military honors, or
overanxious to become soldiers, held themselves in readiness to join
the army when they considered it time for them to go or their country
demanded their services. As time moved on the army was enlarged and the
home force depleted. From time to time citizens left their homes to
exchange the garb of the citizen for the uniform of the soldier.
PARTING SCENES.--There were many pathetic scenes at the parting of
loved ones. The mother reluctantly gave up her sons that she had fondly
hoped would be to her a solace, comfort and support in her declining
years. The boys in their vigorous young manhood went to the war, but
many or them never crossed the threshold of home again. The faithful
wife kissed her husband good-bye fondly hoping, wishing and praying
that he would be spared to return home again, perhaps in a short time
she was left a lonely widow with the double responsibility resting upon
her of training the little family of more than orphan children that
with her were left to mourn their irreparable loss. The affectionate
sister who had grown up in the same home with a brother she was proud
of, helped him to get ready to go to the war, feeling sure he would
return home with honors in a short time, but the ravages of disease,
the exposures of the camp or march, or a fatal shot from the enemy
caused him to fill a soldier’s grave. The sweet young girl enjoying
the ecstatic bliss of loves bright, young dream, cheered her lover as
he moved on to the war, and perhaps at parting they exchanged vows of
undying affection, but cruel fate deprived the gallant young soldier of
the privilege of returning to claim his bride. He too, had to give up
his life on the fatal field of battle.
Ere the war was half over the most of the ablebodied men were required
to join the army. Many of them promptly responded, while others not
willing to risk the dangers to which soldiers were exposed refused to
go and concealed themselves.
RECUSANT CONSCRIPTS AND DESERTERS.--In some sections of the country
there were recusant conscripts and deserters consisting of two
classes. There were some substantial citizens at home that were doing
well, quietly attending to their own home affairs, without paying
much attention to the politics of the country. These citizens were
uncompromising union men, opposed to the war, quietly concealed
themselves and failed to report for duty when called upon. They were
not outlaws in the full acceptation of the term, were supported by
homefolks and friendly sympathizers, and did not interfere with the
personal rights or property of anyone. There were others though who
were vindictive and terrorized the people by pillaging, stealing,
robbing, doing private injury and sometimes threatening the lives of
people at home. In places infested by such gangs a fearful state of
affairs existed. These recusant conscripts and deserters were hunted
by details of soldiers already in the service, assisted by militia
officers at home. Some of the militia officers rendered themselves very
unpopular by offensive methods used to capture men who were dodging,
consequently a very bitter feeling was engendered between neighbors and
sometimes between members of the same family. The power of the civil
government and military was used to induce all to join the army, and
the most of the men subject to military duty had to go, although some
went under protest.
LOSS OF LOVED ONES.--As the war advanced there was mourning in many
homes, on account of the loss of loved ones. Within a radius of a very
few miles of my home many stalwart young men were brought home dead,
having sickened and died in camp, on the march, in the hospital, or
having been slain in battle. Many a poor boy the idol of a good mother
gave up his life on the gory battlefield, deprived of the tender care
and affectionate ministrations of a mother, sister or wife to comfort
him in his dying hour. Some were left with their bones to bleach on the
gory field of battle, others were never accounted for and if buried at
all were buried by strangers that did not know them and perhaps did not
want to know them.
ROLL CALL OF THE DEAD.--The following principally young men are the
names of some of my relations, playmates, schoolmates, acquaintances or
soldier comrades that lost their lives during the war:
NAMES.
Henry Burough, Alsan Burough, Franklin Burough, David Bowers, Zadoc
Burton, Basil Burton, Frank Britt, John Clinard, Henry Clinard, John
Clinard, Francis Clinard, William Collett, Franklin Collett, Jacob
Crouch, John Crouch, Hugh Clodfelter, David Clodfelter, Alfred Cecil,
Nelson Cecil, William Craven, Ransom Edinger, George Edinger, Phillip
Edinger, Jesse Edwards, William Fowler, Benjamin Faulkner, Nicholas
Fouts, Henry Fritts, Jesse Green, Shepherd Green, Daniel Green,
Harrison Green, John Gardner, John Gillem, Madison Harmon, Charles
Harmon, Elwood Haines, Sanford Hammer, Jacob Hedgcock, John Hiatt,
Fred Hiatt, Jesse Hilton, Evan Hilton, Jacob Hilton, Henry Hilton,
Barnabas Hayworth, C. P. Jones, Purvis Jackson, Joseph Jackson, Joseph
Jones, William Kanoy, John Kanoy, Henderson Kanoy, John Kanoy, Charles
Kennedy, John L. Long, Henry F. Ledford, Charles Lines, Joseph Murphy,
William Miller, Franklin Motsinger, John Meredith, Winborn Mendenhall,
Robert McCutcheon, Mack Myers, Harrison Porter, Charles Payne, Thomas
Payne, Shubel Payne, Sanford Payne, Solomon Roberts, John Stone,
William Stone, Milton Sledge, Hiram Sowers, Humphrey Sowers, Robert
Small, Samuel Sink, John Sink, Adam Sink, Valentine Sink, Jesse Sink,
Solomon Sink, George Sink, John Sink, Joseph Sink, David Shuler,
William Traynham, McKindre Veach, John Wagner, Charlie Willie, William
Wagner, John Welborn, Madison Welborn, William Whitehart, Willis
Whitehart, and John Yokley.
Comparatively few of my acquaintances or young men with whom I
associated prior to the beginning of hostilities, went to the war
and returned to their homes at the close. Some of them returned on
crutches, some with empty sleeves, and some with scars of wounds
received in battle that they will carry to their graves.