NORTH CAROLINA AND PEACE-MAKING.
A. D. 1864 TO 1865.
In 1864 Colonel Vance was re-elected Governor of North
Carolina. At his first election he was personally very popular,
was a soldier in the field, had been in actual battle, had been
by no means a strong "Union" man in the earlier portions of the
year 1861, and, indeed, in May of that year, was in camp at the
head of his company. Mr. Johnston, his opponent, was a
secessionist, but neither popular nor a soldier, and
comparatively but little known to the mass of the people, except
in his own immediate section of the State. Everybody of every
shade of opinion had the fullest confidence that Colonel Vance
would do his whole duty. There was no expectation that Mr.
Johnston would be elected, nor any serious effort made in his
behalf.
2. In his course as Governor such strenuous support was given to
the Confederate States that when his term of service approached
conclusion, and a new election was to be held, a few men who had
been among his most zealous friends two years before, but who now
opposed the determined attitude of the Confederacy and of North
Carolina, were found opposing his continuance as Governor.
3. These comprised a small fragment of the people, and William W.
Holden, of Wake, was their candidate, and this was all the
opposition Governor Vance had. Mr. Holden was the editor of the
Standard, a newspaper that had, in years past, been extreme in
Southern proclivities, and he had advocated and signed the
Ordinance of Secession, but of late he had advocated North
Carolina's withdrawal from the Confederacy and the making of
separate terms with the powers at Washington.
4. Governor Vance and the people, except the handful of Holden's
followers, both in and out of the army, opposed this project as
dishonorable and unjust to their compatriots of other States.
They held that North Carolina's fortunes were inseparable from
those of the other Southern States, and that she must share their
fate, whatever that might be.
5. About this time several propositions looking to overtures to
Mr. Lincoln for peace were communicated to Governor Vance from
certain members of the Confederate Congress from other States,
but he refused to take any part in such a scheme. He was re-
elected by an overwhelming majority, after a thorough exposition
of his views by many addresses both to the people at home and to
the North Carolina soldiers in their camps.
6. As General Grant day-by-day massed fresh thousands of troops
before Petersburg, and the Confederate resistance grew more
feeble in the Shenandoah Valley, the conference which took place
at Old Point Comfort was arranged to no purpose. After a mighty
struggle, the South, in utter exhaustion, was soon to lay down
the arms that had been so bravely wielded.
7. The importance of Wilmington to the waning fortunes of the
Confederacy had long been evident in the closing of other
seaports by blockade. General Whiting was an able and
experienced engineer, and his main defence, Fort Fisher, on New
Inlet, was pronounced by General Beauregard as almost
impregnable. Forts Caswell and Holmes, at the mouth of Cape Fear
River, and the numerous works fringing both banks of the stream
from Wilmington to the ocean, had apparently rendered hostile
approach from that direction a thing almost impossible to any
naval expedition.
8. On December 25th the same General Butler who had been at the
capture of Fort Hatteras in 1861, came with an army which was
borne in a great fleet commanded by Admiral D. D. Porter. This
vast armada, carrying six hundred of the heaviest cannon modern
science has been able to construct, opened fire upon Fort Fisher.
9. The fort was reinforced by a few companies from other portions
of General Whiting's command, and later, the division of General
Hoke arrived from Petersburg and took position in the intrenched
camp at Sugar Loaf, four miles distant up the river. General
Braxton Bragg had been for some time in command of the department
and was present on this occasion.
10. All day, on that Christmas Sabbath, a fiery storm of shot and
shell was rained upon the fort, which answered slowly and
deliberately from its different batteries. In the midst of the
bombardment, General Butler landed his army on the peninsula
above the land-face of the work, but upon inspection of its
strength he grew hopeless of his undertaking, and on the night of
December 26th, having re-embarked his force, the fleet returned
to Beaufort.
1865.
11. There was much joy and relief in this evident Federal
confirmation of the reported impregnability of the great work,
and congratulations went around among the Confederates over this
defeat of the costly undertaking of the invaders. General Bragg
withdrew Hoke's Division and all the force at Sugar Loaf, except
Adams' light battery and the cavalry, with the intention of
attacking the garrison of New Bern.
12. He was signally interrupted in this undertaking, when, on the
night of the 12th of January, 1865, Colonel William Lamb
telegraphed from Fort Fisher that the fleet had returned and the
troops were disembarking for a renewal of the attack. General
Bragg hurried Hoke's and all other available commands back to the
rescue, but found the Federal army in complete possession of the
ground between the fort and intrenched camp. Upon a
reconnaissance, the Enemy were found too strongly posted to be
assailed.
13. The great fleet opened fire upon the land-face, and having
dismounted all but one of the twenty-two heavy guns defending
that flank, on the evening of the 15th, General Terry by signal,
changed the fire of the fleet to the sea-face batteries. The
three Federal brigades that had worked their way close up, sprang
forward in a charge that resulted in the capture of seven
traverses and four hundred prisoners. The assailants lost their
three commanders and five hundred men. It was a fatal blow. The
Federals could not be dislodged, and, after brave and unavailing
combat within the works, Fort Fisher was taken; and its garrison,
numbering two thousand men, became prisoners of war. General
Whiting and Colonel Lamb were both badly wounded, and the former
soon died of his injuries.
QUESTIONS.
1. What is said of the re-election of Governor Vance in 1864?
2. What course had Governor Vance pursued? What is said of the
approaching election?
3. Who was Governor Vance's opponent? What measures were being
advocated by Mr. Holden and his followers?
4. How did Governor Vance and the people consider these measures?
5. What proposition had certain members of the Confederate
Congress communicated to Governor Vance, and how had he received
them? What was the result of the election?
6. Where was General Grant placing fresh troops? What was the result?
7. What is said of Wilmington and its defences?
8. What occurred on December 25th, 1864?
9. Describe the attack on Fort Fisher.
10. What was the conclusion of the attack?
11 How did the state receive the news of this Federal failure?
What forces were removed from Fort Fisher?
12. Describe the preparations for renewal of attack on January 12th.
13. Give an account of the engagement. What was the sad result?