278 Chronicles of the Cape Fear River

brave men of Smithville flew to arms, and soon the bay was alive
with boats hurrying them to the aid of their comrades within
the fort. Women, as in the old days, armed sons and fathers
and urged them to the front. But the steamer proved to be a
friendly one.

Upon receipt of unofficial information of this movement, Gov.

John W. Ellis, captain general and commander-in-chief of the
North Carolina Militia, on the 11th of January, 1861, ad-

dressed a letter to Col. John L. Cantwell, commanding the Thir-
tieth Regiment North Carolina Militia, at Wilmington, in
which, after stating his belief that the men were “actuated by
patriotic motives,” he continued:

“Yet, in view of the relations existing between the General
Government and the State of North Carolina, there is no au-
thority of law, under existing circumstances, for the occupation
of the United States forts situated in this State. I can not,
therefore, sustain the action of Captain Thurston, however
patriotic his motives may have been, and am compelled by an
imperative sense of duty to order that Fort Caswell be restored
to the possession of the authorities of the United States.

“You will proceed to Smithville on receipt of this communi-
cation and communicate orders to Captain Thurston to with-
draw his troops from Fort Caswell. You will also investigate
and report the facts to this department.”

Upon receipt of this order on the 12th, Col. J. L. Cantwell
notified the Governor that he would proceed at once to Fort
Caswell, accompanied by Robert E. Calder, acting adjutant,
and William Calder, acting quartermaster, two staff officers tem-
porarily appointed for that duty. Transportation facilities
between Wilmington and Smithville were very limited. Colonel
Cantwell and his aides embarked on a slow-sailing sloop which
became becalmed within four miles of Smithville. They were
put into shallow water, out of which they waded and walked to
Smithville, where they secured, with difficulty, because the popu-
lace was almost unanimously opposed to, their supposed mission,
a pilot boat in which they sailed to Fort Caswell, arriving there
after dark.

After some parleying, and not without reluctance, they were
admitted and conducted to Major Hedrick, to whom the follow-
ing order was delivered :

The War Between the States 279

To Magor Joun J. Heprick, Commanding Fort Caswell:

Sig:—In obedience to the order of His Excellency, John W. Ellis,
S0vernor, etc., a copy of which I herewith transmit, it becomes my
duty to direct that you withdraw the troops under your command from
Fort Caswell and restore the same to the custody of the officer of the
United States whom you found in charge.

Respectfully, JoHN L, CANTWELL,
Colonel Thirtieth North Carolina Militia.
Ropert E. Carper, Acting Adjutant.

The garrison asked until the next morning to consider what

reply should be made, and, on the morning of the 13th, this was
returned :

CoLonet JoHn L. CANTWELL:

Sir:—Your communication, with the copy of the order of Governor
Ellis demanding the surrender of this post, has been received. In
reply, I. have to inform you that we, as North Carolinians, will obey his
command. This post will be evacuated tomorrow at 9 o’clock a. m.

JoHN J. HEDRICK,
Major Commanding.
GEORGE WorTHAM, Acting Adjutant,

The fort was evacuated on the next day. Colonel Cantwell
and his aides returned to Wilmington and reported the facts to
Governor Ellis. The United States sergeant again assumed
control of the government property.

Thus matters remained in this section until April of the same
year, the State in the meantime drifting steadily towards seces-
sion and war, and the people sternly arming and preparing. The
local military companies in Wilmington were fully recruited,
and the former minute men permanently organized as the Cape
Fear Light Artillery, under which name they served throughout
the war.

On the 12th of April came the firing upon Fort Sumter, fol-
lowed on the 15th by a call from the Secretary of War upon the
Governor of North Carolina for “two regiments of military for
immediate service.” Immediately the Governor telegraphed
orders to Col. J. L. Cantwell, at Wilmington, “to take Forts
Caswell and Johnston without delay, and hold them until fur-
ther orders against all comers.” Colonel Cantwell, as com-
Mander of the Thirtieth Regiment North Carolina Militia,
Promptly issued orders to “the officers in command of the Wil-
Mington Light Infantry, the German Volunteers, and the Wil-