478 NortH CaRroLina Troops, 1861-65.

the poor and keeping down all discontent, yet much was done,
and we had the proud satisfaction of knowing that more sol-
diers, in better condition, hailing from Old North Carolina
were standing by the great Virginia Chieftains, Lee and
Johnston, when the bugle sounded the melancholy, notes of
surrender, than from any other State of the Confederacy.

When it is remembered that North Carolina was devoted
to the Union, and rejected secession until the very last, that
much has been said about an unruly, disloyal Union element
in her midst during the war, and that shé has been accused of
having an unusual amount of desertions from her ranks, it
will be admitted, I trust, that we have a right to be proud
that we are thus vindicated by the facts and figures. Surely
no portion of the Southern people can show a brighter record,
a nobler devotion to good faith and order.

So great was the prevalence of this unjust impression, that
North Carolina could be easily detached from her duty to her
confederates, that it seems there were some who presumed
upon it for important purposes. Soon after the failure. of
the Fortress Monroe or Hampton Roads conference, I was
visited by Governor Graham (whose death we so re
cently deplore), who was then a Senator of the Confederate
States. After giving all the particulars of that conference
which had not appeared in the papers, and the prevailing im-
pressions of congressional circles about Richmond, etc., he
informed me that a number of leading gentlemen there, de-
spairing of obtaining peace through Mr. Davis, .and believing
the end inevitable and not distant, had requested him to visit
me and urge me as Governor of North Carolina, to take steps
for making separate terms with Mr. Lincoln, and thus inau-
gurate the conclusion. That he had agreed to lay their re-
quest before me without promising to add his personal advice
thereto. TI asked who these gentlemen were, and with some
reluctance he gave me their names, chiefly Senators and Rep-
resentatives in the Confederate Congress. I asked why these
gentlemen did not begin negotiations for their own States
with the enemy, and if they would come out in the papers

with this request tome. He said they could not take the in-
itiative, they were so surrounded at home, and so trammelled

 

NortH Carorina’s Recorp. P 479

by pledges, ete., as to render it impossible! I declined the
proposition, of course, and asked him to say to those gentle-
men, with my compliments, that in the mountains where I
was raised, when a man was whipped he had to do his own
hollowing; that the technical word “enough” could not be
eried by proxy. This piece of secret history will serve to
show that there was a faintness of heart and a smiting to-
gether of knees in other parts of the South outside of North
Carolina.*

There are among us unnatural sons of the soil, who being
enlightened by the knowledge-inspiring sweets of Federal
flesh-pots denounce publications vindicating our record dur-
ing the war as evincing a purpose to keep alive the fires of sec-
tional bitterness, and feed a spirit of ill-faith toward our pres-
ent duties. Again there are others in our midst, timid souls,
abounding in those good intentions which ar2 said to consti-
tute the paving stones of a certain nether locality, who say
they fear these charges are just, or at least our action lonks
that way, and had better cease for that reason. I cannot
agree with either. I am sure such imputations are libellous.
The preservation of the truth—especially the truth of his-
tory—challenges the interest of all mankind. To set forth

*Since the synopsis of this was published, I have received a letter
from an esteemed friend in Hillsboro’, N. C., who says he had a conver-
sation with Gov. Graham on the same subject, and that his recollection
is that the proposition made to me was, that should take steps to with-
draw the North Carolina troops from Gen. Lee’s army, which would force
him to surrender and thus end the war. It may be that my friend’s
recollection is correct. Iam quite snre, however, that substantially I
was requested to take separate and independent action to end the contest,
and I do not regard the difference between my friend’s statement and
my own as very material,

I have also been surprised to learn that this statement was construed
by many’as a personal reflection. both on Gov. Graham and the gentle-
men who entrusted him with the message. Surely nothing could have
been further from my intention. It was understood at Richmond, as I
learned, that Mr. Davis neither could nor would negotiate any treaty
which involved the destruction of his own government, and as Gen. Lee
could only hold out a few days or weeks longer, it was deemed import-
ant by those gentlemen to undertake action by the States separately. I
was only indignant that those, who were so lively in the beginning of
the fight and reflected so severely on North Carolina for her tardiness,
should’ undertake to make her the scape goat of defeat. I did not regard
it as a treacherous or dishonorable proposition, but as one which would
have put our State in a false position, if accepted by me. AE