CHAPTER LX.
GENERAL GRANT AND HIS CAMPAIGN.
A. D. 1864.
1864.
The fourth year of the great war opened on North Carolina with grief in almost every family; still, with diminished hopes and increased exertions for the general defence, they looked forward to a campaign which they well understood was to be decisive of their fortunes. Perhaps not even General Washington was so trusted and beloved by the American people in the Revolution as was General Robert E. Lee by those of the South in the closing years of the struggle.
2. In his genius and capacity they felt sure they had the very highest human leadership, and in his splendid career and spotless renown they all took pride, as conferring reflected credit upon themselves. So noble, unselfish and wise, he had become the idol of his own people and the admiration of his foes. At the outbreak of the war he had declined the command of the Federal armies, because he believed it was his duty to take part with his own people.
3. Ex-Governor Thomas Bragg had been for some time in the Cabinet of President Davis, as Attorney-General. He resigned the position and was no more in public life. Since 1854, when he had left the Bar to become the Governor of North Carolina, he had been continually growing in public favor, and now returned to the leadership of his profession. No lawyer in our annals has been more respected or successful. In the Confederate States Senate the polished and eloquent George Davis, of Wilmington, and W. W. Avery, of Burke, had served until the latter was succeeded, in 1862, by W. T. Dortch, of Wayne; and, a year later, Mr. Davis was succeeded by ex-Governor Graham; and later still, Mr. Dortch was succeeded by Thomas S. Ashe, of Anson, who did not take his seat by reason of the dissolution of the Confederate government.
4. In the midst of the great struggle there was, of course, a great diminution of attention to matters of education. Governor Swain, with a remnant of the faculty, remained at Chapel Hill, and, with a few boys too young for service, yet retained the name and semblance of the University. Professors Hubbard, James and Charles Phillips, Hepburn, Smith, Fetter and Judge Battle were still on duty at their old posts, but Professor Martin was Colonel of the Eleventh Regiment, and almost all the students were enrolled as soldiers of the Confederate army. The sectarian colleges, male and female, were nearly all closed, and even in the common schools there was small interest manifested amid the blood and excitement of the time.
5. Many of the ablest ministers of the gospel left their churches and were faithful chaplains in the army. Great religious interest was awakened by them among the men who were so bravely battling in Virginia, and many thousands were converted and added to the churches during the revivals in the camps.
6. The recapture of Plymouth, in Washington county, on April 20th, 1864, was one of the most brilliant and successful affairs of the war. The youthful and gallant Brigadier General R. F. Hoke was sent by General Lee, in command of a division, with which he surrounded the strong fortifications and took them by assault, capturing more than three thousand prisoners. The help of the iron-clad Albemarle was very efficacious on this occasion, and her combat at the mouth of Roanoke River, a few days later, was one of the most stubborn naval engagements on record. Single-handed, Captain Cook fought and defeated a strong fleet of double-enders, and drove them, routed, from the scene. This expedition of General Hoke secured his promotion, and was in marked contrast with that of General Pickett against New Bern a few weeks before; the only incident of which, creditable to the Confederates, was General Martin's well-fought battle at Shepardsville.
7. When the spring opened, tidings came from the Wilderness of fresh battles in that region, which had been made famous the year before. General U. S. Grant had been made Commander-in- Chief of all the Federal armies, to assume the direction of affairs in Virginia. With the vast numbers at his command, he resolved upon such strategy as fell with fearful results upon his army, but it weakened the reduced ranks of the Confederates at the same time. General Grant lost more men in his march from the Rapidan to the James River than General Lee had confronting him, but it mattered not, for still fresh Federal thousands poured in to fill the places of those who fell at the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor and the minor combats. On our side, however, there were none to take the places of those who were killed.
8. In this terrible campaign, which was not ended even when General Grant began the siege of Petersburg, the North Carolina regiments were fearfully reduced. Generals Ramseur, Daniel and Godwin, together with Colonels Andrews, Garrett, Brabble, Wood, Spear, Blacknall, C. M. Avery, Jones, Barbour and Moore were among those who sealed their faith with their blood.
9. No battle of the war was more brilliant in its particulars and results than that of Reams' Station, fought on August 24th, 1864. General W. S. Hancock, of the Federal army, had seized and fortified a position, from which General Lee ordered Lieutenant-General A. P. Hill to dislodge him. So stern was Hancock's resistance that two bloody assaults had been repelled, when the privates of Cooke's, MacRae's and Lane's North Carolina brigades demanded to be led to the attack in which their comrades had failed. Their officers complied; and, with seventeen hundred and fifty muskets in the charge, they took the works and captured twenty-one hundred prisoners and thirteen pieces of artillery. *
*The North Carolina cavalry regiments were also greatly applauded by General Hampton for service on the same occasion.
10. In the steady depreciation of Confederate and State money was the greatest calamity of all. The cry of distress from famishing women and children was increasing in volume, and the State and county authorities were finding it more and more impossible to meet, by public charity, the pressing wants of their people.
11. The pay of Confederate soldiers in the ranks was $15 and $17 per month, in "Confederate money." During the latter days of the war flour sold for $800 per barrel; meat $3 per pound; chickens $15 each; shoes (brogans) $300 per pair; coffee $50 per pound; tallow candles $15 per pound. It may be easily imagined how great was the suffering in the South when it is remembered that numbers of soldiers' wives were almost entirely dependent upon the pay of their husbands for support. There were relief committees throughout the State, but the great scarcity of provisions made them almost helpless.
12. Almost all the white men in North Carolina were in the ranks of the different regiments and battalions mustered into the Confederate service. Their families were largely dependent upon the pay they received as soldiers. When the Confederate money became worthless, want and suffering appeared in every section, and unhappy wives were clamorous for their husbands' return to avert starvation at home.
13. The suffering families were ever in the minds of the dauntless men who were away facing the enemy, for a direr foe was thinning the blood and blanching the cheeks of wife and child. Therefore, many a hero turned his back on the scenes of his glory and incurred personal ignominy, and sometimes the punishment of death, for desertion.
14. The case of Edward Cooper was in point. He was tried by court-martial for desertion. He declined the aid of a lawyer to defend him, and, as his only defence, handed the presiding judge of the court the following letter, which he had received from his wife:
"My Dear Edward: I have always been proud of you, and since your connection with the Confederate army I have been prouder of you than ever before. I would not have you do anything wrong for the world, but before God, Edward, unless you come home, we must die. Last night I was aroused by little Eddie's crying. I called and said, "What is the matter, Eddie? " And he said, "O mamma, I am so hungry." And Lucy, Edward, your darling Lucy, she never complains, but she is growing thinner and thinner every day. And before God, Edward, unless you come home, we must die. YOUR MARY."
15. General Cullen Battle and his associate members of the court were melted to tears. Although the prisoner had voluntarily returned to his command, they found him guilty, and sentenced him to death, but recommended mercy. General Lee, in reviewing the case, approved the finding but pardoned the unhappy artilleryman, who was afterwards seen by General Battle, standing, pale and bloody, as he fired his last round into the retreating Federals. He then fell dead at his post in battle.