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. *