692 



NORTH CAROLINA. 



the very bones and blood of our people. Superadded 

 to all this has been the appointment of surgeons, en- 

 rolling officers, and the like from other States over our 

 regiments and over our people at home, until the 

 crowning outrage was reached br the appointment of 

 Major Bradford, of Virginia, to collect the tithes. This 

 led to the first public meeting held in this State ; and 

 but for this and other meetings, and the earnest re- 

 monstrances of GOT. Vance, Major Bradford would 

 still be tithing man for this State. Such are .some of 

 the causes that have roused the people of this State to 

 a sense of their rights, and led to the meetings so much 

 deprecated by the " Observer." 



The meetings thus mentioned were held in 

 Orange, Yadkin, Guilford, Randolph, Moore, 

 "Wake, Buncombe, and other counties. The 

 resolutions adopted asked for peace^ by nego- 

 tiation, and by a suspension of hostilities. No 

 one referred to a restoration of the Union. 



Amid this state of affairs troops were sent 

 from Richmond to arrest deserters and enforce 

 conscription ; the governor issued a proclama- 

 tion to the people, and the press denounced all 

 such persons as traitors. These proceedings 

 led to some disturbances, which resulted in the 

 destruction of two newspaper establishments 

 in Raleigh. (See page 217.) 



The number of troops which the State had 

 at this time furnished to the army was 74,000 

 volunteers and 14,000 conscripts. 



Popular disturbances took place during the 

 year at Raleigh and Charlottesville. (See RIOTS.) 



An election was held for members of the 

 Congress at Richmond. Eight of the ten per- 

 sons chosen were reported to be in favor of 

 peace. The following were elected: 



1st Dist., W. H. N. Smith ; 2d Dist., R. R. 

 Bridgers; 3d Dist., Dr. J. T. Leach; 4th Dist., 

 Lieut. Thomas 0. Fuller; 6th Dist., Captain 

 Josiah Turner; 6th Dist., J. A. Gilmer; 7th 

 Dist., S. H. Christian ; 8th Dist., Dr. J. G. Ram- 

 say; 9th Dist., B. S. Gaither; 10th Dist., Gen. 

 G. W. Logan. The provisional governor, Stan- 

 ley^ appointed by President Lincoln, resigned 

 during the year and retired. 



The military operations in the State were 

 less important than in 1862. Early in the 

 year a considerable force was withdrawn from 

 the department and sent to Port Royal, to co- 

 operate with the troops there against Charles- 

 ton. The enemy were advised of these move- 

 ments, and made preparations for an attack on 

 the Union positions. On March 14th a sudden 

 attack was made on Newborn, which was re- 

 pulsed with slight loss. It was intended as a 

 feint, while the real effort was made for the 

 capture of Washington, about thirty-six miles 

 further north. On March 30th a force of the 

 enemy under Gens. Hill and Pettigrew marched 

 suddenly on that place. The Federal skir- 

 mishers sent out on their first appearance were 

 driven back with considerable loss. As soon 

 as the position of the enemy could be ascer- 

 tained, the gunboat Coin. Hull opened fire 

 upon them, and drove them off. During the 

 night they intrenched themselves as follows : 

 those north of the town took position on Red 

 Hill, an elevation about two and a half miles 



distant, commanding the Federal fortifications. 

 Those on the south of the town occupied Hill's 

 Point, about six miles below, on which was a 

 deserted earthwork, and placed eight field 

 pieces in position to command the barricades 

 in the stream, and the channel, which ap- 

 proaches close to the shore at this point. They 

 were thus enabled to deliver a plunging fire 

 on any vessel attempting to pass. Further up 

 the river Rodman's Point was fortified, and on 

 the same bend of the stream a second battery 

 was placed, thus entirely commanding the 

 channel, which from that place to the town is 

 very narrow and crooked. Gen. Foster, then 

 on a visit to "Washington, believed himself 

 strong enough to keep the enemy in check. 

 This he succeeded in doing until the 15th, 

 when he left for Newbern to hasten forward 

 reinforcements and supplies. The passage 

 down the river was exceedingly hazardous. 

 When the boat, the steamer Escort, arrived 

 within the range of the upper battery on Rod- 

 man's Point the enemy opened upon her with 

 artillery, and, as she approached the shore, 

 with volley upon volley of musketry, which 

 was continued without intermission. 



The channel of the river, for about four 

 miles, between Hill's Point and Rodman's 

 runs close in shore, where the batteries were 

 placed, and the danger was most immi- 

 nent. As soon as the upper battery on Rod- 

 man's Point had been passed the second one 

 took up the fire, and the third, and continued 

 it until the Escort had reached a point within 

 range of the works at Hill's Point. Then the 

 cannonading and musketry were terrible. Not 

 less than eighteen solid shot and shells struck 

 and passed through the steamer, completely 

 riddling her upper works and partially dis- 

 abling her machinery, while the bullets of the 

 enemy's sharpshooters perforated her joiner 

 work like a sieve. 



"When opposite the lower battery, on Rod- 

 man's Point, the pilot, Mr. Pederick, a native 

 of the State, was killed at his post by one of 

 the rebel sharpshooters. Immediately upon 

 the fall of Pederick, Captain "Wall sent for a 

 negro who knew the channel, and compelled 

 him to point out the course of the steamer past 

 the blockade. The boat went on down the 

 stream at a rapid rate, and reached and passed 

 the lower fort and blockade without further 

 loss of life. At Newbern some portion of the 

 force which had been sent to Hilton Head 

 were then arriving on their return. * These 

 were sent forward with gunboats, and the 

 enemy compelled to raise the siege. 



At Tarboro' the steamboats and one large 

 ironclad in process of construction, a sawmill, 

 a train of cars, one hundred bales of cotton, 

 and large quantities of subsistence and ord- 

 nance stores were destroyed. (See ARMY OPER- 

 ATIONS, page 135). 



On October 28th Gen. Foster was relieved 

 from the command of the department, and Gen. 

 Butler assigned to it. 



