In spite of the great Federal success in acquiring territory in North Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi and elsewhere, and notwithstanding the increasing hardships everywhere felt, the government and people of the Confederate States were still undismayed and hopeful when the spring of 1863 permitted the vast armies of the United States to resume active military operations. No thought of submission was entertained by the Confederate soldiers, and among the people at home only in rare instances were individuals to be found who expressed hopelessness as to the result of the war. 2. In North Carolina a period of inactivity succeeded the raid by General Foster, which was only broken by the unsuccessful attack on the town of Washington. General W. B. C. Whiting, who had made reputation as a division commander in the Army of Northern Virginia, was sent to assume charge of the Department of the Cape Fear, with his headquarters in Wilmington. This city had been fearfully ravaged by yellow fever in the fall of 1862, and had now become all important to the Confederacy as a port. Other Southern sea ports were almost totally closed by blockade, and only at the Cape Fear was there left a hope of access. 3. Generals Braxton Bragg, D. H. Hill, Leonidas Poll, and Benjamin McCulloh had all risen to prominent commands and conferred honor by their connections with the Old North State. Among the younger officers, Generals Pender, Hoke, Pettigrew and Ramseur had all won distinguished notice and promotion for gallant and meritorious service. 4. Many thousands had been enrolled in the sixty-six regiments and ten battalions of North Carolina mustered in the Confederate service, and, though mourning was in many households, recruits were constantly going to fill the gaps occasioned by deaths on the field and in the hospitals. Dr. Charles E. Johnson had been succeeded as Surgeon General of the State by Dr. Edward Warren. Drs. E. Burke Haywood, Peter E. Hines, W. C. Warren and others of the leading physicians were placed in charge of great hospitals at Raleigh and other cities in the State. North Carolina sustained a similar institution at Petersburg, in Virginia. Of the latter the excellent lady, Miss Mary Pettigrew, a sister of the general of the same name, became matron; and, like another Florence Nightingale, cheered the sick and dying with her elegant presence.