Note: Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/lastninetydaysof00spen THE LAST NINETY DAYS OF THE WAR IN NORTH-CAROLINA. by CORNELIA PHILLIPS SPENCER. New-York: Watchman Publishing Company, W. H. Chase, Publishing Agent 1866. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1866, by Charles F. Deems, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New-York. TO THE Hon. D.L. Swain, LL.D., AT WHOSE SUGGESTION IT WAS UNDERTAKEN, AND BY WHOSE INVALUABLE ADVICE, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND ASSISTANCE IT HAS BEEN COMPLETED, THIS BOOK IS MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED. PREFACE. The papers on the Last Ninety Days of the War in North-Carolina, which originally appeared in the New-York WATCHMAN, and are now presented in book form, were commenced with no plan or intention of continuing them beyond two or three numbers. The unexpected favor with which they were received led to their extension, and finally resulted in their republication. To do justice to North-Carolina, and to place beyond cavil or reproach the attitude of her leaders at the close of the great Southern States Rights struggle--to present a faithful picture of the times, and a just judgment, whether writing of friend or foe, has been my sole object. Slight as these sketches are, they may claim at least the merit of truth, and this, I am persuaded, is no slight recommendation with the truth-loving people of North-Carolina. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGE Difficulties of the History--The Position of North-Carolina--The Peace Convention--The Montgomery Convention--Governor Vance--The Salisbury Prison--Testimony on the Trial, 13 CHAPTER II. Winter of 1864-'5--Letter of Governor Vance--Appeal for General Lee's Army--The Destitution of the People--Fall of Fort Fisher--Advance of General Sherman--Contrast between Sherman and Cornwallis--Extracts from Lord Cornwallis's Order-book--The "Bloody Tarleton," 26 CHAPTER III. Judge Ruffin--His History--His Character--His Services--General Couch's Outrages after Peace had been declared--General Sherman's Outrages--His unblushing Official Report--"Army Correspondents"--Sherman in Fayetteville--Cornwallis in Fayetteville--Coincidences of Plans--Contrasts in Modes--The Negro Suffers--Troops Concentrating under General Johnston, 40 CHAPTER IV. Laws of War--"Right to Forage older than History"--Xenophon--Kent on International Law--Halleck's Authority _versus_ Sherman's Theory and Practice--President Woolsey--Letter of Bishop Atkinson, 53 CHAPTER V.